Sidmouth 2nds have reached the halfway stage of the Tolchards Devon League holding a 34 point lead over second placed Bovey Tracey II following a three wicket win in a low- scoring affair at Plymouth II.

The home side won the toss and opted to bat first and were soon 16-1 after an Anthony Dibble catch off the bowling of Fionn Wardrop.

A caught and bowled from Charlie Dibble accounted for the second wicket with the score on 54-2 and it was soon 89-6 as Dibble got a second wicket, Daley Holmes bagged a brace and there was a run out.

A 28-run partnership for the eighth wicket helped boost the home total to its close of 138 from 45 overs.

Daley Holmes took the bowling honours with his return of 3-30 from nine. The most economical figures were shared by Charlie Dibble and Fionn Wardrop with both sending down full shifts of nine overs for just 16 runs each! Dibble got two wickets and Wardrop the one and the other wicket taker was Nick Mansfield who claimed the last two in his one over to finish with 2-5.

The Sidmouth run chase suffered early losses as Thomas Moore (5), Isaac Thomas (7) and Nick Mansfield (10) were all sent back with the score board having not reached 50. However, a 73-run fourth wicket partnership between Daley Holmes (37) and number three bat Anthony Dibble (49) took the reply to 122-4.

Three more wickets fell before Wardrop (4) and Byron Knowles (2), eased Sidmouth over the winning line.

That means halfway is reached with the Fortfield men seemingly on course to successfully defend their title. They have won all seven matches they have played in the first half of the season – the only two they have not won were not played owing to weather woes!

They begin the second half of the season on Saturday (July 8) with a home game against a Cornwood side they beat by 96 runs on the opening day of the season.