IN a remarkable game at Exmouth last Saturday against bottom-of-the-table Exmouth Seconds, Sandford Seconds, having been asked to bat first, made the worst possible start to their innings, as they found themselves one for three in only the third over of the match.

Enter skipper Shaun Hawkins, who in conjunction with initially Ellie Bishop, started to retrieve the position for the Sandford team. Together they added 54 runs for the fourth wicket, before Ellie departed for a patient 19 (three fours), but even so 55 for four was not ideal.

Tyler Morgan-Huggett, fresh from his superb half-century the previous weekend, then joined his skipper, and together they took the score to 198 with a 143-run partnership for the fifth wicket.

Having reached his century off of 120 balls (11 fours and a six), Shaun departed soon afterwards for exactly 100. Tyler saw out the rest of the innings and remained unbeaten on 64no (six fours and a six) to guide his team to 199 for six off of their 45 overs.

Ollie Dawe two-31 (nine) and former Devon captain Bobby Dawson two-39 (six) were Exmouth's primary wicket takers.

In reply, Exmouth's response never really got going, and wickets fell at regular intervals. It was only thanks to their lower order that an eventual total of 162 from 38.5 overs made their score look relatively respectable.

For Sandford, 15-year-old Will Hopkins led the bowling honours with a remarkable four for 17 from 5.5 overs, ably backed up by another 15-year-old Jonny Handley two-22 (five) – including bowling Dawson – and skipper Hawkins in the wickets as well as the runs with two-31 (nine).

As a result of this important win, any fears of relegation should now be dismissed, as this victory leaves Sandford Seconds 48 points clear of Exmouth Seconds with only four games left to play, and only one team to be relegated following the pre-season withdrawal of Uplyme and Lyme Regis.

This Saturday sees the big local derby when the Seconds entertain local rivals Shobrooke Park at Creedy Park with a 1pm start.

Phil Matten