TWO CENTURIES in a close game brought Sidmouth Cricket Club s most successful season ever to a close on Sunday.

TWO CENTURIES in a close game brought Sidmouth Cricket Club's most successful season ever to a close on Sunday.

Claverham from Bristol were the opposition and some generous field placings saw them reach 202-5 after being 26-2 and in danger of being bogged down.

The architect of the revival was Alan Copeland, who survived a sharp chance in the gully off Fionn Wardrop to make 108.

Wardrop stoically remarked as his long hop was dispatched into and out of Graham Munday's hands: "It didn't deserve a wicket."

Luke Bess prevented the Claverham innings running out of control with 3-26, his victims including Copeland, stumped by John Goodwin. Another of his wickets came courtesy of Charlie Miles holding on to a skier, despite getting into an awkward position to make the catch.

Sidmouth's reply started badly when Mike Dibble fell lbw, but this brought Simon Sobczak to the crease and he provided the mainstay of a winning reply with an unbeaten 112.

With Luke Bess, he put on 50 for the second wicket, but did not receive much further support until joined by Munday. This pair regularly clocked up the seven and eight an over needed over the closing overs and sealed a four-wicket victory with three balls spare.

One of Sobczak's big hits was destined to land on Jane Overthrow, wife of cricket club chairman Tom, as she reclined on the boundary, but she realised the peril she was in and gracefully rolled clear as the six was registered.