Sidmouth III defeated hosts Alphington II by 16 runs in a rain affected contest in Exeter.

With the club’s 1st XI missing players the knock-on effect meant that the third eleven travelled without a number of key players, but with a growing sense of belief after registering a number of wins in recent games.

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, Tom Overthrow and Tom Clay launched the batting effort, but Clay was caught for two with the score on six and that brought skipper Graham Munday to join Overthrow and the two added a half century, taking the score to 67 when Overthrow fell for 18.

Munday and Byron Knowles took the total past 100 before Knowles was bowled for 13. Craig Stephen was next man in – and out – having scored two to leave Sidmouth 117-4.

Leigh Adey joined Munday and played the ‘support role’ as the skipper launched the ball to all parts of the Alphington pitch.

With the outfield so long the pair were left to do a lot of running. Having helped add a priceless 62 for the fifth wicket, Adey fell for a knock of 12 leaving Ash Perram to join Munday and see the innings to its close.

Munday trooped off unbeaten on 73 having hit six fours and one six. Perram was not out seven with Sidmouth posting a healthy score of 194-5.

The start of the home reply was delayed owing to some heavy rain and, when play eventually got underway the Alphas were tasked with scoring 162 from 39 overs.

A new bowling attack of Will Bright and Byron Knowles worked in tandem with the new ball.

Both bowled well; Knowles is getting back to good form with the ball and Bright bowled consistent good lines.

Knowles finished with the splendid figures of 2-24 from eight overs, three of which were maidens and Bright’s return was 1-41 from seven.

For the first changes Munday turned to spin with first Raistrick and Fowler before introducing himself into the action.

Raistrick sent down eight overs for 27 and Fowler’s eight overs saw him return figures of 1-22.

It was Munday who completed a Man of the Match all-round shift for his team as he finished with four wickets for 20 runs from six overs.

At 104-9 Alphington were on the ropes, but the last pair served up some dogged resistance

With two overs to go the final pair were edging their side to an unlikely success. Leigh Adey was the bowler and he had the Alphas number 11 batsman caught by Knowles to seal a superb success for the Fortfield men.

Thanks, as ever to Umpire Ian and also scorer Richard.

This Saturday (June 17), Sidmouth are in action at Newton Poppleford where they will meet a Seaton 2nd Xi who sit second in the table, 10 points and three places better off than Sidmouth who will overtake them with victory.