South Devon League division 1

Stokeinteignhead v Belstone

BELSTONE travelled to Stokeinteignhead last Sunday for a crucial bottom of the table clash.

The game started dramatically when the home team lost opener Lang to the first ball of the match, smartly caught behind by Simon Tremain off Jonathan Parsons.

This brought Alan Bauer to the crease who proceeded to dominate the innings with a chanceless display of defence and straight hitting. By the time he was last but one out Bauer had hit 21 fours and a six in his 141.

Remarkably, at the other end there were six ducks, and the only other batsman to reach double figures was P Russell (29) who shared a stubborn partnership of 84 for the seventh wicket.

Crucially, as it turned out, the innings ended on 193 all out after 36 overs, leaving four overs unused.

The foundations of Belstone?s reply were laid by a fine third wicket partnership of 82 between Wayne Pearce and Richard Drake (43) which kept the visitors close to the required run rate.

Quickfire knocks from Harry Bushin (19) and Phil Woods (21) kept the pressure on, while at the other end Pearce continued to be severe on anything pitched short.

A flurry of wickets at the end ensured another tense finish until Pearce despatched the last ball of the 39th over to the midwicket boundary for six, leaving him undefeated on 78 and Belstone the winners by three wickets.

This Sunday Belstone visit league leaders Chudleigh.

P W L A Pts

Chudleigh 7 7 0 0 79

Roborough 8 6 1 1 61

Pinhoe 8 5 3 0 60

Dunsford 7 2 4 1 31

Belstone 7 2 5 0 30

Ashburton 8 1 7 0 25

Stokeinteignhead 5 1 4 0 18