HEATHCOAT defeated Sidmouth by seven wickets to move up to third in the Premier Division table.
Sidmouth don’t get bowled out for under a hundred very often, but Heathcoat managed the trick by skittling them for 93 inside 32 overs.
Opener Matt Cooke didn’t make it to the end of the first over from Jamie Drew and Devon captain Josh Bess followed soon afterwards to Malcolm Cloete.
Drew (3-36) kept the pressure on, aided by some smart close catching by keeper Peter Randerson.
Aview Mgijima (33) resisted for a while, but Jackson Thompson spun him out at 64 for five and it was downhill all the way from then on.
Christian Cabburn (2-12) picked off a couple then South African paceman Cloete returned to knock over eight, nine, ten and finish with four wickets for 18 runs.
Luke Bess and Mgijima were the only Sidmouth batters to reach double figures.
Heathcoat started tentatively against Josh Bess and his pace, which reduced them to 32 for three. Thompson had made 25 of them!
Jack Dart (40no) and skipper Randerson (22no) saw Heathcoat home without further mishap.
It’s Bradninch at home next, a game Randerson feels Heathcoat can improve in despite the convincing nature of the win at Sidmouth.
“We bowled and fielded really well – it was a great team effort – and a couple of decisions went our way for a change,” said Randerson.
“We still need to look for our top order to do the majority of our batting and we must take the momentum into next week.”
