Sidmouth are now just a dozen points shy of Tolchards Devon league Premier Division leaders Torquay after they chalked up a second successive maximum point victory, this time courtesy of a 36-run win at home to Plympton.

The South Devon side have yet to win a top flight game since promotion at the start of the campaign, but they showed real fighting spirit at Fortfield and, if as seems likely, they go straight back down,. They’ll not be leaving the Premier Division without a good fight!

Skipper Will Murray won the toss and wasted little time in thinking about what he should do as the coin dropped onto another pristine Fortfield track. However, his batsmen did not seem to appreciate the conditions as the first five wickets fell with just 100 runs on the score board. Liam Lewis was the fifth of those wickets, he departed with 48 to his name and was replaced by Anthony Griffiths who took on the role of anchor man in some style, adding 63 with Will Sobzak (29) then 32 with Nick Gingell (21) before a 50-run partnership with skipper Will Murray (29) to see the home score to a close of 245-8. Griffiths was not out 51

Griffiths, was at the wicket for 109 minutes, faced 91 balls and ended unbeaten on 51.

The Plympton reply began well and, 30 overs in, they were a solid 110-3 with Liam Lewis responsible for two of the wickets and Jake Fawcett claiming the other.

With the Fortfield outfield as fast as a skating race track, an ‘ask’ of 135 runs from 12o bals with seven wickets to play with, looked a fairly routine run chase.

However, Lewis picked up two more wickets to finish with figures of 4-47 from 10 overs and another two from Fawcett (3-32 from seven overs) together with a three wicket hail from Charlie Miles (3-20 from 8.5 overs) saw wickets fall at regular intervals, the final one taken with the reply on 209.

With eight matches remaining in the campaign Murray’s men are well placed to go on and retain the title they lifted last August. This Saturday (July 11) they go to Bovey Tracey who, like Sidmouth, have 150 points and sit immediately below them in the table. With leaders Torquay at a rejuvenated and strengthened Exeter after their thumping of Exmouth last weekend, the table could make for even better viewing for Sidmouth supporters come Sunday morning!