Sidmouth suffered a second defeat of the Tolchards Devon League Premier Division season and, with the halfway stage reached this Saturday (June 27), sit fifth in the table, 18 points adrift of the summit.

It was North Devon who inflicted this defeat and it is the Instow side who now sit on the top of the table.

Sidmouth skipper Will Murray called correctly at the coin toss and sent his openers out to bat on another classy looking Fortfield strip. However, things most certainly did not go according to plan with three wickets claimed and just eight runs on the score board!

Matt Lewis (1), Liam Lewis (4) and Harvey Sargent (1) were all back in the home dressing room before the end of the fourth over.

Pete Randerson (19) and Jake Fawcett fought back and added 35 for the fourth wicket, but both fell in quick succession to leave the home total 53-5 one ball shy of 14 overs!

However, Josh Bess, home from Australia to attend a family funeral, and playing as Kiwi Andy Mathieson was on international duty with New Zealand, joined Anthony Griffiths and the pair put on 104 for the sixth wicket. Bess struck two sixes and seven fours in a 68-ball stay at the wicket that produced 62 runs whilst Griffiths chipped in with 36 and Sidmouth were able to get as far as 160 before losing their final wicket I the 41st over.

The North Devon reply was not troubled with similar batting woes and they eased home for the loss of just four wickets and with 21 overs to spare

Sidmouth captain Will Murray had no excuses, saying: ““We didn’t bat wonderfully well, but credit to North Devon for a good bowling performance,” said Murray.

“Josh (Bess) and Anthony Griffiths did a good job digging us out of the hole we had dug, but 160 batting first on a flat one at Sidmouth was hardly going to be enough. Our last five wickets went for just three runs, which was pretty bad. North Devon batted well, we didn’t bowl near our best and there is not much more to say. North Devon now have a 15-point lead at the top of the table, but it isn’t that much at this stage of the season.”