BELSTONE?S tour to the Portsmouth area at the end of July began with a 20-over evening game against computer giants IBM which climaxed with the visitors needing six to win off the last over. Earlier, Harry Bushin (2-0-11-3) and Andy Carter (3-0-15-2) had shared the five wickets that fell as IBM reached 119, a useful total on a pitch of variable bounce. Kev Gledstone and Phil Stride were the main scorers for IBM, retiring on 25 and 28 respectively. Belstone appeared to be cruising to victory on 65 for three in the tenth over thanks to 20 from Phil Woods and a generous supply of extras. Dean Lardner (3-0-13-3) and Gledstone (4-0-14-2) brought IBM right back into the game as wickets fell and the run rate declined in the gloom. Only one run came from the penultimate over leaving Belstone skipper Andrew Paterson (23 not out) and keeper Johnny Carter facing Gledstone with those six runs required. A single and three dot balls only increased the pressure but Paterson stroked the fifth ball to the cover boundary to level the scores, before they scampered a single off the last ball to win the match by two wickets. The following day when the tourists played Old Eldonians in front of the Georgian stately home at Stanstead Park near Havant, they suffered a reaction from the previous evening?s excitements with a poor batting display. The innings began promisingly enough as Richard Drake hit 30 off the first 40 runs in 35 minutes with seven boundaries before he became one of Steve Aspinall?s three victims. In tandem with the other opening bowler Peter Clutterbuck (8-2-19-3), Aspinall reduced Belstone to 54 for six in the 15th over. Although Chris Gomersall (22) and Aidan Easterbrook (17) batted positively, no-one could build a lengthy partnership and the innings petered out on 101 in the 26th over after a string of careless strokes, leaving more than 13 overs criminally wasted. Easterbrook then bowled his finest spell of the season sending back Spicer for a duck in his first over, passing the bat on numerous occasions with balls that were just too good to find the edge and conceding only eight runs in eight overs. Bushin proved almost as difficult to play at the other end, claiming two wickets as Old Eldonians struggled to 23 for three in the tenth over. The home team continued to find runs hard to acquire as first change bowlers Phil Dennis (5-1-13-0) and Paterson (5-1-24-0) maintained the pressure but gradually Steve Henwood and Maneesh got the scoreboard moving with singles and the occasional boundary. Henwood, who survived a confident appeal for a catch behind and was dropped in the gully, eventually carried his bat for 38, scored off 75 balls, while Maneesh, with a late flurry of runs, ended undefeated on 46, scored off 61 balls with seven fours, their partnership of 79 carrying Old Eldonians home to a comprehensive seven wicket win with ten overs to spare. Twenty 20 Buckley Cup action continued last Thursday when Sticklepath visited Rew Meadow. All the top five of Belstone?s batting order contributed useful runs with Phil Woods, Chris Walpole and Chris Gomersall all retiring on 25 as the total reached 119 for five. Steve Grainger (4-0-24-2) and Tripp (4-0-16-2) were the pick of the bowlers. Opener Grainger also retired on 25 when Sticklepath batted but the other batsmen struggled to reach the required run-rate as all the bowlers bowled tidily, the innings ending on 85 for five to give Belstone a 34-run victory. Last Saturday at Rew Meadow saw a splendid game of cricket in the inaugural C&G Trophy fixture between Belstone and a select XI chosen by local tradesman Chris Walsh of C&G Plastering Services. Johnny Coburn got the select XI off to a rollicking start as he smashed seven 4s and six 6s in a fine innings of 77, including 22 taken off Richard Drake?s first over, before Drake had him well caught on the long-off boundary by Matt Dennis. Mike Jelley (31) and Simon Jefferies (42) both started tentatively but gradually found their form to add 76 for the third wicket to put the select XI in a strong position at 173 for three with five overs remaining. Four run outs and three wickets for Matt Dennis then saw a sudden collapse to give an all-out total of 199 after 40 overs. Belstone started poorly as Coburn snapped up three catches at point to leave them on 35 for three in the tenth over. Graeme Woods (five 4s in his 26) joined Chris Walpole for a stand of 40 which put the home team back up to the required five an over run rate. Johnny Carter continued the recovery, adding 74 for the fifth wicket with Walpole before he was well taken on the mid-wicket boundary by Fraser Willis off Terry Jeal for 42. Walpole was eventually eighth out for a patient 43 (six 4s and a six) with the score on 180, clean bowled by Greg Cornish, the pick of the select XI bowlers with three for 20 from six overs. With help from a considerable number of extras (43) the final over arrived with Belstone still needing ten to win. A wide, a scampered two and a single for Rob Sandercock (15 no) brought Phil Dennis onto strike. He pulled Jeal?s third ball high to the mid-wicket boundary where Reg Wonnacott spilled the difficult chance and stepped over the rope in the process to give Belstone a precious boundary. Dennis hit the next ball over the ring of fielders for three to secure a nail-biting win for Belstone by two wickets with two balls remaining. Finally, in a busy ten days Belstone completed the double over bottom-placed Ashburton in the South Devon League Division Two last Sunday with a convincing six-wicket victory. Ashburton lost three quick wickets before Coon (46) and Caunter (38 not out) took the visitors into three figures but they were unable to break free from the stranglehold imposed by a disciplined Belstone attack. Once Coon was well caught in the covers by Drake off spinner Jeal, four more wickets fell quickly to leave the visitors on a modest 121 for eight after their 40 overs. Once Belstone had brought up the 50 in only eight overs there was never much doubt about the result with Drake making a rapid 33, although Coon did find the edge on several occasions. The other opening bowler Durnam picked up three wickets for 23 but with Phil Woods (34 not out) and Andrew Paterson (24) batting solidly Belstone completed the task with over half their overs to spare. Buckley Cup P W L Pts Hatherleigh 9 9 0 125 Belstone 8 5 3 83 Sticklepath 8 1 7 59 Yeoford 7 2 5 57 Tedburn St Mary 6 3 3 55 Spreyton 6 2 4 54
