HATHERLEIGH moved to the top of the Buckley Cup table when they made it six wins out of six after completing a convincing five wicket victory over Belstone at Rew Meadow on July 11. Belstone?s habit of alternating good and bad starts continued when they slumped to three for three in the fourth over as the opening Hatherleigh attack of Sandro Lucioni (4-2-7-2) and Ian Jones (4-2-5-2) put the screws on. Chris Walpole (17) and Dennis Edwards (13) then added 35 for the next wicket but James Downie ran through the middle order clean bowling four batsmen while conceding just eight runs to leave the home side on a feeble 73 for eight at the 20 over close. Spinner Terry Jeal, unusually opening the Belstone attack, began with a maiden, but Marc Brook (23) and Ernie Dumpleton (21) steadily took command, adding 41 before Andrew Paterson caught Dumpleton off a wicked skier to midwicket. Three cheap wickets fell at the end to give Belstone an extra bowling point but Hatherleigh cruised home by five wickets with over four overs to spare.
The 14th annual match between Belstone and the President Peter Hammond?s XI played out last Saturday. Before the start both teams gathered in the centre for a minute?s silence in memory of the Club?s first President Jack Reddaway, who died earlier this month, and Chris Powell, the Okehampton College Principal who had captained the President?s XI in the last few fixtures and whose sudden death last autumn robbed the area of a keen cricketer. The match began with a measured opening stand for Belstone between Richard Drake and Pete Gross, who survived several dropped catches to put on 47 in 55 minutes. The President?s opening attack of Phil Dennis (8-1-18-1) and Luke Wonnacott (8-0-39-0) kept the scoring to three an over before Dennis made the first breakthrough when Drake was caught for 20. After Phil Woods (8) just failed to beat a throw from midwicket, Gross was third out for a patient 33, scored out of 74 in 100 minutes. Aidan Easterbrook was clean bowled by Richard Boarder for a breezy 11 to leave Belstone on 91 for 4 in the 26th over. Skipper Wayne Pearce (36) and Chris Walpole (17) then added 46 for the fifth wicket with Pearce suddenly increasing the pace with four boundaries from Graeme Woods? (8-1-43-0) final over. The President?s XI regained a firm hand with lower-order wickets for their skipper Daryl Chapman (three for 12 from four overs) and Andy Carter (two for 12 from four overs) to leave Belstone on 160 for nine after their 40 overs. In reply the President?s XI got off to a flying start thanks to a chaotic first over from Easterbrook which brought 12 runs including eight wides and two dropped slip catches. Fortunately for Belstone his erratic spell continued with some unplayable yorkers which ripped through the top order giving him figures of four for 21 from six overs. Steady support at the other end from Harry Bushin, who claimed three middle order wickets of his own, left the President?s struggling at 48 for six in the tenth over. Opening bat Sampson was next out for six, leaving Simon Tremain (9) and Ian Radnor (15) to contribute the only partnership of note, 26 for the eighth wicket. Chris Gomersall then polished off the last three wickets in five balls to give Belstone an 82 run victory, their third successive win in the series. Buckley Cup Team P W L Pts Hatherleigh 6 6 0 83 Belstone 6 4 2 66 Yeoford 5 2 3 43 Spreyton 5 1 4 40 Sticklepath 4 1 3 33 T St Mary 4 1 3 28