THE strongest 2nd XI batting line up assembled by Sidmouth in recent memory was beaten by the weather as their game was abandoned with 25 overs to go and 95 runs required to overcome Bovey’s total of 244, writes Fionn Wardrop.

Captain Matt Hewer won the toss and asked Bovey to bat, mindful of an unpromising weather forecast and keen to collect some bonus points.

As events transpired, it was Bovey who rattled up the points, scoring quickly on a low wicket and fast outfield.

Overseas player Phil Barraclough batted smoothly for 65 only to give his century away when he ran down the track to Charlie Dibble and missed. Robbie Powell, who kept wicket very well, whipped off the bails to give Dibble his only wicket in yet another economical 15-over spell.

Prior to this, Nick Mansfield had shown a return to form and removed the dangerous Mark Gribble, trapping him lbw when a short ball kept low.

Aaron DeYoung also batted well for Bovey and made 65, combining well first with Barraclough and then with James Fulner who finished 62 not out.

With 12 overs of Bovey’s innings remaining, the drizzle set in and the condition of the ball deteriorated.

Control for the bowlers was difficult and Bovey capitalised through Fulner, adding 100 to their score to close on 244-4

The drizzle stopped for a few moments after tea and Sidmouth were able to start their innings through Anthony Griffiths and Luke Bess.

Both looked in royal form and, as the lacquer left the ball and it again became slippery, Bovey soon found bowling as difficult as Sidmouth had before tea.

Griffiths had moved to 24 when a knee-high full toss was smashed straight at the cover fielder, Aaron DeYoung, who did well to hang on. The straighter Bess played, the better his batting looked and the best example of this came when he effortlessly drove former Devon spinner Gribble back over his head for six.

Bess added a further pair of sixes and six fours and it came as a surprise when he played around an off stump ball from Gribble and was bowled for 58.

Hewer batted with Bess and he too scored freely, making 34 runs from 27 balls and displaying an impressive array of shots.

Hewer was dismissed when a length ball from Gribble rolled under his defensive prod which brought Saj Patidar to the wicket to join Will Sobczak. They were progressing serenely when the rain increased and the umpires led the players off.

Sidmouth had scored at six-an-over throughout their innings and, with 95 runs required from 25 overs and seven wickets remaining, looked favourites for the game.

However, Bovey took 12 points from the game, while Sidmouth collected 11.