Sidmouth's Matt Cooke steers the ball past Joe Hagan-Burt on his way to a century against Plymouuth<br>credit: All photos: Al Stewart

IT was Plymouth’s turn to be on the wrong end of a hammering when they lost by 157 runs to defending champions Sidmouth.

Seven days earlier Plymouth spanked Exeter by 216 runs on the County Ground after piling up 288 for six, thanks largely to Faizan Riaz making an unbeaten 155.

Spool forward a week and it was Sidmouth who racked up the runs. Alex Barrow and Matt Cooke both made centuries in a hefty total of 363 for four.

Riaz does not have many off days as his tally of 1,100 league runs last season proved. But he had one on Saturday when he was in and out for four.

Plymouth knew they could not win it a long way out and took the safety first route to 206 for eight and four out of five batting bonus points.

Sidmouth skipper Nick Gingell was unimpressed with Plymouth’s approach, claiming after the game bonus points should be scrapped to discourage negative cricket.

Gingell said he has no gripe with Plymouth for playing to the rules, but his issue is with the system that encourages it.

“Plymouth have been absolutely stuffed yet come away with six points when they deserve nothing,” said Gingell.

“It maybe just my opinion, but in win-lose cricket why the need for bonuses?

“It does not happen in pro cricket so why for us? Why not have four points for a win and two for an abandonment.

“In theory you could lose by say 100 runs but, having bowled a side out and scored 250, you walk away with half the allotted points.”

Varcoe, whose side were 116 for six in reply before Richard Goldsby-West (57no) and Sam Stein (22) dug in, saw it differently.

“Credit to the lower order for accumulating as many batting points as possible,” said Varcoe.

“Rich West's performance with bat and ball was a real positive.”

Barrow (109) and Rory Thomas (71) hoisted 149 for the first wicket and when Goldsby-West split them up it did little to slow Sidmouth.

Cooke and Barrow took the score along to 232 for two when Barrow’s 129-ball stint was ended by Matt Petherbridge.

Richard Goldsby-West bowling for Plymouth against SidmouthThe final 12 overs of the Sidmouth innings added 131 runs with Cooke making most of them. Cooke reached his century with a single off the final ball of the innings.

For the record Cooke went from 0-50 in 50 balls and 50-100 in another 23. His innings contained 12 fours and four sixes.

Gingell was in at the end with Cooke having made 31 not out off 18 balls in an unbroken stand of 81 for the fifth wicket, scored in just six overs.

Joe Hagan-Burt, the six-wicket star bowler in the win over Exeter, was one for 94 from his 10 overs.

Rob Bennett and Liam Winn gave Plymouth a 31-run start, but a double strike by Will Murray rendered them 47 for two and three, slowing the innings sharply.

Varcoe with a long 31 set the tone for the rest of the innings, which was taken up by West and Stein in the second half of the innings.

Murray returned at the end to take two more wickets and finish with four for 28.

Gingell said he was surprised when opposite number Varcoe  won the toss and fielded as he would have batted anyway. Not that he was complaining.

“Alex and Rory were brilliant at the top, they ran well and punished anything loose,” said Gingell.  

“Their hard work allowed us to capitalise on a deflated bowling attack that Matt Cooke put to the sword with a great knock.

“I was so pleased to be at the other end when he managed to get to three figures off the last ball.”

Gingell has a healthy respect for Riaz and with just three frontline bowlers with two Bess brothers missing, was confident but unduly so over tea.

Gingell gave Cooke the new ball and hoped his off-spin would unsettle Plymouth’s early order.

“I just had a hunch it could be Matt’s day so opened the bowling with him as well and he duly delivered some tidy stuff and a wicket,” said Gingelll.

“That allowed me to bowl my best bowler (Murray) at Riaz and again it worked as he hit one straight up in the air.

“That was pretty much game over and the whole ground knew it. From then on it was just a matter of whether we could get maximum points?”