Liam Lewis struck a super unbeaten century as Sidmouth defeated Plymouth to move to within two points of the North Devon and Torquay who share the leadership of the Tolchards Devon League with two matches of the first half of the season to play.

Sidmouth batted first with Matt Cooke and Lewis facing the new ball. The pair were parted as early as the second over with Cooke dismissed for nine and the score 15-1. Teenager Harvey Sargent joined Lewis and they took the total to 78 when Sargent fell for a six boundary 33.

Jake Fawcett (7) Pete Randerson (19) Antony Griffiths (14) and Nick Gingell (22) all departed, but not before the Griffiths and Lewis partnership has added 66 for the fifth wicket. The other not out batsman at then close was Dan Powell with 23 from 26 balls faced. Lewis was rightly applauded off at the interval with 103 to his name, crafted from 141 deliveries with four sixes and eight fours. The Sidmouth innings closed on 266-6 after their 50 overs.

The home reply was always troubled, with five Plymouth batsmen back in the pavilion with just 119 runs on the Mount Wise score board.

It was pace ace Andrew Mathieson – bowling hours before receiving a call up to the New Zealand One Day International (ODI) side – who bagged the most wickets, finishing with figures of 4-31. Matt Cooke and Charlie Miles each too two wickets as Sidmouth bowled the home side out for 211 with the final wicket falling to the final delivery of the 46th over.

A maximum points success sets up this Saturday’s mouth watering prospect of a visit to table-topping North Devon.