Sidmouth’s miserable run of results at Queens Park Paignton continued as they were thumped by a margin of nine wickets.

The Fortfield men travelled to South Devon looking to end a sequence of three successive defeats at Queens Park - they last won their in2011 - and, when skipper Zach Bess won the toss, he wasted little time in deciding to bat first.

Little would he have expected through, upon opting to at first, that 23.3 overs later al his side would be out for the sum of just 88 runs!

Alex Barrow and Matt Cooke launched the innings, but Cooke fell for a fifth ball duck with the score on six and it was soon 18-3 with Josh Bess 91) and Alex Barrow (12) also back in the pavilion.

Three further wickets fell with the score on 26, with Luke Bess out for a nine ball duck, Rory Thomas trapped leg before to the very first delivery he received and Nick Gingell out for a second ball duck!

When skipper Zach Bess fell for 19, the score was then a desperate 37-7.

Will Murray and Cameron Evans-Grainger looked to battle their side towards three figures and they all but doubled the total that had been on the board when they got together, taking it to 72 before Murray fell for 20.

Seven runs were added before Tom Simmons was dismissed for two and it was soon 88 all out as Evans-Grainger became the last man out, but not before he had survived at the wicket for 47 balls - twice as many as any one else had managed in the side - out for 15.

George Benton, with 5-25 was the main wicket taker for Paignton who then needed just 19 overs and one ball to wrap up a nine wicket win.

The only success with the ball for Sidmouth was a wicket for skipper Bess with the score on 72.

A third defeat of the league season for the Fortfield men leaves them now third in the Premier Division table some 33 points behind leaders Heathcoat with Paignton, sitting second, six points behind the table toppers.

That's the first half of the league season completed and the first game of the second half, to be played on Saturday (July 6) sees Sidmouth visit Bovey Tracey.