Belstone v North Tawton

BELSTONE maintained their recent unbeaten run with a resounding 86-run victory last week in the Buckley Cup. But they failed to make up any ground on Buckley leaders Tedburn St Mary who on the same evening won a low-scoring game (Tedburn 76 all out, Sticklepath 50 all out) against Sticklepath by 26 runs.

Belstone began at seven-an-over and kept the rate going for their full 20 overs, thanks to a breezy cameo from Richard Drake (23), elegant stroke-play from father and son combination Simon and Scott Tremain (both 25 ret) and a quickfire 29 retired from Phil Woods, which included the shot of the game when he used his feet to reach the pitch of a ball from Weeks and lifted it effortlessly over long-on into the next field for six.

Tom Wilson must have wished he had been brought on sooner as his only over, the last but one of the innings, brought him three wickets for just a single as the Belstone tail swung their bats across the line.

Chasing 135 to win, North Tawton's troubles began when Hodge played the seventh ball of the innings firmly to the left of opening bowler Rob Sandercock, only to see him dive full length to take the ball one-handed just above the turf.

After that wickets fell in almost every over with only Alan Gillespie (13) and Carl Poynton (16 no) reaching double figures.