With no cricket this coming weekend, we have taken a look back over the past five years of the Devon League and how the three Sidmouth CC senior XIs fared on matchday five.
First up, we turn the clock back 12 months to last season...
Season 2019
Matchday five was contested on Saturday June 1, and Sidmouth 1st XI were in action against a Torquay side that won the Premier Division meeting by five wickets. Sidmouth batted first and their total of 204 all out was dominated by a knock of 97 from opener Alex Barrow. The ‘best of the rest’ were contributions of 28, from Josh Bess and 13 from Luke Bess. Third change Matt Cooke then took 2-27 as Torquay, who were at one stage 140-5, sailed to victory on 208-5.
Sidmouth 2nd XI were five wicket winners of their C Division East match at Exeter II. Jash Patidar claimed figures of 3-33 as Exeter were restricted to 216-6 and then Elliott Rice hit a 94-ball century, hitting 18 boundaries as he and Nick Mansfield (44) put on 122 for the first wicket. Rice was out just after reaching his ton, dismissed for 102 and Nick Gingell weighed in with 51 as Sidmouth strolled to victory.
There was an even more emphatic win for Sidmouth IIIs as they thrashed Countess Wear 1st XI by eight wickets. Dylan Hurst (5-35), Charlie Dibble (3-25) and Lee Clayden (2-19) shared the wicket taking honours as Countess Wear were bowled out for 121 and Sidmouth needed just 16 overs to wrap up success. Louis Adey plundered a 34-ball unbeaten 65 with six fours and four sixes and Isaac Thomas hit a run-a-ball 42 as Sidmouth chalked up an eight-wicket win.
Season 2018
Matchday five of this campaign was played out on June 2 and the day saw wins for the 1st and 3rd XIs and a narrow loss for the 2nd XI. The 1st XI brushed aside visiting Bradninch, beating the Mid Devon men by six wickets. Zac Bess (5-24) and Will Murray (2-36) combined to bundle Bradninch out for 117 and then Luke Bess hit 40 and Zac Bess an unbeaten 27 as Sidmouth raced to victory.
The 2nd XI were edged out in a close contest at Exeter II where the County Ground side won by a margin of just three runs!
It was fourth change bowler Isaac Thomas who had the most success for the visitors with the ball returning figures of 3-19 as Exeter closed on 262-9.
Henry Gater then hit nine fours and 10 sixes in a knock of 111 and Thomas completed a fine all-round shift with 61, but Sidmouth just came up short, closing on 265-6.
Sidmouth IIIs were far too strong for Shobrooke Park 2nds, crushing the Mid Devon side by a whopping 219 runs! Batting first, Louis Adey slammed a dozen fours and three sixes in a knock of 113 and Saj Patidar also racked up a three-figure score, in his case hitting 11 fours and six sixes in a knock of 110 – the pair adding 201 for the second wicket as Sidmouth closed on 289-5. Fionn Wardop then claimed figures of 3-11 as Shobrooke Park were bowled out for just 70.
Season 2017
Matchday five was played out on June 3, and it saw wins for the 1st and 2nd XIs but defeat for the 3rd XI.
There was a low-scoring affair at the Fortfield where Sidmouth batted first and were bowled out for 168 with the main run scorers being Zac Bess (51) and Matt Cooke (42).
However, that was enough to win the game as visiting Torquay were then bowled out for just 95 in 38 overs with Will Murray taking the honours with a return of 6-28 while Nick Mansfield (2-18) also got wickets.
Sidmouth 2nd XI were 123-run winners in their Premier 2nd XI meeting with Torquay.
Sidmouth batted first and powered to a close of 291-3. They had a 231-run partnership for the third wicket between Anthony Griffiths (129no) and Isaac Thomas (99). The latter was run out a run short of a century.
Sidmouth then used seven bowlers as Torquay 2bnds toiled to a close of 168-8 with the best returns for Sidmouth being from Fionn Wardrop (2-25) and Daley Holmes (2-35).
The third XI were in B Division East 2nd XI action where they went down to Chudleigh by five wickets.
Sidmouth batted first and were bowled out for just 132, 36 of which came in ‘extras’.
The best returns with the bat were knocks of 16 from both Sam Adams and Jordan Fowler. Fowler then claimed 3-29 and Luke Raistrick (2-35) as Chudleigh got home on 136-5.
2016 season
Matchday five took place on Saturday, June 4 and it produced a win for the 2nd XI, but defeats for both the 1st and 3rd XIs.
In their Premier Division meeting with Heathcoat, Sidmouth 1st XI used seven bowlers in the Heathcoat innings; one that ended with them bowled out for 305 with Josh Bes claiming figures of 4-48.
Zac Bess top scored in the reply, hitting 62 from the number seven berth while other runs came from Liam Lewis (44), Josh Bess (32) and Will Murray (30) as Sidmouth were themselves bowled out for 254 to lose by 51 runs.
Sidmouth 2nds were 110 run winners of their Premier Division 2nd XI meeting with Heathcoat II.
Batting first, Harvey Sargent carried his bat for Sidmouth, scoring an unbeaten 142 and Saju Patidar chipped in with 46 as Sidmouth closed on 254-6. Heathcoat 2nds were then bowled out for 144 with the change bowlers doing the damage as fourth change Charlie Dibble claimed 4-28 and third change Miles Dalton, 3-23.
Sidmouth 3rd XI lost their B Division East 2nd XI match against Chudleigh 2nds, going down by six wickets. Thomas Moore (41), Lee Clayden (29) and Jash Patidar (19) were the only batsmen into double figures as Sidmouth were bowled out for 133. Chudleigh closed out victory on 134-4 with Lee Clayden (2-18) and Bruce Robson (1-19), the successful Sidmouth bowlers.
2015 season
Matchday five was played out on the final Saturday of May and it produced wins for both the 1st and 2nd XIs but defeat for the third XI.
The 1st XI were 63-run winners over Torquay in a Premier Division meeting. Jake Fawcett was bowled when on 99, out to the 87th delivery he faced and there was also a knock of 42 from Liam Lewis in the Sidmouth total of 274-7. Torquay replied with 211-9 with the principle Sidmouth wicket takers being Charlie Miles (3-40), Will Murray (2-21) and Liam Lewis (2-32).
Sidmouth 2nd XI were three wicket winners in their Premier 2nd XI meeting with Budleigh 2nds.
Budleigh batted first and were bowled out for 186. Sidmouth used eight different bowlers and six of them claimed at least one wicket with the best return coming from fifth change Declan Lines (3-22).
Henry Gater (45), Saju Patidar (34) and Marc Jenkins (26) then combined to see Sidmouth to victory on 187-7.
Sidmouth IIIs went down by 80 runs in their meeting with Seaton 2nds in a B Division East 2nd XI fixture.
Seaton II batted first and closed on 253-4, answered by Sidmouth III with 173-8.
Our pictures supporting this article are all of Sidmouth CC matchday five centurions in recent seasons of the Devon League.
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