Sidmouth openers Liam Lewis and Josh Bess continued their impressive early season form as they put on yet another three-figure opening stand in the Fortfield side’s comfortable six-wicket win over Exeter.

Already with a brace of double century first wicket stands under their belts the openers had put on 120 when Bess fell to the penultimate ball of the 23rd over for an 81-ball knock of 48 that included four boundaries.

It was the ideal start for the hosts in their bid to claim a fourth win in as many Francis Clark Devon League top flight outings this term chasing down the Exeter offering of 167-8.

Antony Griffiths joined Lewis and the pair added 29 when Griffiths was returned to the pavilion dor 12.

Sidmouth were just 15 runs shy of victory when Lewis was out. He had been at the wicket for just over two hours, faced 96 deliveries and struck nine 4s and three 6s in a knock of 80. Lewis already has 29 runs to his name this league season and that figure is bettered only by skipper Bess who has 304.

Will Sobczak was the other home batsman to lose his wicket, he was trapped leg before for four leaving Luke Bess (9no) and Pete Randerson (4no) to see Sidmouth home with nine-and-a-half overs still to be bowled.

Earlier no fewer than six different bowlers claimed a wicket as Exeter were restricted to that 167-8.

Scott Barlow (2-34 from ten) and skipper Bess (2-36 from eight) returned the best of the figures.

Tomorrow (Saturday) Sidmouth reach the one-third mark of the league season when they travel to Plymouth who sit immediately below them in third spot.

With the teams separated by just eight points and fourth placed North Devon already 24-points adrift of Plymouth, a fifth win of the term for Murrays men would see a wide gap emerge between the top two (Exmouth are on the summit two points better off than Sidmouth), and the rest of the Premier Division!