Belstone v Sticklepath

THE last match of the season at a sun-drenched Rew Meadow last Sunday saw Sticklepath outplay Belstone in the batting department to clinch a three-wicket victory, making it one-all in the 35-over Pearsall Trophy series which began last year.

Belstone started well with Richard Drake in commanding form, dominating a 37-run second wicket partnership with Dennis Edwards who contributed two singles in 36 minutes before being well caught low down at midwicket by Loram off Nigel Letheren.

Letheren (7-1-21-2) also made the next breakthrough with a fine, lifting ball which Scott Tremain (12) could only glove to Steve Granger at slip to make it 77 for three in the 20th over.

Drake continued to carve the ball around until he mis-timed a skier off Granger to Marshall at mid-off and was out for 58 with eight boundaries and a six. At this point, on a well-placed 99 for four, Belstone took fright at the thought of reaching three figures — Chris Walpole missed a full-toss while Phil Dennis and Trevor Oates were needlessly run out to make them suddenly 99 for eight.

Granger included a double-wicket maiden in his figures of four for eleven from seven overs as the innings, with the help of 21 wides, stuttered to a conclusion on 110 all out with seven balls remaining.

Belstone needed early wickets to get back into the match and they came when Jonathan Parsons clean bowled Liam Bradbury and Edwards held onto a sharp chance in the slips off Phil Dennis to send back Granger to make it nine for two.

Andrew Forester and Richard Boarder settled the innings with a watchful partnership that took the total to 45 before Boarder was out for a hard-hit 28, superbly held by Matt Dennis running in at mid-on off the bowling of Tremain. Forester (18) continued to play with a straight bat while skipper Julian Baker (30) upped the tempo with some powerful leg-side boundaries and a six, but after a partnership of 53 they were both out with the total on 98 as Sticklepath also became victims of the nervous nineties.

In a flurry of excitement Oates (5-0-23-3) picked up Loram for a duck and had Tim Butler (2) caught in the gully by Henry Holmes to reduce the visitors to 105 for seven but by then Belstone had too few runs to defend leaving Ben Davey and Letheren to calmly push singles for the three-wicket win.