Buckley Cup

Belstone v Yeoford

BELSTONE had to win this match to maintain their challenge for the title but after an unconvincing batting display on a slow, spongy pitch that only took them to 98-9 after 20 overs there was every chance that Yeoford would be able to chase down the modest total.

Richard Drake (21) and Scott Tremain (28 not out) played well for Belstone but the middle order scratched around for very little with Craig Stanbury bowling four tight overs for nine runs and Matthew Leach taking four for 23.

The innings picked up in the final two overs as last man Rob Sandercock hit a quick 13.

Yeoford found it even harder to get the ball away in the face of accurate bowling from Luke Wonnacott (4-0-13-0), Harry Bushin (4-0-8-1) and Thomas Boother (3-1-8-2). Boother also ran out top scorer John Sanders for 24.

Cleave Collins (17) battled on in poor light but Sandercock picked up four wickets for just 13 to leave Belstone comfortable winners by 29 runs, with the three wickets they took in the last two overs giving them just enough points to overtake Spreyton at the top of the table.

Belstones final Buckley game is against North Tawton at home on Wednesday, August 25.

North Devon division four

Ilfracombe v Belstone

LAST Saturday Belstone travelled to Ilfracombe with a rather different make-up to the team than usual, with three making their league debuts.

The home team were put into bat and progressed cautiously at under three an over on a slow grassy track where the odd ball behaved unpredictably.

Dave Hart and Jamie Sutton adapted well to the conditions before the former was caught by Naomi Wilkins off Andy King for 29 and the latter was run out by Wilkins for 48 when the score was 116.

The tempo increased with Mark Cavanagh (25) timing some fine drives before Callum Mallett returned for a second spell which brought him three wickets for 28 from nine overs. The 45-overs ended with Ilfracombe on 181 for eight, a total boosted too much by the 37 extras conceded by Belstone.

Belstones opening pair of Phil Woods and Peter Harlow (11) also started carefully, playing out four maiden overs on the trot from Sutton (8-5-3-1) before Woods began to punish some loose deliveries. He dominated the opening partnership of 72 in 20 overs to such an extent that he was first out for 55 of them, superbly caught at short fine leg by Gorry off Chris Harris, having hit 8 fours and a six.

From this position of promise the innings began to falter as Cleave Collins (12) unluckily deflected a wide leg side delivery back onto his stumps with his boot for 12 and debutant Colt Jack Thomas was run out attempting an optimistic second bye. Before long the collapse was complete with Harris (9-2-26-4) and Hutchinson (9-1-20-3) sharing the wickets such that from 102 for three the innings declined to 118 all out to give bottom-of-the-table Ilfracombe a 63 run win and a welcome 20 points.

North Devon division four

Belstone v

Lynton and Lydmouth

IT was all change for the home side on Sunday at Rew Meadow, with only skipper Phil Woods remaining from the Belstone line-up of the day before.

Lynton and Lydmouth struggled from the start with only ten runs coming off the first ten overs as Jonathan Parsons (9-1-12-3) and Rob Hall (6-3-4-0) tied up both ends. Not to be outdone first change Luke Wonnacott (9-7-6-1) bowled six maidens on the trot but it was the left arm of Thomas Boother that really did the damage as he scythed through five of the middle order in six overs (his first fiver for the club) while conceding just ten runs to leave the visitors on 35-9 after 28 overs.

Some lusty blows to leg from Robin May (21), including the first boundaries of the innings off the bat, improved the total somewhat as he added 27 for the final wicket with Turner but the 62 runs required were knocked off by Belstone without undue alarms in under 19 overs thanks to Scott Tremain (20 not out) and Sam Ewen (19).

With two league games still to play this result should ensure a mid-table finish and more division four cricket next season.

Buckley Cup table

P W L Pts

Belstone 11 8 3 130

Spreyton 11 7 4 128

Tedburn St M 9 6 3 107

Yeoford 12 5 7 106

Sticklepath 11 4 7 97

Hatherleigh 9 4 5 75

North Tawton 7 1 6 45