Isaac Thomas scored a stunning unbeaten double hundred as Sidmouth 2nd XI chalked up an eighth successive C Division East success, racking up an impressive 443 for the loss of just one wicket – and they reached the end of their 45 overs in the meeting with Budleigh Salterton 2nds with three centurions in their ranks!

Thomas really should not have been involved in the game for, during the week, he had been called up to play in the 1st XI in their top flight game at North Devon, this richly deserved promotion after he had dished up a consistent number of performances with the bat so far this season.

However, work commitments meant he could not travel with the 1st XI, hence his presence in the 2nd XI and his subsequent magnificent performance at a sun-kissed Fortfield on Saturday afternoon.

Thomas and 2nd XI skipper Anthony Griffiths launched the Sidmouth effort and they were soon putting the Budleigh bowlers to the sword.

The pair added 224 before Griffiths fell to the 92nd ball he received having struck 16 fours with his contribution being a knock of 101. Robbie Powell joined Thomas and they continued to blast the ball to all parts of the Fortfield until, after the final delivery of the 45th over, Powell was unbeaten on 102 from just 53 deliveries, hitting nine fours and four sixes.

However, it was the 127 ball innings of Thomas that was the talk of the tea time interval. Thomas was unbeaten on 210 having rifled no fewer than 25 fours and slammed four sixes.

Post tea, the focus switched to the home bowlers. Byron Knowles and Fionn Wardrop took the new ball and both claimed early wickets thanks to catches held by Robbie Powell and teenager Knowles, off Wardrop. The third wicket fell with the score on 97 with skipper Griffiths holding a catch off the bowling of Daley Holmes. Budleigh opener Tom Oxland became the fourth wicket to fall, caught by Daley Holmes off Max Hancock for a 60-ball 97. Oxland was dismissed with the total on 130-4 and just 19 runs were added when the fifth wicket fell, this one down to another Holmes catch off the spin of young Hancock.

From 149-5, another large turnout at the Fortfield were treated to another spell of ‘did that really happen’ cricket as the last five Budleigh wickets fell without a single run being added.

Daley Holmes bagged the sixth wicket, aided by a Knowles catch and then, off the very next delivery, Holmes held a smart return catch off his own bowling to claim the seventh.

It was soon eight down as a Robbie Powell stumping gave Holmes a fourth wicket and the end followed soon after as Budleigh were bowled out for 149 off just 25.1 overs.

In terms of the Sidmouth bowling figures, the best were the 4-38 from Daley Holmes.

On Saturday, the halfway mark is reached in the Tolchards Devon League and Sidmouth travel to Feniton looking to complete a clean sweep of wins from the start of the campaign to the halfway mark.