Sidmouth continue to look over their shoulder in the Devon League Premier Division after a five-wicket defeat against Bradninch last weekend.

Captain Luke Bess chose to bat first at The Fortfield on a blisteringly hot day, but saw Jamie Baird fall to a third-ball duck.

Jash Patidar followed him back to the pavilion with only eight runs on the board and opener Isaac Thomas was next to fall, having reached double figures, to Ross Acton (2-26) to leave Sidmouth 21-3.

Skipper Bess did not last long either, scoring seven before becoming a second victim for Chad Classen (2-25) and Codi Yusuf's exit left the home side 40-5.

Tom Moore (25) and Anthony Griffiths managed to stem the tide for a while, putting on 38 for the sixth wicket, but it was scant consolation as Moore and Byron Knowles fell to Joshua Farley within the space of three balls to make it 78-7.

Griffiths soldiered on to reach 23 off 64 balls, with the last-wicket pair lifting Sidmouth to three figures before Farley (4-4) ended the innings in the 36th over on 101.

Bradninch did not have things all their own way in reply, though, as Will Murray (2-31) removed both openers to reduce them to 8-2.

Yusuf (2-45) also had success as the visitors slipped to 44-4 but any hopes of an unlikely Sidmouth win were then shattered by a 36-run stand for the fifth wicket.

Although Charlie Miles ended that, Bradninch secured a five-wicket win in only the 17th over as Mitchell Pugh finished unbeaten on 35 from 36 balls, having hit eight fours.

Defeat leaves Sidmouth 16 points above the bottom two with three games to go, with a trip to Bovey Tracey up next this weekend.

They then visit Hatherleigh (August 27) and host Plymouth on the last day of the season.

The seconds ended up well beaten at Ottery St Mary in their C Division East clash.

Neil Davey (83) steered the home side to 266-7 from their 45 overs, after sharing stands of 96 and 87 with Jonathan Triner (46) and Eddie Rudolph (45) respectively.

Miles Lewis (3-46) was the pick of the Sidmouth attack, but opener Charles Brock's 18 was the top score in reply - six other batters reached double figures - as the visitors were dismissed for 144.

The loss leaves Sidmouth four points off second place, with Ottery a further seven points back in fifth.

Sidmouth host fourth-placed Alphington & Countess Wear this weekend, as Ottery visit bottom club Upottery.

Sidbury, meanwhile, kept their promotion hopes alive in F Division East with a convincing win over Axminster Town.

After choosing to bat first, they saw opener Ed Chester make 71 off 85 balls, with 14 fours before his departure left them 140-4.

Oliver Paget then put on 124 for the fifth wicket with Dave O'Connor, hitting four sixes and eight fours in his 70 off 46 deliveries.

And O'Connor finished unbeaten on 69 from 51 balls, with two sixes and nine fours, as Sidbury ended their 40 overs on a challenging 265-5.

Axminster's openers put on 54 in reply, before Paget made the breakthrough.

Simon Rowe (3-49) and Paget (4-31) then reduced them to 117-7, before Will Bidder, Steve Crick and Alex Paget picked up a wicket apiece to secure Sidbury's 121-run success.

They sit 14 points off second place and face a crunch showdown at Alphington & Countess Weir seconds this weekend knowing a win could see them leapfrog their rivals.