Hard going in the sun at the Rew

BELSTONE Cricket Club began their tenth season just on the wrong side of a 465 run-feast on the sun-baked ground at Feniton last Sunday.

With a rock hard pitch and lightning fast outfield batsmen were on top for most of the proceedings ? at one point 379 runs had been scored and only four wickets taken ? until Feniton?s bowlers gained the upper hand.

Put into bat by Belstone skipper Richard Drake, Feniton were soon scoring freely with a century opening partnership in just 15 overs between Fever and Avery (39). Their mixture of powerful stroke-play and edges which eluded the fielders came to an end when Fever was first out, smartly taken at point by Wayne Pearce in Robert Hall?s first over for a fine 74.

Thereafter, the Belstone bowlers put a reasonable brake on the scoring but wickets proved hard to come by, Feniton finishing their 40 overs on a formidable 242 for three.

After tea Belstone also began well, reaching 137 for one in the 26th over, with Australian debutant Pearce stroking the ball freely to all parts of the ground. The dominant partner in stands of 56 with Dennis Edwards (11) and 81 with Chris Walpole (21), Pearce was eventually sixth out for 87 with the total on 169, having hit 15 fours and a six.

Now needing to score at eight an over Belstone continued to stay in the hunt, helped by two big sixes from Hall and a glut of extras, before accurate bowling by Feniton skipper Bright (4 for 35) finished the innings at 223 with 14 balls remaining.

Belstone are away again at Whitchurch this Sunday, before starting their home programme at Rew Meadow on Sunday May 4 with a friendly against Old Suttonians.