By CONRAD SUTCLIFFE

HENRY Gater and Dylan Hurst were the men of the moment for Sidmouth in a Duckworth-Lewis win over Exmouth.

Exmouth had been all out for 233 in the 45th of their 50 overs – opener James Horler top scoring on 69.

Sidmouth appeared on course for victory at 210 for four when rain stopped play with five overs to go.

Duckworth-Lewis said Sidmouth need 195 to win when rain stopped play, so the game was theirs. Gater (45no) and Hirst (20no) were the not out batsmen having  got Sidmouth ahead of the clock during an unbroken stand of 68.

“Henry and Dylan played the situation fantastically well under pressure, and once Exmouth gambled with their bowling options, which I think they had to do, they managed to get us over the line,” said Sidmouth captain Luke Bess.

“We felt if the game went the distance we could chase Exmouth’s total, but with Duckworth-Lewis it got a very tight once Isaac Thomas (50) and Matt Cooke (37) got out.”

Tim Piper, the Exmouth captain, felt the game could easily have gone the other way.

“The game went this way and that,” said Piper. "We probably should have come off long before we did. If we had, we would have probably been ahead at that point on Duckworth-Lewis. 

“We stayed on and Sidmouth edged ahead just before we were taken off.

“Having said that, I think Sidmouth just about deserved the win on the day.”

Horler top scored for Exmouth with 69 and took the running total up to 120 for five.

Exmouth got their second wind while Fin Marks (49) and George Greenway (43) moved the score along. They were involved in stands worth 126 – including one of 73 between them.

Said Piper: “We didn't bat our overs and that's not good enough at Sidmouth, on a good deck against an average bowling attack.”

Opposite number Bess saw it differently.

“Even after dropping Horler and Turnbull we had Exmouth 120 for five and 140 for six – and from there we let them get too many,” said Bess.

“Fin Marks and George Greenway batted well and took advantage of a pretty poor second 25 from us.”