Exmouth CC U13s started the season in mixed fashion with one win and a defeat in their first two games.

The first game saw a real nailbiter away at Ottery St Mary in a repeat of last seasons cup final.

It was Exmouth who came on top this time in a low scoring game on a very soft wicket.

After winning the toss and inserting the hosts, Exmouth put on a fantastic fielding performance bowling OSM out for just 56, of which 40 were extras.

The pick of the bowlers were Tom Fitzherbert (2/6) and Charlie Eade (4/10), with Harry Rintoul (1/9) and Lucas Bennett (1/12) picking up the other wickets.

In reply, Exmouth slumped to 29/6 with no one able to master the incredibly difficult pitch in the face of some good bowling.

Bennett (12) and Fitzherbert then came together and mixed aggression with defence in a key partnership taking the score to 49 before falling to successive balls.

Ethan Lewis and Dylan Hennesy saw Exmouth home in a nervy finish with 9 balls to spare.

Exmouth Journal:

Next up, another incredibly tight game away at Paignton, losing by 3 wickets off the penultimate ball.

Having been put into bat, Exmouth got off to a slow start against some tidy bowling.

The loss of Jacob Hayes (20), brought Freddie Connock (40no) to the crease to join Oli Dobrijevic (50rno).

These two put on a superb 90 run partnership at better than a run a ball, accelerating throughout.

A late flurry from Harry Winks took the score to 132-1 from 20 overs.

After taking a wicket with the first ball of Paignton's innings, the hosts then got off to a flyer, and were well ahead of the rate at the halfway point.

The introduction of Bethany Holmes (2/12) turned things in Exmouth's favour, with Charlie Eade also picking up a brace leaving Paignton on 88/6 requiring almost 10 runs per over.

A fantastic innings from Pickford (30 off 21) saw Paignton home though, as they finished on 133/7.

Lucas Bennett (1/12) bowled well, with Dylan Hennesy and Tom Fitzherbert also picking up wickets.

A mention too for U11 William Hayward, who stepped in to play at the last minute, bowling 2 good overs at the death for just 10 runs.