Belstone v Spreyton BELSTONE?S first match in the 20-20 evening Buckley Cup competition ? now in its tenth year ? produced an exciting game from start to finish which climaxed with visitors Spreyton needing 14 runs from the last two overs with their last pair at the wicket. Earlier, Belstone got off to a positive start with two sixes apiece from openers Richard Drake (13) and Andrew Paterson (28 not out) before Chris Hedley-Dent claimed the first three wickets to fall in a spell of four overs for 27 runs. Spreyton skipper Niven then pegged back the run rate with a tidy spell of left-arm bowling (1 for 14 from 4 overs) before the pace picked up again to six an over thanks to good contributions from Chris Walpole (26 ret, Pete Gross (17 no) and Harry Bushin (17). Belstone failed to gain their fifth batting point ? one point is awarded for every 25 runs ?when the frantic last over from Steve Wright ended with three ducks and only three runs scored to leave a 20-over total of 117 for eight. Spreyton?s reply quickly got ahead of the asking rate as 49 runs came off four early overs, thanks to powerful strokeplay from Chris Filor and Charlie Hancock who both retired on 25, as laid down in the competition rules. Belstone came back into the game as Terry Jeal (3 for 21), Paterson (1 for 13) and Gross (3 for seven) worked their way through all the other Spreyton batsmen. Ironically, this success only served to bring Filor and Hancock back to the crease to resume their big hitting. So to the chaotic 19th over where Filor was dropped off a skier to deep midwicket and escaped being run-out by a whisker from the ensuing over-throw. He then carved the fifth ball through the covers for his sixth boundary to reach 47 not out and give Spreyton a one-wicket win with seven balls to spare.