Sidmouth III played a man short throughout their game at Plymouth Civil Service and Roborough’s Buckfastleigh and ended losing by 51 runs.

Twenty-eight wides were conceded by the visiting attack on a pitch that offered plenty of assistance to bowlers, especially spinners.

Harvey Sargent, who made 16 at opener in the losing reply, generated plenty of turn with his off spin to finish with 2-16 and skipper Graham Munday took his second four-wicket haul in as many matches at a personal cost of 36.

Civil Service made a steady start, but Lee Clayden struck twice in two balls with the score on 23. Sidmouth had to wait as 53 runs were put on at a good rate until late call-up Ben Woolley had Dave Bayliss caught behind for 22.

Opener Mike Hamlyn fell four short of a half century when he was fourth man out as Munday bowled him and the run rate slowed after his departure.

Sargent and Munday picked off the remaining wickets and the home side were dismissed with three of their 45-0ver allocation remaining.

Sidmouth’s reply began badly when Mike Dibble, with two to his name, was bowled round his legs for the second time in two weeks.

Sargent and Munday took the score to 41 before both fell in the space of two runs. Sargent was fell to a leg side catch by the wicketkeeper Steve Dent.

Joe Griffiths and Rob Fowler shared a 47-run fourth wicket partnership, the latter hitting two sixes and three fours in his 34.

One of two diving catches by Mike Hamlyn at slip accounted for Griffiths at 89 to give Mike Trevarrow the first of his five wickets.

From there the reply faltered badly and the demise of Fowler, well held in the deep by Bayliss, saw the run rate falter.

That was not a critical factor because plenty of overs were left. Sidmouth’s problem was occupying them and they were all out with 15 remaining, the last six wickets falling for 18 runs.