Sidmouth Beat Somerset Champions

An outstanding all-round team performance from Sidmouth took them through to the Regional play-offs at the Somerset County Cricket Club’s  Centre of Excellence on Sunday 2nd March from 3pm when they beat Somerset’s Sampford Arundel in a high scoring game. Batting first it was six, six out for Matt Cooke but Miles Dalton and Anthony Griffiths built up a critical partnership before both had to retire. Graham Munday added 19 and Scott Barlow a quick fire 10 before Griffiths and Dalton renewed their partnership. This is where the game was won as the pair took the side up to a useful 139 in twelve overs. Both were eventually run out, Dalton for 30 and Griffiths off the last ball of the innings for a magnificent 51.

One of Sidmouth’s great strengths is the variety in their bowling but the question was still being asked in the interval if they could keep their opponents, who had a strong batting line up, below eleven and a half an over. The top three Sampford batsmen passed twenty with openers Hendy and Milton retiring. A pivotal moment was when Dalton ran our Burns, who looked as if he could score at over the required rate, for 23. Indeed the fielding and keeping by Sidmouth held up exceptionally well under pressure with two other run outs and a stumping. With both openers now back at the crease sixteen was required off the last over to be bowled by Cooke. The East Devon side kept their heads as the straight hitting Milton was caught by Barlow for 38 leaving Hendy undefeated on 38 with Cooke conceding only seven runs and a wide. An excellent game of indoor cricket played exceptionally well by both sides.