Adam Dibble comes into the Sidmouth eleven for tomorrow’s local derby with Exmouth at Fortfield, writes Stephen Birley.

Dibble comes in for Harrison Jones in the only change to the team that won so comfortably on match day one of a new Francis Clark Devon League season at Torquay last Saturday.

Sidmouth skipper Will Murray said of the opening day success: “Given that we lost at Torquay last season things could not have gone better. We got the perfect start with 200 on the board and just two down and that set us up for the early declaration and the ultimate opportunity to bank the extra two points. We then bowled and fielded well to get the job done very efficiently.”

As for tomorrow’s game, Murray says: “They (Exmouth) have really recruited well during the winter and, on paper, have a well balanced team. Like us they started with a 22-point win, in their case scoring a lot of runs in the process. That said; I am very confident that in any game I this season’s top flight, we have the team to beat anyone, as long, of course, that we are all on top of our game and that’s what I expect against Exmouth.”

Murray continued: “I think we have a good balance this season and whilst ever skipper at this time of a season will probably suggest they’d like an ever better balance, I am very happy that we have within the squad what we need to do the job this season. The fact we have some batsmen who know how to get on with it, suggests that we’ll be able to have a crack at banking more of the extra two point wins (awarded this season to a team declaring after 45 of the 50 overs and then bowling out the opposition). It’s not lost on me that the difference at the season’s end may just be something as finite as which team nets the extra two points the most so it invites attacking cricket which can only be good for the watching public. If we can win five or six games by declaring after 45 overs then that ten points could make all the difference in what I expect to be another fascinating race for the title.”

On Adam Dibble’s season ahead, Murray says: “Adam is one of those players who, if he’s available, then he plays. It’s very simple that one! As I understand it Somerset are keen for him to get as many early season overs under his belt and the more he plays for us the stronger we are going to be!