Buckley Cup Hatherleigh Colts v Belstone WITH two games still to play Hatherleigh Colts took an unassailable lead in the Twenty20 Buckley Cup when they comfortably defeated visitors Belstone last week. Scott Tremain (3-0-20-2) made early breakthroughs for Belstone when he sent back both openers with only 17 on the board, but thereafter Scott Gillespie (21), Phil Downie (25 retired), Simon Gillespie (26 ret) and Robert Fishleigh (25 retired) stroked the ball fluently all round the ground to give Hatherleigh the maximum five batting points. Richard Drake (2-0-6-2) and Matt Dennis (1-0-8-1) chipped in with three late wickets before the innings finished on 149 for seven. Hard-hitting Phil Woods got Belstone off to a promising start as they reached 42 for one in the eighth over before his bizarre dismissal changed the game. After Drake (12) escaped being out caught when umpire Sam Dodsworth signalled no-ball, Woods was run out for 23 off the same ball by a direct hit to the bowler?s end. Not for the first time this season this precipitated a middle order collapse with Jacobs (2-0-6-2) and Ian Fishleigh (4-0-35-3) reducing Belstone to 61 for seven. Chris Gomersall (17) and Tremain (15 not out) then both hit sixes to take the total into three figures but the 20 overs ended with Belstone still 43 runs short. Corinthian Cup Hatherleigh v Belstone TWO days later Belstone returned to face a full strength Hatherleigh team in the quarter-finals of the Corinthian Cup, which is played over 16 eight-ball overs. The home team got off to a flying start with openers Andrew Bennett (38) and Simon Gillepsie (24) cracking five fours and three sixes in a 63 run partnership made off 38 balls. Runs continued apace as Michael Jones batted through the rest of the innings for 59 with six fours and a six, well supported by Mark Lane, who hit two more sixes in his 20, to leave Hatherleigh with a commanding total of 185 for six after their 16 overs. Terry Jeal maintained his position as leading Belstone wicket-taker, taking his tally for the season to 26 with figures of three for 35. With 25 coming off the first two overs Belstone were briefly ahead of the run-rate as Richard Drake (23) attacked the bowling. But when the other opener, Phil Woods, was spectacularly caught by Mark Brock off a straight drive that appeared to be heading easily for six runs, the innings faded quickly. Chief tormentor for Hatherleigh was Tom Rogers whose figures of five for 13 off 31 balls helped shoot Belstone to an all-out total of just 75, leaving the home-team to book their place in the semi-finals by a massive 110 run margin. Buckley Cup P W L Pts Hatherleigh 8 8 0 111 Belstone 7 4 3 73 Yeoford 7 2 5 57 Tedburn St Mary 6 3 3 55 Spreyton 6 2 4 54 Sticklepath 6 1 5 48
