CLYST Hydon head for Exeter University Cricket Centre on Sunday for the Devon Indoor finals with an unblemished record in the East Devon Indoor League.

They face Cornwood in a semi-final starting at 6pm to see who will meet Shobrooke Park in the final which is the first step on a path that leads to Lord’s for national finals in March.

In the latest round of league games they hardly had to break sweat to beat Tipton St John by six wickets.

Things started well for Tipton with Dave Jessop and Craig O’Higgins putting 22 on the board in two overs. Things slowed down and with six gone the score was 40. With three wickets falling in quick succession, Steve Shaw played an uncharacteristic subdued knock to make 16 not out in a total of 82-4. O’Higgins made 23 and Jessop 16.

Simon Holmes and Heffin Wood both passed the retirement score of 25 to set up a win in the eighth over.

Newton Poppleford’s innings against Ottery St Mary hit a sticky patch after half way and they finished up nine runs off the 130 needed for victory.

At 75-3, after seven overs, a close finish was on, but four overs yielded only 12 runs.

A belated blitz by Kenny Clay and Matthew Raistrick, who were back at the crease after retiring on 25, got things moving to 111-4 in the 11th over.

Nineteen off the final over proved beyond them and they both perished in the push for glory. George Biggs took three wickets and Alex Thurgate two.

Opener Barry Flicker with 36, and last man Duncan Bradshaw Smith, not out 28, were the main contributors to Ottery’s total of 129-5

Three Exmouth batsmen came back for more after being retired on 25 to post 125-4 against Honiton. T Sampford was 36 not out, S Cross 30 and James Tapper 34 not out.

Despite the best efforts of Rob Ingram, with 47, backed up by A Holmes, with 22, Honiton were 20 runs short of victory on 106 all out.

Runs from last man S Hodgson, with 28 before he was bowled by Fionn Wardrop, enabled Clyst Hydon II to reach 79 all out against Sidmouth. They knocked this off in seven overs, Anthony Griffiths making 25 retired, Miles Dalton 21 not out and Charlie Miles 16 not out.