The 2016 Tolchards League Premier Division campaign came to an end for Sidmouth 1st XI with a final day 52-run Fortfield victory over Exeter.

The success was sufficient to see Will Murray’s men land the runners-up berth behind champions Torquay who ultimately ended the top flight campaign with 49 more points than Sidmouth.

In what is thought by many to be the final appearance for the club by Pete Randerson – it is a widely held belief that he will return to Heathcoat for the 2016 season – the wicket keeper batsmen signed off with the teams second highest innings – a knock of 39. The 52 from Anthony Griffiths was the highest home offering. Griffiths and Randerson added 67 for the fifth wicket as Sidmouth were bowled out for 203 off 47.1 overs.

That proved more than enough to win with the visiting side then bowled out for 151 in 43.1 overs.

Miles Dalton (3-33), Charlie Miles (2-16) and Jake Fawcett (2-13), were the principle wicket takers.

Sidmouth II suffered Tolchards Devon League 2nd XI Premier Division heartaches as they lost their final outing at Exeter and so handed over the crown they pipped the County Ground side to 12 months before.

The Fortfield men had travelled into the city hoping to return with the trophy they had held since lifting it last August, but it was not to be as the home side batted first, posted a commanding total of 239 and then bowled Sidmouth out for 197 in 41.5 overs.

Defeat was particularly hard on Henry Gater who had been given a rare opportunity to open the innings and he scored a superb 105-ball 17 boundary 107.

However that proved to be over 50 per cent of the sum total of the reply with the 22 scored by Isaac Thomas from the number five slot being the ‘best of the rest’.

Earlier Charlie Dibble with 2-29 in nine, had returned the best of the Sidmouth bowling figures. Gater was the other bowler to bag a brace of wickets and the other wicket takers were Joe Griffiths, Dec Lines and Saj Patidar.

For the second week running Sidmouth III were involved in a thrilling finish as they completed their B Division East campaign with a single wicket defeat at a Braunton II side that now must contest a play-off match to see if they are to line up next season in the next division up.

Dave Watkin top scored with 67 – the second week running the opener has led recorded the side’s top individual effort and the ‘best of the rest’ was a cameo of 19 from the bat of Daley Holmes. Sidmouth III were bowled out for 126, but that small total was so nearly enough to force victory with the home side limping over the line, finishing on 127-9 with Wes Holmes, Byron Knowles, Daley Holmes and skipper Graham Munday each bagging a brace of wickets.

The third team finished the campaign in seventh position in the table.