North Devon league
Belstone v Nomansland
Belstone maintained their unbeaten start in the North Devon League with a third victory last Sunday, this time outplaying Nomansland for a convincing nine wicket win with 21 overs remaining.
Put in to bat Nomansland started slowly and never gained any momentum as wickets fell regularly with a highest stand of only 23 for the seventh wicket.
There was just 14 on the board from nine overs when the first wicket fell as Richard Drake took a swirling skier in the covers to dismiss Say for seven off the ever-economical Jonathan Parsons (9-3-14-2).
At the other end Harry Bushin was more unpredictable but also picked up two wickets in his nine overs. Thomas Boother (5-2-10-2) kept up the pressure with a wicket from the first ball of his spell and he also accounted for top-scorer Jake McDonald who battled 55 minutes for 21 before top edging to keeper Simon Tremain to make the score 56 for six in the 25th over.
The lower order concentrated on defence to ensure they used up their full 45 overs with Ashley Wreford also batting 55 minutes before Tremain stumped him for 20 just before the innings ended on 122 for nine.
Belstone openers Drake and Scott Tremain began as though this was a 20 over game with a downpour threatening, lofting the ball in all directions at six an over.
They added 58 in 31 minutes before Drake was out for 28 having touched one from Hilton to keeper Say. That was the end of Nomansland's success as Chris Walpole (10 not out) kept skipper Tremain company while he completed his fourth half-century for Belstone before ending the game on 67 not out (his highest score for the club) with an eighth elegant boundary.