BIDEFORD moved on from their defeat by Clyst St George with an 83-run win over Ivybridge.

Centuries from Tom Brend and James Hayter paved the way for Bideford to tot-up 281forsix.

Brend (114) got to his hundred first, followed by Hayter (102) in the 43rd over. The pair put on 215 for the second wicket. Josh Coker (2-32) was cheap to run in the Ivybridge attack.

Ivybridge were all out for 198 with more than 12 overs unused. They got to 177 for four –Zimmerman (43) and Tinashe Muchawaya (66) doing the business – before the innings tailed off.

Julian Hayter (3-42) and Lukanyo Metu (3-26) took out the frontline batters. Josh King (3-44) dealt with the remnants.

Bideford have probably left it too late for a promotion push – three wins in the first nine starts were a severe handicap – but a top-four finish might be the platform to get up there this time next year.

And with just 20 points between Bideford and the bottom two, there is still time to get dragged into a survival scrap.

Jack Ford, the Bideford captain, summed it up when he said: “"A really good win for us after the loss last week – and much needed with the league table still so tight.

“Tom Brend and James Hayter's partnership was exceptional. Putting on 216 while keeping  nine wickets in hand going into the back end of the innings was crucial, allowing us to post a big total.

“Ivybridge got off to a bit of a flyer, but the returning Josh King and Julian Hayter took some big wickets to turn the game back into our hands.”

Ivybridge could be excused for having their minds elsewhere for much of the match following a nasty injury to wicketkeeper Zach Dunn.

Dunn was hit on the end of a middle finger while standing behind the stumps and suffered a fracture dislocation.

It was a nasty looking injury with pieces of bone visibly sticking through Dunn’s skin. He has since had an operation on the injury at the Royal Devon & Exeter hospital and is expected to make a full recovery.

John Sparkes, the Ivybridge fixture secretary and league representative, said the injury was so severe it needed an operation to repair it.

“Zach has since had an operation at the Royal Devon & Exeter Hospital, which was a success, and he was discharged later the same day,” said Sparkes.

Josh Zimmerman, the Ivybridge captain, said the injury to Dunn overshadowed the outcome of the  game.

“Zach is a massive part of our group and the lads are gutted for him,” said Zimmerman.

“We're disappointed we couldn't get the result for him, but a speedy recovery for him is way more important than any result on the pitch.”

Said Ford: “said: “It was a horrible hand injury and all of us send Zach our best wishes.”

Bizarrely, Zach’s brother Jake has also been seen in hospital for a cricket related injury in the last week.

Jake Dunn collided with a sightscreen on Budleigh Salterton’s new ground and had to be treated in hospital for a cut head.