Sidmouth end the unbeaten Torquay start

After winning the toss the Torquay skipper opted to field and might well have been regretting that decision as home openers Matt Cooke and Liam Lewis plundered 60 runs in the first nine overs! Cooke fell for 24 to the penultimate ball of the ninth over and he was replaced by teenager Harvey Sargent and he and Lewis added 48 before Lewis was caught at long off for a well-made 42. Sargent followed almost immediately as 15-year-old left arm spinner Petherbridge trapped him leg before.

With the score board showing 111-3 beat his forward push and trapped him LBW.

At 111 for 3 after 24 overs the home innings needed an additional burst and it received just that as new Western Australian arrival, Jake Fawcett, and Pete Randerson (20) got together and soon began to work the ball to all corners of the ground.

Fawcett overcame a tricky start against the spinners and rapidly grew in confidence, going on to score an excellent 99 from 88 balls before being bowled by Torquay skipepr Justin Yau!

Late runs were added by Anthony Griffiths (15) and Nick Gingell, the latter with an unbeaten 21 as the last ten overs yielded a healthy 80 runs and the Sidmouth innings closed on 274-7.

The Torquay reply was soon falling behind the required run rate as home skipper Will Murray bowled superbly, eventually ending up with figures of 2-21 from 10 overs.

Torquay continued to struggle to inject the required impetus into their innings and Charlie Miles then took centre stage.

First he produced a stunning one handed pick up and throw from his own bowling to run out Mitchell Pugh before finding the edge of county captain Matt Thompsons bat. The Devon skipper was out for a duck and Aussie Fawcett had the first of what will surely be many catches for the club!

Miles created a second Torquay duck as he clean bowled Tim Piper to reduce the visitors to 99-5.

Liam Lewis then served up a tidy spell and the Torquay reply closed on 211-9.