With the 2020 Tolchards Devon Cricket League suspended for the foreseeable future, every Saturday we will be taking a look back at the same gameweek from 2019.

Heading into their fourth game of the year, Sidmouth were in second place on 55 points before the visit of Heathcoat.

A win for either side could see them move top depending on league leader’s Paigntons result.

Heathcoat won the toss on their arrival at Fortfield and decided to put the hosts into bat.

Despite the loss of his opening partner, Rory Thomas, Alex Barrow produced a strong start to the day’s play.

His 52 featured five fours but unfortunately for the Sidmouth fans, his score would go on to be the highest of any home batsmen.

Thomas fell for just 10 off eight balls when he was caught by Dan Pyle. Number three Luke Bess did not trouble the scorers too much as he was caught on six from 25 deliveries.

Captain Zak Bess finally provided some stability to Barrow and hit 32 from his 51 deliveries. His downfall eventually came when he was caught by Pyle off the bowling of Jack Menheneott.

Middle-order batsmen Byron Knowles and Will Murray both made it to the 30s before being dismissed, helping push Sidmouth past the 200-run mark.

Murray was the last wicket to fall when he was run out by Malcom Cloete shortly before Sidmouth reached the 50-over limit.

Heathcoat began their chase in terrible fashion when opener Rob Holman caught by Knowles off the bowling of Zak Bess to make the score 11-1.

Indeed, Sidmouth appeared to making solid in-roads when the remaining opener Pyle also succumbed to the bowling of Bess, this time into the hands of Cameron Evans-Grainger.

Sidmouth fans would have been further heartened by the dismissal of Jack Dart and Peter Randerson for a combined 29 but the innings took a turn when Liam Lewis and skipper Jackson Thompson arrived at the crease.

The pair looked bullish in their innings, holding strike rates of 62.93 and 103.33 respectively to swing the game firmly in Heathcoat’s favour.

Lewis hit 73 from 116 while Thompson was seven short of a century after 90 deliveries. The pair scored a combined total of 16 boundaries including five sixes from Thompson and both ended the day not out.

Heathcoat comfortably reached the 216-run target with 2.2 overs to spare to condemn Sidmouth to their first defeat of the season.

They did pick up six points from the game (four batting, two bowling) but were leapfrogged by Heathcoat who moved into second place. Next up for Sidmouth is the visit of Torquay.