Sidmouth were emphatic 172-run winners when they travelled to Instow to face North Devon on matchday eight of the Tolchards Devon League Premier Division season.

Sidmouth were emphatic 172-run winners when they travelled to Instow to face North Devon on matchday eight of the Tolchards Devon League Premier Division season.

After being put into bat by the home side, Sidmouth began their innings with Matt Cooke joined by the previous weekends 2nd XI centurion Dec Lines, but Lines fell to a catch behind for 13 in the fifth over with the score then 17. That brought Luke Bess to the wicket and the skipper helped Cooke take the total to 135 before Cooke fell for a 75-ball nine boundary 67. Cooke, who hit seven fours and a pair of sixes, was out to the penultimate delivery of the 25th over.

Two balls later Luke Bess was sent back for 40 and is was very quickly 141-5 with the dismissals of Zach Bess (0) and Dan Powell (6) – both caught behind.

When Nick Gingell was sixth man out with the score on 172 – Gingell sent back for 16 – Sidmouth supporters might have wondered if they were about to see another sub 200 score this term.

However, Scott Barlow had other ideas as he and Anthony Griffiths added 79 for the seventh wicket at a run-a-ball rate to steer the Fortfield men to 251-7. Barlow was out for a 42-ball five boundary 41 and Griffiths was the not out batsman at the close off the innings with his contribution an eight boundary 66-ball 60 and Sidmouth trooped off for tea with a healthy 282-8 on the Instow score board.

The home reply was a confident one with 60 runs coming in the opening dozen overs. It was Charlie Miles, introduced as third change, who swung the game the way of Sidmouth by breaking the partnership and then playing a key role as North Devon slipped from 67 without loss to 82-6 and then 99-8 before they were bowled out for 110 in 32.3overs with Scott Barlow taking the final wicket.

It was Miles who took the bowling honours with a ‘fivefer’, spinning his way to figures of 5-23 from 10 overs. Miles bagged three leg before decisions, had that opening wicket clean bowled and also saw Dec Lines hold, a catch.

Will Murray saw glovesman Dan Powell pouch two catches as the seamer returned figures of 3-30 from 10 overs and the other wicket taker was Scott Barlow with 2-16 from 6.3 overs.

The win sees the Fortfield men sitting fourth, 15 points behind third-place Bradninch and this Saturday (July 1), the league season reaches the halfway stage with Sidmouth entertaining basement dwellers Plymouth.