BELSTONE travelled to near neighbours Sticklepath last Wednesday for a 20-over Buckley Cup game at their new ground off Willey Lane.

Short boundaries resulted in 9 sixes, 13 fours and a five - more than half the 205 runs scored - in a closely fought game which ended in victory for the visitors with nine balls to spare.

Greg Cornish, opening the attack for Belstone, returned excellent figures of three for five from his four overs and ran out Pete Hardy. Elsewhere, runs came at over five an over as Tyler (25 retired), Richard Norrish (17 not out) and Nigel Letheren (10) found the boundary with big hitting, and Sticklepath gained their fourth batting point from the final ball as the score reached three figures.

At 10 for three, including two run outs, Belstone were in trouble, but powerful stroke-play from Eddie Jones (28 retired) and Cornish (19) put them ahead of the rate at the halfway stage. With Chris Walpole (20 not out) providing the sheet anchor role it was left to Terry Jeal to hit the final 15 runs in his first five balls.

Seven years ago Peter Hammond was one of the batsmen who pinched a bye off the last ball of the game against Jack Reddaway's President's XI to ensure a tie for Belstone.

This year, as President himself, Peter was biting his nails in the crowd as the annual match built up towards a similar climax. Runs were always a struggle on a lively pitch where all the bowlers exploited some variable bounce.

The first five President's batsmen were clean bowled at the bottom end courtesy of Eddie Jones (2-18), Robert Hall (2-15) and Rob Sandercock (3-15), by which time the score had reached 86 off 22 overs, Bob Eames holding things together with 26.

A few balls later the President's XI had declined to 87 for 8 and were in danger of being all out well short of their 40-over allocation. A careful partnership of 38 invaluable runs in 13 overs then ensued between Peter Hill (26 not out) and Mark Pitts-Tucker (1) which brought the Presidents up to 125 all out with only five balls of the last over unused.

Belstone lost two early wickets, but were steadied by a partnership of 61 between Eddie Jones and Chris Walpole (14). It took 20 overs of hard graft and diving for the crease after sharp singles against the testing attack of Okehampton College principal Chris Powell (unlucky figures of 1-25), Pitts-Tucker (1-15), Neil Palmer (1-12) and Eames (eight overs for 18 runs).

Eddie continued his responsible innings until fifth out for 66 - only two fours - with the score at 109, leaving Belstone just 16 to win with six overs left

This seemingly comfortable position slipped away as the fielders formed a run-saving ring and the dot balls kept coming from Cleave Collins (3-27), so that four were needed from the final over.

Three scoreless balls and a run out shifted the balance in favour of the President's, but Robert Hall swung the penultimate ball over extra cover for three, bringing the scores level.

The final ball brought more scrambling and an attempted stumping but no run, leaving honours even at the end of an absorbing match. Players and Vice-Presidents then donned DJs for the President's supper feast and evening ball in the village hall, organised by Angela and Peter Hammond and family.

Next day's South Devon League division 2 match against Exeter St James followed a similar pattern to the President's — bowlers on top,

There were120-odd runs from 40 overs, another top scoring knock from opener Eddie Jones (54) — Belstone edged home by two wickets with over three overs to spare, consolidating their mid-table position.

Newcomer Altaf played a decisive all-round role, bowling nine overs for only 15 runs and steering Belstone home with 24 not out, while skipper Richard Drake chipped in with a good spell of 5-2-7-2.

On Saturday touring side Cincinnati visit Rew Meadow for a 2.30pm start and on Sunday Belstone travel to Dawlish and Teignmouth for a league game. On Wednesday August 7, Belstone entertain Cleveland Cavaliers for an afternoon friendly.