After many months of planning the Sidmouth junior tour party comprising youngsters from both the Sidmouth Under-13s and 14s, travelled to North Devon last week for a three-day tour.

Departing Sidmouth on the Wednesday morning in a mini buss kindly sponsored for the trip by Sidmouth sports shop Sports Republica (many thanks to Cliff).

The party arrived in Westward Ho! And booked into their tour headquarters, the youth hostel.

The opening game of the three match tour saw the side play Barnstaple.

After winning the toss and opting to bat, Sidmouth made their way to 118-4.

Morrison (28), Pudsley (28no), Knowles (19) and Fowler (17), were the principle scorers.

The Barum reply limped to 28-4 thanks to some superbly tight Sidmouth bowling as Ensall, Hughes and Richards each claimed a wicket.

Next day they played at Bideford were again they won the toss and opted to bat first in a 30-over encounter. Hancock (50no), Simmons (49) Pugsley (17) and Moore (11 not out) made the biggest contributions to a team score of 188-4.

The hosts were then restricted to 64-7 as Knowles and Adey both bagged a brace of wickets whilst there was one each for Ensall and Richards.

The third and final game was at Filleigh where the team contested a two-innings-per-side 20/20 match.

Sidmouth scored 171 with the principle runs coming from the bats of Fowler, Patidar, Morison, Simmons and Moore.

In reply Filleigh struck 162 with Pugsley, Simmons, Ensall and Adey the wicket takers.

Tour organiser Rob Fowler said: “We gained a great deal of respect from the teams we visited and we thank them for their hospitality. I’d like to personally thanks Nick Mansfield (coach) John (scorer), Lorraine (tour cook) and Leigh (umpire). Also the parents for their support over the three days. I am sure the lads all enjoyed the experience. They all seemed to get so much out of the go-karting, golfing, bowling and also in the amusement arcades”.