Buckley Cup Sticklepath v Belstone BELSTONE began brightly in their latest Buckley Cup game against Sticklepath reaching 74 for four at the halfway point of their 20 overs, with all the top order making useful contributions. Then Jim Mawle entered the attack with a typically economical spell of left-arm medium pace which conceded just six runs from his four overs and picked up three wickets into the bargain, so that the second ten overs of the innings only yielded 28 runs, to leave Sticklepath needing 103 for victory. Belstone's opening bowlers Jonathan Parsons (4-0- 15-3) and Harry Bushin (4-2-13-1) completed good spells to put Sticklepath behind the rate at 40 for four off ten overs. Two sixes from Colin Drake, who shared a run-a-ball ninth wicket partnership of 24 with Mawle (14 not out), then brought Sticklepath back into the hunt. Matt Dennis (2-0-12-2) began the final over with 13 needed; he kept a tidy line to restrict Sticklepath to just four runs, Drake finishing on 29 not out and Belstone completing an eight run victory. South Devon League division two Shaldon v Belstone Belstone's first South Devon League division two game of the season resulted in a 498 run-fest last Sunday on a sun-baked ground beside the Teign estuary at Shaldon. The game began with little sign of the mayhem to come as Belstone made early inroads into the Shaldon top order with Jonathan Parsons and Harry Bushin sending back the top three with only 16 on the board after eight overs. This brought Jimmy Fulner to the wicket and he seized the initiative from the outset with a succession of powerful straight drives and savage pulls. He lost Liam Gardener (18) with the score on 64 but this only brought Tod Ballman to the crease; he proceeded to play a valuable supporting role as Fulner took charge, farming the strike and thumping the ball to all quarters. By the time they were separated 209 runs had been added in 20 overs, a record fifth wicket stand for any division of the SDL. Fulner himself was the first to go, holing out to long on with virtually his first false stroke, having hit 20 boundaries and nine sixes in a superb 182, the highest individual score ever made in division two of the league. Ballman was out soon after for 46 and the innings abruptly declined from 273 for four to 278 for nine with Andrew Paterson (9-2-37-3), Parsons (8-1-31-30) and Bushin (9-1-59-2) all returning decent figures amid the carnage. Belstone's prospects of getting anywhere near the 279 for victory looked slim indeed as they reached 105 for seven in the 24th over although Paterson had played well for his 34. Bushin joined Chris Walpole and promptly hit two fours and two sixes off the first six balls he faced. This heralded a spirited fight-back which saw 101 added for the eighth wicket — itself another new record for any SDL division, as well as a new Belstone eighth wicket record — in nine overs with Bushin smacking nine fours and five sixes to all parts of the ground. As the score passed 200 in the 33rd over with the total racing up at ten an over Shaldon were forced onto the defensive but the bubble broke when Walpole holed out to deep square leg for 33. The innings finished soon after with Bushin undefeated on 78 and Shaldon the relieved winners by 58 runs.
