Sidmouth, Sidbury and Newton Poppleford all win on matchday eight of the East Devon T20 Virtual Cricket League

In Division One Sidmouth chalked up an eighth straight success as they defeated Clyst St George by 20 runs.

Sidmouth batted first and lost their opening wicket to the third delivery of the match. They reached the halfway stage of the fixture on 89-2 and kept up the nine-runs-per-over run rate to close on 181-6 with their best partnership being 89 for the third wicket. Clyst St George made a superb start to their run chase and were 104-0 at the halfway stage and ‘ahead of the game’ in terms of run rate. However, and very a case of ‘once again to the fore’ for the Sidmouth bowlers’ - the breaks were put on what had looked a straight forward run chase and the reply petered out to close on 161-2.

Seaton were five wicket winners of their meeting with Upottery. The Glebe Park men batted first and, after losing early wickets, limped to halfway on 57-4. The second half of their innings saw them battle back into contention as they added 99 over the final 10 overs with a 101-run partnership for the unbroken fifth wicket as they closed on 156-4. Seaton walloped a couple of sixes in their first over and, by the end of the 10th over they were ahead of the rate on 85-3. They did slip to being 105-5 with one ball of the 12th over remaining, but then the unbroken sixth wicket added 58 and a fige wicket win was sealed with eight deliveries of the match remaining.

Exmouth suffered a rare defeat when they went down by eight wickets to Ottery St Mary. Batting first, the Maer men were 14-1 after the first ball of the third over and then 71-2 after 10 overs. Indeed, it was very much down to a splendid 141-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket that saw them close on 161-2. The Otters made a tentative start, but were ‘on target’ after 10 overs on 74-1 and a 79-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket saw them chalk up an eight-wicket win with two deliveries of the contest remaining. Budleigh were three-run winners of a thrilling close contest with Feniton. Budleigh batted first and, from bring 78-2 at the halfway stage, closed their innings on 158-5. Feniton had a 72-run partnership for their first wicket and reached halfway just ahead of the required run rate on 88-1. At the end of the 16th over, Feniton were 138-1 (Exmouth had been 128-3 at the same stage), but two wickets fell in the 17th over and, when a fourth fell in the 18th, Feniton began the 19th over on 144-4 still needing 15 to win. They scored three singles and a four off the penultimate over leaving them needing eight to win off over number 20. They got a two off the first ball, but the next was a dot ball and the third a one before they lost their fifth wicket to the fourth ball. With a new bat at the wicket, Feniton needed five to win, the fifth delivery was another dot ball and, with five needed off the final delivery they managed just the one to leave Budleigh winners by three runs.

Kilmington were edged out by Whimple in another close encounter. Kilmington batted first and reached halfway on 63-4 which was a recovery given they had been 4-2 after seven deliveries! An 83-run partnership for the fifth wicket helped them clsoe on 139-6. Whimple slipped to 47-5 after six overs and were 65-5 after 10 overs. They lost their ninth wicket to the first delivery of the 18th over when on 127, still needing 13 to force a win, but their last two batsmen saw them over the line with the win sealed off the fifth delivery of the 19th over.

In Division Two, Topsham St James stay top after a seventh win in eight outings beating Honiton by a whopping 84 runs. Batting first, Topsham St James reached halfway on 79-3 and closed on 158-6. Honiton made a terrible start losing two wickets in their first over and, after six overs they were 31-6 and there was to be no dramatic recovery as they limped to the halfway stage on 55-8 before being bowled out for 74 in 14 overs. Sidbury kept up their challenge with a four wicket win over Uplyme & Lyme Regis where the home side were restricted to 154-4 and then Seaton, who were 85-5, recovered with a 50-run partnership for the sixth and a whopping 19 runs in over number 16 set them up to seal victory with two deliveries of the 17th over still to be sent down. Axminster remain very much in the hunt for divisional honours after they chalked up a sixth win in eight beating Woodbury & Newton St Cyres by five runs. The Axemen batted first and had a 51 on the board from the first 27 deliveries and then enjoyed a 90-run partnership for the unbroken third wicket to see them to a close of 168-2. Woodbury & Newton St Cyres were 22-2 after three overs and then 73-3 at the halfway stage. They got the start of the 20th over needed 13 to win, but could only manage seven and so Axminster took the four points.

Kentisbeare are the fourth of the Division Two teams to have won at least six of their eight matches so far when they beat Chardstock by 21 runs. The Kents batted first and had a 66-run start for the first wicket and then 53 for the fourth as they closed on 160-4.

Chardstock struggled to get away in the face of some good Kentisbeare bowling and reached halfway on 63-2 (Kentisbeare had been 83-2 at the same stage). Two wickets falling in successive balls in over 14 did not help the Chardstock cause and they were left to close on 139-7.

Newton Poppleford claimed derby delight in their meeting with Tipton, winning by two wickets with just a single delivery to be bowled! Tipton batted first and were 76-5 after 10 overs and 113-7 after 14, but recovered to close on 165-8. The Popples lost their first wicket to the very first delivery of their reply and were 60-3 after eight overs but hit back to reach halfway on 86-5. They were marginally ahead of the run rate at the start of the 18th over on 149-7. However, at the start of the last over they needed seven to win and, after a single off the first delivery they lost their eighth wicket and then there was a dot ball. That left them needing six to win. They managed a two off the fourth ball and then hit a four off the penultimate delivery of the game to win the match!

Latest tables

Division One

P W Td L Pts

Sidmouth 8 8 0 0 32

Seaton 8 7 0 1 28

Exmouth 8 6 0 2 24

Kilmington 8 4 0 4 16

Ottery St Mary 8 4 0 4 16

Budleigh 8 3 0 5 12

Whimple 8 3 0 5 12

Clyst St George 8 2 0 6 8

Feniton 8 2 0 6 8

Upottery 8 1 0 7 4

Division Two table

P W Td L Pts

Topsham St James 8 7 0 1 28

Sidbury 8 6 1 1 26

Axminster 8 6 1 1 26

Kentisbeare 8 6 0 2 24

Honiton 8 5 0 3 20

Newton Poppleford 8 2 1 5 10

Tipton St John 8 2 0 6 8

Uplyme & LR 8 2 0 6 8

Woodbury 8 2 0 6 8

Chardstock 8 1 1 6 6

All the league scores/results to date.

Matchday one

Sidmouth 142-9 bt Exmouth 141-6 by one wicket; Seaton 137-1 bt Budleigh 135-6 by 9 wkts; Ottery St Mary 126-5 bt Clyst St George 125-8 by 5 wkts; Whimple 147-8 bt Upottery 146 by 2 wkts; Kilmington 134-2 bt Feniton 132-2 by 8 wkts.

Matchday two

Exmouth 169-7 bt Feniton 143-5 by 26 runs; Sidmouth 156-3 bt Kilmington 154-8 by 6 wkts; Clyst St George 130-6 bt Whimple 127-8 by 4 wkts; Seaton 162-4 bt Upottery 147-4 bt 15 runs and Ottery St Mary 166-6 bt Budleigh 159-4 by 7 runs.

Matchday three

Sidmouth 160-4 bt Feniton 120-8 by 6 wkts; Exmouth 146-7 bt Kilmington 147-9 by one run; Seaton 151-6 bt Ottery St Mary 142-6 by nine runs; Whimple 129-4 bt Budleigh Salterton 127-7 by six wkts; Clyst St George 146-6 bt Upottery 142-7 by four wkts.

Matchday four

Seaton 199-3 bt Whimple 130 by 69 runs; Upottery, 80-3, bt Feniton 79 by 7 wkts; Sidmouth 216-5 bt Budleigh 193-5; Kilmington 172-3 bt Ottery 170-5 by 7 wkts and Exmouth 193-3 bt Clyst St George 191-6 by two runs

Matchday five

Seaton 181-2 bt Feniton 179-5 by 8 wkts; Kilmington 170-6 bt Clyst St George 124 all out by 46 runs; Sidmouth 194-3 bt Upottery 157-8 by 37 runs; Exmouth 165-1 bt Budleigh Salterton 163-5 by 9 wkts; Ottery St Mary 173-6 bt Whimple 167-5 by 6 runs

Matchday six

Sidmouth 159-6 bt Ottery St Mary 152-4 by 7 runs; Budleigh 162-3 bt Upottery 160-6 by 7 wkts; Seaton 160-4 bt Kilmington 158-4 by 6 wkts; Feniton 155-4 bt Whimple 154-4 by 6 wkts; Exmouth 143 bt Clyst St George 140-6 by three runs.

Matchday seven

Sidmouth 163-7 bt Seaton 145-5 by 18 runs; Budleigh Salterton 162-7 bt Clyst St George 110 by 52 runs; Kilmington 167-4 by Upottery 165-4 by 6 wkts; Feniton 190-1 bt Ottery St Mary 146-8 by 44 runs; Exmouth 160-7 bt Whimple 143-8 by 17 runs

Matchday eight

Sidmouth 181-6 bt Clyst St George 161-2 by 20 runs; Seatin 157-5 bt Upottery 156-4 by 5 wkts; Budleigh Salterton 158-5 bt Feniton 155-5 by 3 runs; Ottery St Mary 162-2 bt Exmouth 161-2 by 8 wkts; Whimple 140-9 bt Kilmington 139-6 by 1 wkt.

Division Two scores

Matchday One

Axminster 136-5 bt Honiton 134-6 by 5 wkts; Tipton St John 143-4 bt Uplyme & Lyme Regis 142-7; Sidbury 184-6 bt Newton Poppleford 147-8 by 37 runs; Topsham 158-4 bt Chardstock 154-4 by 6 wkts; Kentisbeare 134-3 bt Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 132-2 by 7 wkts.

Matchday Two

Honiton 146-9 bt Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 133 all out by 13 runs; Kentisbeare 176-2 bt Axminster 136-9 by 40 runs; Sidbury 144-3 bt Tipton St John 143-4 by 7 wkts; Topsham St James 153-5 bt Uplyme & Lyme Regis 127-3 by 26 runs and Newton Poppleford 156-5 tied with Chardstock 156-5.

Matchday Three

Honiton 142-4 bt Chardstock 140-4 by 6 wkts; Topsham St James 150-4 bt Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 147-5 by 6 wkts; Sidbury 143-5 bt Kentisbeare 141-7 by 5 wkts; Axminster 135-2 bt Newton Poppleford 133-6 by 8 wkts; Uplyme & Lyme Regis 131-3 bt Tipton St John 127-2 by 7 wkts.

Matchday Four

Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 153-9 bt Newton Poppleford 145-3 by eight runs; Axminster 156-7 bt Chardstock 154-4 by 3 wkts; Kentisbeare 170-6 bt Uplyme & Lyme Regis 169-2 by 4 wkts; Honiton 172-3 bt Tipton St John 157-7 by 15 runs; Sidbury 184-7 bt Topsham St James 180-4 by 3 wkts

Matchday five

Topsham St James 154-7 bt Kentisbeare 153-4; Uplyme & Lyme Regis 163-1 bt Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 161-5 by 9 wkts; Sidbury 1717-3 bt Chardstock 163-5, by 8 runs; Honiton 179-3 bt Newton Poppleford 177-4 by 7 wkts; Axminster 175-5 bt Tipton St John 138-4 by 37 runs.

Matchday six

Honiton 195-9 bt Sidbury 193-4 by one wicket; Topsham St James 167-8 bt Tipton 155-1 by 16 runs; Kentisbeare 175-3 bt Newton Poppleford 173-0 by 7 wkts; Chardstock 154-5 by Woodbury & Newton St Cyres by 5 wkts; Axminster 1695 bt Uplyme & Lyme Regis 167-7 by 5 wkts.

Matchday seven

Kentisbeare 169-5 bt Honiton 134-3 by 35 runs; Newton Poppleford 124-3 bt Uplyme & Lyme Regis 123-8 by 7 wkts; Sidbury 158-4 tied with Axminster 158-6; Topsham St James 153-5 bt Chardstock 140-7 by 13 runs; Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 149-6 bt Tipton 139-6 by 10 runs.

Matchday eight

Newton Poppelford 166-8 bt Tipton 165-8 by two wkts; Axminster 168-2 bt Woodbury & Newton St Cyres 163-5 by five runs; Topsham St James 158-6 bt Honiton 74 all out by 84 runs; Sidbury 155-6 bt Uplyme & Lyme Regis 154-4 by four wkts; Kentisbeare 160-4 bt Chardstock 139-7 by 21 runs

Matchday nine results will be published here from 7pm on Saturday, May 30.

The league will run over 12 weeks. Four points are awarded to a team for a win and, in the event of a tied game, both teams get two points.

This virtual cricket league is run using a formula from alphabet cricket where every letter of the alphabet corresponds to either a dot ball, a 1, 2, 4 or 6 and a wicket ball – wicket balls are B and C and random text is read from newspapers and magazines to determine the scores and results.