JON James has been having a poor run of form lately in the Seconds, and as such, elected to play in the Thirds for their away game against Clyst Hydon in the hope he would retrieve some form.

Well form is temporary, but class is permanent, is a well-known phrase in sporting circles, and so Jon quickly proved that to be so.

Opening the innings, he smashed 108 from 103 balls (14 fours, two sixes), as Sandford batted first. Together with Will Street 57 (five fours, three sixes) they quickly pushed the score along to 135 for two when Will was eventually out.

Jon eventually departed with the score on 225 for five, and the innings wrapped up at 249 all out in 39.1 overs shortly afterwards. No one else score over 18.

Clyst's Haris Reshi 4-42 (7.1), Clinton Lewis and Matthew Land both 2-39 (6) were the main wicket takers for their side.

Jack James took a couple of early Clyst's wickets, but then Clinton Lewis 29 (six fours) and Haris Reshi 32 (five fours) put together a stand of 54 for the third wicket, but after they departed wickets fell regularly, and the innings was eventually wrapped up with their score on 196 in 32.3 overs to give Sandford a winning margin by 53 runs.

Jack James 3-26 (5.3), James Morgan 3-30 (6) and Toby Pennington 3-32 (5) all bowled well to wrap things up for the Kingfishers Third XI. The good thing was that all 10 wickets were taken by no player older than 19 years of age.

This coming weekend the Thirds are at home on the second pitch at Creedy Park to South Devon Seconds with a 1pm start.

This Saturday the Fourths travel to Newton Tracey Seconds with a 1pm start.

Phil Matten