TORQUAY’S hit-and-miss season continued when they lost by five wickets at Sidmouth.

The reigning champions started the defence of their title with wins over Brixham and Heathcoat, but have not won on successive Saturdays since.

Sidmouth made Torquay’s total of 246 for six look very ordinary indeed as they polished it off with nearly eight of their 50 overs to spare – Zak Bess bashing a match-winning 85..

George Allen (67) and Mitch Pugh (31) got off to a racing start with 71 in the first 11 overs.

When Pugh went to Zak Bess (2-41) Sach Galhenage replaced him and added a further 52 with Allen. Runs were hard to come by though and at 30 overs Torquay were 129 for three with Allen (67) and Galhenage both just out.

It was a similar story of containment between four and five an over while skipper Justin Yau (32) and Ben Francis (33) notched 52 for the fourth wicket.

Torquay had wickets in hand going into the last 10 over and had freedom to play a few shots with Joe Thompson striking 33 off 23 balls to raise the tempo.

Torquay needed early wickets to put Sidmouth under pressure, so seeing them reach 93 for two inside 20 overs was an ominous sign.

Opener Matt Cooke made a run-a-ball 50 in a first-up stand of 74 with Harvey Sargent.

Sargent saw Luke Bess and Dan Powell go cheaply as Pugh (2-37) and Nick Watkin (2-36) slowed Sidmouth for a while.

Henry Gater (16) and Sargent picked up the pace again, then Zak Bess joined Sargent to win the game.

Bess slammed the Torquay bowling for 85 off 52 balls – 11 fours, three sixes – in a stand of 144 that won the game.

Bess was run out with three needed to win the game, which Sargent accounted for on his way to an unbeaten 77.

Sidmouth skipper Luke Bess said although it looked a straightforward assignment, his view differed.

“We didn't get off to the start we wanted, but we dragged it back well,” said Bess.

:At the halfway stage we thought they were probably 30 short, but when we lost Henry Gater and were four down at drinks the game was in the balance.

“Zak came in and scored freely which took the game away from them.”

Not enough runs was the refrain from Torquay captain Justin Yau.

“We were probably 40 short after the start we had but we were in the game all the way until Zak Bess came in and played the way he did,” said Yau.

“Sidmouth are a very good side and will take some beating.

“It was good to see runs throughout our order, but we needed that big score from someone to get us to 290.

“We must go again next week and try to gather some momentum again.”

Torquay are down to fifth in the table going into Saturday’s home game against Cornwood, which is the halfway stage of the season.