Whimple were eight wicket winners when they entertained Clyst Hydon in a C Division East fixture.

Whimple skipper Ben Silk was in two minds as to what to do if he won the toss and, when he did, he went with the common consensus from his side by asking the visitors to bat. They promptly bundled Clyst Hydon out for just 139 in 39 overs and then knocked the runs off in three balls shy of 22 overs!

Skipper Silk said: “It was an eight-three spilt on if we should bowl first if I won the toss and in hindsight I wish I’d batted first, for I am convinced, on that track, we’d have got 300 and the batsmen would have got some real confidence back in their veins.”

He continued: “That said, in terms of an all-round performance with ball first, and then bat, that was as good as it gets.”

Only openers Ian Sutton (35) and Heffen Wood (28), number four bat Graham Trude (36) and number six Mike Cliff (12) got into double figures as Devon Nightingale had the visitors in a spin on his way to figures of 6-23 from nine overs. Matt Richards bowled his usual consistent line and length to finish with 1-13 from seven overs and there were also single wickets for Cameron Kidd (1-13) and Matt Brown (1-14).

Henry Gordon-Lennox top scored in the run chase with 46 and the other batsmen to be dismissed was Cameron Kidd, though he was mighty unlucky to be adjudged leg before wicket having scored 27. Nathan Kidd, with 29, and David Culshaw, with four, were the not out batsmen at the close.

Whimple skipper Silk added: “Henry [Gordon-Lennox] has missed the last two games and so it was very encouraging to see him come straight back in and bat as well as he did.”

Next up for Silk and his men is Saturday’s home meeting with Feniton. Silk says: “We need to build some momentum now. We look like having to make a change in terms of our opening bowling against Feniton, but we have the squad to deal with the odd absence.”