SEATON 171-9 (19pts) beat UPLYME & LYME REGIS 166 (8pts) by five runs

UPLYME & Lyme Regis squandered a good opportunity to win their second game of the season in their local derby against a strong Seaton XI.

The visitors won the toss and opted to bat on a flat pitch in fine weather conditions but soon found themselves in trouble after a double strike from James Whetlor and a wicket for skipper Steve Batey making his return to the side after travelling abroad.

At 36-3 with both openers and the hard-hitting Joel Seward back in the shed, Seaton looked to consolidate and did so through the efforts of Devon Seniors’ batsman John Waterhouse in partnership with skipper Ben Morgan.

Together they took the score to 98 before Waterhouse (28) was trapped lbw by Paddy Barraclough. Morgan (38), Niall Waterhouse (17) and Robbie Prior (30) aided by some sloppy fielding and dropped catches, all added invaluable runs to the Seaton score.

From a position of 129-7 they finished 171-9 at the close with wides contributing 18 to the final total.

The Uplyme reply did not start well.

They were struggling at 10-3, all three wickets caught behind by Hunt from the bowling of Morgan and Prior, when Adam Caddy came to the wicket for his last game for the club before moving to London.

He batted with confidence on the back of a century in his previous game and proceeded to take control reaching his half-century in 55 balls.

Whilst he was at the crease, Uplyme had every chance of winning the match but with the score on 160-7 he was bowled by J Berry for a well made 82 and the wheels came off for the Uplyme team.

The last two wickets could not find the 11 runs needed for victory and came up five short of the target in this Devon League C Division East contest.