WHAT a finish! Sidmouth took three wickets with the final three balls of the game to pinch a one-run  win over Bovey Tracey.

Sidmouth had made an impressive 278 for eight in their 50 overs with Luke Bess top scoring on 81, Isaac Thomas hitting 46, Henry Armstrong making 45 and Charlie Miles slapping 32 not out off 20 balls in the final few overs.

Bovey seemed to have the chase in hand thanks to century from Munir Kakar (121) – he put on 117 with skipper Lewis Hammett - and chip-ins from Ed Foreman (23), Jake Pascoe (27) and Peter Bradley (23).

Bovey got down to the last of theirs bowled by Dylan Hurst needing four runs to win with four wickets in hand. One bye from the first three balls put the pressure on Bovey, who promptly lost Seb Ansley to a run out trying to steal a second run.

Two to win from two balls with three wickets left was the new target, but not for long as Toby Codd was caught behind off the first ball he faced.

Enter Elliott Adams with two runs to make and one ball to face. Adams aimed to drive Hurst through mid-off, but did not get enough bat on it and jabbed a catch to Josh Bess. Game over… and what a game it was.

Luke Bess, the winning captain, praised his team for their never-say-die attitude when the heat was on.

 “Bovey should have cruised that from the position they were in,” said Bess.

“We stuck in as much as we could and took the game deep. 

“We kept saying ‘stranger things have happened’, although even when Kakar got out it felt like he had done enough. 

“To take a team hat-trick in the last over to win was amazing. It was a great win with a genuine contribution from every player.”

Opposite number Hammett said Bovey are making a habit of losing close games and need to break it.

“It felt we were always in control in the chase and were obviously gutted to lose another close game and another we should have won,” said Hammett.

“We have discussed where we can improve next time we are in that situation.”

Three defeats in a row have left Bovey one off the bottom of the table with nine points to find to get out of the relegation places.

Hammett is not worried, but reiterated Bovey have to find ways to win.

“Our form looks bad, but we are playing some good cricket,” said Hammett.

“We could have easily won the last three games and had we done so we would be in a very different position.”