Sidmouth 2nds were emphatic 156-run winners when they entertained North Devon.

With 2nd XI skipper Dec Lines promoted to the senior eleven, Saj Patidar led the side and he opted to bat first.

Louis Adey opened the innings with Issac Thomas, but Adey fell early on to a smartly-taken slip catch.

Anthony Dibble joined Thomas and they took the total to 90 before Thomas was caught one run short of a half century.

Daley Holmes was next man in – and out – leaving Sidmouth 93-3. Saj Patidar and Dibble took the total to 126 before the stand-in skipper was fourth man out, in his case for 16. He was replaced by son Jash who was then the fifth wicket to fall when he was trapped leg before for 12 leaving the total 155-5.

A superb innings from Dibble was finally ended with the total on 180. Dibble’s knock of 70 coming from 64 balls and he hit 11 fours. The final push was provided by the returning wicketkeeper-batsman Cameron Grainger-Evans and club chairman Fionn Wardrop who gave the total a real impetus, especially over the final five overs.

Both cracked sixes in the closing stages as Grainger-Evans closed on 69 not out from 65 balls while Wardrop, trapped leg before in the final over, hit 33 from 43 balls faced as Sidmouth closed on a healthy 284-7.

The talk at tea was whether the total was enough given the fact it was yet another wonderful Fortfield track.

Wardrop and the younger Patidar were given new ball duties. Wardrop bowled a full shift of nine overs (0-45) while Patidar went for 333 from his four over spell, but he did claim the opening wicket – thanks to a Grainger-Evans catch behind the stumps.

It was when off-spinners Charlie Dibble and Daley Holmes were introduced that saw things change significantly.

Between them, the pair only sent down nine overs – but they reduced North Devon from 112-3 to 128 all out!

Dibble finished with 3-22 from six overs, but the honours, o this occasion, went to Holmes who bowled three overs and claimed a five-wicket haul for the cost iof just 11 runs.

There was also a wonderful piece of fielding fro Wardrop that saw a direct hit of the stumps to effect a run out as Sidmouth duly chalked up a big victory with the match completed just before 6pm.

On Saturday (July 1), the halfway mark of the campaign is reached and table-topping Sidmouth head for Plymouth.