SIDMOUTH took the first steps towards securing their Premier Division safety with a six-wicket win over fellow strugglers Heathcoat.

Sidmouth’s first win in five games was not enough to lift them out of the bottom two, but it did cut the distance between them and third-bottom Heathcoat to four points.

Pete Randerson marked one of his rare outings for Heathcoat with a top score of 91 against his former Sidmouth team-mates.

Randerson thudded 10 fours and five sixes during a 75-ball stay in the middle. Tom Hatton (22) and Rob Holman (30) were among the main chippers-in.

George Addy (3-40) and Scott Barlow (3-69) were the main Sidmouth wicket-takers. Barlow’s figures were skewed by the seven-ball over to Randerson that cost 23 runs!

The game was won and lost by a swansong innings of 104 from Ethan Cunningham, who belted Heathcoat’s bowling for 104 from 84 balls faced.

The South African under-19 international files home this week for pre-season training with Boland – and left Sidmouth with something to remember him by!

Cunningham put on 184 with fellow opener Jash Patidar (70) as the chase heated up. He was second out on 197.

Bits and pieces – including Taylor Ingham-Hill with 25 not out – secured a Sidmouth win with more than 11 overs to go.

Luke Bess, the Sidmouth captain, said: “E J and Jash batted well and killed the game. It was a great way for E J to sign off, a couple of very important wickets and hundred in a must-win game.

“Although we struggled to contain at times, we picked up regular wickets on a pitch that was as good as I've seen at Heathcoat. 

“The chase started perfectly; we had a little bit of luck but E J and Jash batted well and killed the game."

[O] Sidmouth have signed West Indian pace bowler Akeem Jordan as their replacement overseas player for the final six games of the season. The 30-year-old from Barbados has appeared in two ODIs for the West Indies and in First Class cricket for Kent and the Combined Campuses & Colleges side.