Sidmouth showed visiting Cornwood no mercy on matchday two of the new season.

Sidmouth made it two wins out of two Francis Clark Devon League games with a comprehensive defeat of Cornwood at Fortfield, writes Steve Birley.

Batting first, the Sidmouth openers were in impressive form as Josh Bess and Liam Lewis both hit centuries, the pair putting on 222 in 43.2 overs before Bess went for a 134–ball knock of 110. Bess hit ten 4s and cracked one six.

At the fall of the wicket Lewis was one away from his century, duly passed in the next over and he went on to score one more than Bess, before losing his wicket with the Fortfield score board showing him on that cricketing nightmare of numbers – 111!

falling to the cricketers nightmare of ‘nelson’ – 111. Lewis stroked 13 fours and also thumped the one six. Sidmouth were able to close on 248-4.

Aussie Daniel Babula then set about the Cornwood batsmen with the big-hitting Jackson Thompson not one of his wickets – the former Bradninch player was knocked over by Scott Barlow – the only wicket Barlow claimed in an eight over spell. Babula was introduced into the attack as the first change and he went on to take 4-31 in ten lively overs. At the other skipper Will Murray claimed 3-25 from 9.32 overs with the final Cornwood wicket falling with the score on 95 in the 36th over.