Report: Bideford, Littleham and Westward Ho! vs Sidbury

The Devon Cricket League Fixtures Secretary played an unwittingly cruel hand when he handed Sidbury two trips to North Devon at either end of half term.

A threadbare team of ten plus Chris Fitzhenry (injured but to prove crucial in an umpiring capacity) made the trip up the link road for the first of three times this season.

The team was indebted to loyal servants Steve Crick and Mike Slot, perhaps no longer prime scamperers but certainly doughty ball blockers, for making it as far as double figures. Without their contributions in the field Sidbury would certainly not have won. 

Sidbury won the toss and elected to test their fielding strength on what looked a fast, hard wicket and outfield - this last a profound contrast to Sidbury's own still-verdant pastures. Oh, for a base of sand!

The thinking was that the inbound Atlantic depression might shorten the game and favour the side batting second.

Toby Whitfield and Damien Armes opened the bowling and set to a good line and length, ensuring a slow start.

Whitfield struggled initially with a big slope and hump at the sea end but found rhythm in his second over and was unlucky not to bowl the best Bideford batsman on two or three occasions.

A slow Bideford start, then, but for no loss. Arran De Moubray came on at first change and bowled a workmanlike 8 overs straight up the hill and into the breeze and he, fellow change bowler Alex Paget and the returning Armes quickly reduced Bideford from 64 for 1 to 69 for 5 at halfway drinks, the pick of the wickets a running, one-handed catch over his shoulder from Armes off the bowling of De Moubray, whilst Whitfield snr snaffled three behind the stumps, the best standing up to the not-slow De Moubray.

Smelling blood, the Sidbury captain went for broke by bowling out his first four bowlers in an attempt to force a quick end to the innings (and game).

This plan backfired, no further wickets falling and leaving Soren Hall and Ed Chester to come in cold to bowl at the death.

It was Hall's first game of the season and his last over of the innings went for a solitary run, despite bowling at set batsmen both with half centuries to their names.

This tipped the balance very slightly in Sidbury's favour when it had looked like a 200-plus chase would be required. 

Sidbury's openers, Chester and Jon Whitfield, went out with half an eye on the cloud building to the West.

Under instruction to first target 94 at the 20-over stage, they started well, watchfully, but plundering the odd bad ball for four or six. And then, injury!

Bideford's opening bowler down with a horribly dislocated pinky. Bone through skin and all.

Dr Slot ran on with the same urgency he'd shown at cover and dispatched the victim to A&E, to be driven by Bideford's umpire.

This left Umpire Fitzhenry to oversee both ends and ensure the game could continue without descending into peer-reviewed farce.

Sensing an opening, Chester dollied to cover with the score on 42 and his bereft opening partner decided 42 a fitting number for his demise, too, LBW, the first of Fitzhenry's wickets.

This brought Steve Howe and Paget together, the Bideford men chipper with chat they'd heard on the TV. "Good 'ere, lads, good 'ere, fellas, goooooood Smithyyyyyy, good 'ere Bidders."

But Howe had listened hard at the non-tea interval and set about the halfway drinks target with wide-eyed intensity, deaf to the bants.

He bashed over mid on and ran Paget into the ground in search of his grail, and made it too, Sidbury ahead of the rate for the first time at drinks, 96 for the loss of 2.

The rain radars were out in force, Whitfield jnr unwisely brandishing the pessimistic MET Office app.

Aside from some drizzle, the rain stayed away before kindly watering the wicket at close of play.

And by this time, the 10 of Sidbury were perfectly home and dry, Howe, De Moubray and Paget falling on the hill but affordably so, with Armes hitting the winning runs and Crick dancing a whisky, victory jig.

This week, Sidbury welcome Craddys to The Millfield on Friday evening before travelling back to North Devon, Westleigh, on Saturday.