The five match winning run of Sidmouth III came to an abrupt end as they went down by three wickets at Braunton II.

Skipper Dave Watkins lost the toss and was surprised when the home side invited the visitors to bat first on what looked a dry Braunton surface.

Isaac Thomas and Thomas Moore launched the Sidmouth innings and made batting look easy as they made their way comfortably to 90 when Thomas was caught at square leg for 56.

Young Moore followed soon after, just four runs short of a deserved half century.

However, if the opening pair had made untroubled progress, once they were both back in the pavilion the remainder of the visiting batsmen proceeded to add just 46 runs between them!

Only skipper Watkins with 14 from the number four berth and teenager Byron Knowles, with 12 from the number five slot, made it into double figures.

Five of the wickets to fall were to direct deliveries that knocked the stumps over and the final wicket fell with the total on 155.

What Sidmouth needed post tea was a good start and they went one better as openers Wesley Holmes and Lee Clayden combined to send back the first three batsmen with just eight runs on the board.

However, home batsmen Paddy Dartnoll and Dan Brierley dug in at first and then opened up. Dartnoll was finally trapped leg before wicket by Lee Clayden for 54 and Brierley was clean bowled by Byron Knowles, but by then the home side were almost there. Charlie Dibble picked up a couple of late wickets, but the home side were not to be denied and sealed victory with three wickets and 17 balls to spare.

On Saturday (July 30), Sidmouth III entertain Seaton II.