Friendly Whitchurch v Belstone BELSTONE?S visit to Whitchurch on July 29 started in explosive style and ended with a last-over cliff-hanger. Opener Richard Drake led the charge for the visitors scoring 92 out of 109 before he was fourth out in the 15th over. On his way the Belstone batsman flayed nine sixes and four fours hitting all but two of the 43 runs conceded by J Elliott in his three overs, and leaving Phil Woods to contribute just four runs to their second wicket partnership of 69. Order was restored by tidy bowling from D Elliott (8-3-22-1), Shaun Daymond (6-2-18-0) and Dom Rushdon (5-0-7-0) before Andrew Paterson (44) and Neil Rowlands (four sixes in his 54) added 95 for the fifth wicket to take Belstone to a 40-over total of 229 for six. In reply, Whitchurch kept in the hunt from the start with good contributions from opener Sherrell (31) and half centuries from Witcher (54), Heatley (55) and Edgeley (51), with Rob Mucklow?s bowling suffering to the tune of 51 runs from his four overs. The other Belstone bowlers chipped away at the wickets so that by the time Pete Gross began the final over the last pair were at the wicket with seven runs required; they could only manage to score three to give Belstone a narrow three-run victory.
Century stand North Tawton v Belstone Last Saturday Belstone travelled to North Tawton for the home team?s fourth game in their rain-affected comeback season. Batting first the visitors made only their fifth century opening stand since forming in 1993 with Dennis Edwards (30) and skipper Andrew Paterson 14 fours and two sixes in 84) adding 103 in 19 overs. The momentum was continued by Wayne Pearce (49) and Chris Walpole (22) with the help of 29 extras to give exactly the same 40-over score as the game before, 229 for six. North Tawton?s reply blossomed with Alan Gillespie hitting six fours and a six before he was well caught at deep mid-off by Buster Francis off Pete Gross (6-0-15-2) for 40. Ian Simmons then took 22 off an over from Rob Mucklow as he hit seven fours and three sixes in a rapid 52, his first half century for the club. After his dismissal the innings fell away rapidly as occasional bowler Wayne Pearce shattered three pairs of stumps while conceding just one run to leave North Tawton all out for 126 in the 28th over, giving Belstone a 103-run win.
Paterson plunders 59 no South Devon League division two Exeter St James v Belstone The following day Belstone completed the double over Exeter St James in a bottom-of-the-table clash at Rew Meadow in division two of the South Devon League. Belstone began cautiously in the face of an accurate attack from Portman (9-2-25-0) and especially Chris Horne who bowled four maiden overs on the trot and conceded just 11 runs from his nine overs. After 12 overs only 17 runs were on the board but the pressure was eased when Phil Woods (30 in 69 minutes off 61 balls) took 16 off spinner Wyman?s first over. Even so the score at the halfway 20-over stage was only 58 for one but Wayne Pearce upped the rate, taking 35 minutes and 28 balls to hit 43 runs. Andrew Paterson continued the acceleration stroking four 6s and four boundaries in his 59 not out, scored off 34 balls in 43 minutes, so that the second 20 overs yielded 132 runs. All this time, opener Pete Gross kept the other end secure with a valuable knock of 46 scored in 130 minutes off 111 balls. Pick of the rest of the visitors attack was Ollie Devon?s (9-1-44-2) as Belstone finished on 190 for five. Exeter St James were pretty much up with the run rate while brothers Chris (37) and Johnny (28) Horne, Devon (33) and Bosomworth (11) were batting with authority but just as they threatened to take charge fine catches at slip by Gross and off skiers by Paterson and Chris Walpole pegged them back. The visitors lost all momentum in the last ten overs when only 22 of the 66 runs required were added thanks to accurate bowling from Chris Walsh (7-0-26-2) and Phil Dennis (6-1-10-1) so Belstone ran out comfortable winners by 41 runs.