I SAID a couple of weeks ago that if you want to watch close games, our Seconds are the team to watch, and last Saturday was another classic example.

Batting first at Creedy Park they amassed a total of 271 for seven in their 45 overs, which you would have thought might be enough to at least avoid defeat. Well in the end it was, but by only five runs as visitors Sidmouth Seconds rattled up a reply of 266 for six in their 45 overs.

Missing a few regulars, Sandford were asked to bat first by their visitors, and at 40 for two this may have appeared a good decision by the visiting captain. What he hadn't allowed for was that Sandford's Tom Gidney had decided it was his time for a return to form.

Tom together with Ellie Bishop added 130 runs for the Third wicket, before Ellie was out for an excellent 41 (six fours), to follow up her half-century the previous weekend. Tom followed soon after for a superb 94 from only 83 balls (17 fours), but the platform for a good score had been laid.

Skipper Shaun Hawkins 40 (six fours and a six) guided the rest of the innings towards its eventual total of 271 for seven.

Cameron Neame 3-27 (9) and Liam Dalton 2-42 (8) were the main wicket takers for the visitors.

Sidmouth's reply got off to a steady, but slowish start, which would prove to be their downfall later in the innings. Sixty-six for two in only 12 overs was pretty good, but a Third wicket partnership of 126 between Nick Mansfield 66 (six fours) and Ethan Chiappe 80 (nine fours and a six) took up over 24 overs, and set their team behind the clock. So when Chiappe was third man out at 192 there were only nine and a half overs remaining to score the 80 runs required to win.

Then Mansfield was joined by Miles Lewis, and they added a further 46 before Mansfield departed with the score on 238 for four, and the target had been reduced to 34 from three overs.

Lewis had thrashed a quick 36 (two fours and a six) in only 28 balls, before being one of two run outs in consecutive balls in the penultimate over of the innings.

This left Sidmouth Seconds needing 15 runs to win off the last over, of which they only scored nine, and so Sandford won yet another close game by just five runs.

For Sandford, 15-year-old Jonny Handley not only took a couple of important wickets 2-43 (7), but he also bowled the important penultimate over whilst conceding just six runs, and although 17-year-old Ollie Knight's last over went for nine runs, which did include four leg byes, it was great to see two youngsters taking responsibility to see their team through to an excellent victory against a Sidmouth Seconds side that have been going well this year.

It was also great to see the Morgan-Hugget twins back on the field of play having both missed last year due to injury.

Next week the Seconds are at Ottery St Mary with a 1pm start, which should be quite a test.

Phil Matten