Sidbury bagged a double dose of success over the Bank Holiday weekend to win their Tolchards Devon League group and move impressively into a semi-final berth.

A Saturday emphatic win over Topsham St James II was followed by Mondays thrilling narrow victory over Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 1st XI to set up Saturday’s (September 5) home semi-final against Buckland Monachorum.

If Sidbury are successful on Saturday then the following week they’d contest a final against either Bridestowe II or Cheriton Fitzpaine who contest the other semi-final.

Against Topsham St James, Sidbury batted first and powered their way to 234-7 from 35 overs. The stand-out innings was one of 125 from Will Bidder who hit 18 fours and one six in his 67 ball innings. Skipper Alex Paget chipped in with a 38-ball, six boundary 45 and Simon Rowe hit 27. The Tops were then reduced to 8-2 and then 55-5 before being bowled out for just 87 in two balls shy of 27 overs.

Barney Stone (3-20), Simon Astley-Jones (2-19) and Simon Rowe (2-13) did the bulk of the wicket taking.

On Monday, Sidbury again batted first, but this time they had an early wobble losing openers Ed Chester (3) and Mark Bishop (0) before being rescued by Ollie Pyne (48) and Dave O’Connor (55) and closing on 164-9 after their 35 overs. Other contributions came from Rowe (21), skipper Paget (14) and Sam Meadham (10).

Woodbury & Newton St Cyres made a decent start and did get to 113-7 before slipping to 152-8 and then being bowled out for 160 with just one ball of their 35 overs remaining, leaving Sidbury winners by a margin of just four runs.

Sidbury used six bowlers with fourth change Chris Fitzhenry taking the honours with figures of 4-30.

Simon Rowe returned figures of 3-17 - that left him sporting weekend figures of 5-30 and Louis Bowen (1-27), was the other successful Sidbury bowler.