WHAT a difference a day makes, as Graham Munday discovered in the 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday.

WHAT a difference a day makes, as Graham Munday discovered in the 24 hours between Saturday and Sunday.

On Saturday, his slow left arm bowling hastened the demise of Baxenden with five wickets for seven runs - six of them came in one hit - when the Lancashire tourists were dismissed for 87 by Sidmouth.

The next day, against the same opposition on the same Fort Field pitch, he sent down eight overs which were hit for 83 runs, with a solitary wicket taken.

Sidmouth, with Simon Sobczak displaying a perfect batting technique against former Lancashire and England seamer Ian Austin, and Nick Gingell hitting freely, were home by nine wickets on Saturday.

On Sunday, Baxenden showed more batting resolve and in a 40-over match totalled 215-6, which proved beyond the hosts, who reached 179-9. Austin, who had missed out the previous day, made 55 for the visitors.

Sidmouth's reply featured 46 from Will Murray, 39 from Anthony Griffiths, 32 from Sobczak and 17 from Dave Gibson.

Club captain Murray, less than 24 hours after returning from travels in Australia, was soon into his seam bowling rhythm on Saturday, picking up three wickets. Adam Dibble, who next day was bowling alongside Andy Caddick in a Somerset XI, and Scott Barlow also struck.

Sunday saw wicketkeeper Marc Jenkins making his debut for Sidmouth and, after getting accustomed to the bowlers and conditions, he smartly snapped up three victims to match John Goodwin's haul the previous day.

Tomorrow the build-up to the start of the Francis Clark Premier Division campaign continues with matches at home to Exmouth and away to Axminster. On Sunday the visitors to the Fort Field are Midlands side Water Orton.

For the second year the six-a-side team completed a league and cup double in the Sidmouth Sports Hall indoor competitions, beating Axminster in the cup final. Openers Anthony Griffiths and Miles Dalton gave Sidmouth a flying start with retirement scores of 25 and, although Axminster regularly took wickets, the score mounted and Griffiths returned to the crease to give the total a final boost to 133-5.

Axminster had two batsmen retiring, but could not sustain the rate. Their efforts were not helped by non-striking batsmen helping a spirited Sidmouth fielding display by twice getting in the way of certain boundary hits.

Off spinner Charlie Miles and Mark Jasper were among the wickets as Sidmouth completed an unbeaten season in "domestic competitions" which saw them become Devon champions and go on to the regional play-offs of the national tournament.