Sidmouth 2nds sit 23 points clear at the top of the Tolchards Devon League 2nd XI Premier Division after a comfortable 51-run win at Budleigh Salterton.

Skipper Dec Lines won the toss and opted to bat first and he and Thomas Moore took the total to 55 before Lines was caught for 31. Isaac Thomas was next man in – and promptly out – without troubling the scorers and it was soon 70-3 wit the loss of Moore for 25.

When Dan Powell was stumped by his opposite number for 18, Sidmouth were 98-4. However, control was regained by a 102 run stand between David Watkins (56) and Nick Mansfield (53). They both departed in quick succession leaving Byron Knowles (14), Daley Holmes (10no) and Jash Patidar (7no) to see the side to their close of 234-7 after 45 overs.

Sidmouth openers Fionn Wardrop and Jash Patidar, both struck early on in the Budleigh reply, leaving the home side 11-2. The third wicket took the score to 72 before a Nick Mansfield catch off Daley Holmes sent another batsman back to the Ottermouth pavilion.

Budleigh dug in and clearly ‘gave up the run chase’ at an early stage.

Lines switched bowlers, using eight different players in an attempt to prize out the stubborn seventh wicket pairing who had come together with their side a troubled 101-6.

However there were to be no further wickets as the Budleigh pair saw the game out, adding 82 for the unbroken seventh wicket. In terms of economy the ‘stand-out’ figures were those served up by club chairman Fionn Wardrop with his nine overs going for only 13 runs. Two bowlers claimed a brace of wickets – Charlie Dibble returned figures of 2-30 from a full shift of nine overs and Daley Holmes, who also sent down a full nine, finished with 2-37. Jash Patidar (1-16 from five overs) was the other bowler to strike.

On Saturday (July 22), Sidmouth entertain second placed Bovey Tracey and a home win would bring yet another top flight 2nd XI title mighty close.