Sidbury welcomed long-standing touring side, Sussex-based The Grey’s, for their latest match.

The tourists had made their base in a large farmhouse in Kentisbeare and arrived at the ground early, clearly keen to get started. They won the toss and had no hesitation in electing to field with the visiting skipper quick to spot that the overnight rain had freshened up the wicket and was likely to provide some assistance to his opening bowlers.

Sure enough the green top and new ball combined with the eager opening bowlers started to get plenty from the wicket, sharp lift and movement off the seam. Sidbury’s openers started patiently, riding their luck at times, but managing to hit the odd bad ball and avoid getting into trouble with the good ones. The openers just managed to pass the 50 milestone at the 10 over stage, when Ben Pollard mistimed a drive to mid off.

However, the openers had given the home side a platform from which to build on. That was lost on the rest of the top order though as four wickets fell in quick succession to change the complexion of the innings and at 74-5, the solid start seemed a distant memory.

The home team welcomed back club stalwart Mark Bishop for his first game of the season, an experienced batsman who has scored countless runs at the Millfield ground over the years. However, he received an ‘unplayable’ first ball and soon found himself back in the pavilion!

The in-form Olly Paget was next in, and, just as he had done the game before, he began to rebuild the innings. Paget and all-rounder Jon Miller ran well between the wickets whilst they both also found the boundary with lusty blows.

Miller slammed three sixes in the final over to end on 48 not out and the home side were able to post a score of 200 which represented a terrific effort.

When the tourists batted, Barney Stone and Joe Gosse opened the bowling. The pair are developing into fine cricketers and, once again, both bowled accurately and quickly with Gosse proving miserly and Stone bagging a couple of wickets. Both the Stone wickets were off the edge with Alex Paget, at first slip, making no mistake each time!

The Grey’s really struggled to get going, and the continued tight bowling and good fielding meant that the chase of 200 quickly looked a long way off. Gosse got the wicket his shift with the ball deserved and there were wickets also for Chris Fitzhenry and Josh Reed before Mark Bishop, still smarting from his golden duck, came on with his off-spin and claimed a wicket with his very first delivery!

The final touring side wicket fell with the score on 48 to leave Sidbury winners by an impressive margin of 152 runs!

Sidbury are at home this Sunday (June 21) with a 2pm start for the meeting with Seaton. That comes 24-hours after the annual Paget brothers’ 40 over clash to which all are invited. The action on Saturday at Millfield gets underway at 2pm.