BELSTONE began their defence of the 20-over evening Buckley Cup with a home game against last season?s runners-up Spreyton.

Niven and Windors were the main contributors to Spreyton?s score of 92, both retiring (according to the rules) after reaching 25. Usually this would be a reasonable total to defend on Rew Meadow?s large ground, but after openers Pete Gross (25) and Colin Wyatt (26) had also both retired and the score had reached 55 at the halfway stage the result was never in much doubt. Belstone ran out winners with more than four overs to spare.

l Belstone travelled to Shaldon last Saturday and emerged victors by 54 runs in a low scoring game played on a pitch of variable bounce. Batting first, they were indebted to Phil Woods who played a series of sweetly timed drives (eight fours and a six) in his 48.

Bill Lusty (8-1-19-4) and Charlie Woolnough (8.2-0-27-4) exploited the pitch well to be the best of the Shaldon bowlers, although overall the home side gave away too many extras (second top score with 37) as Belstone finally reached 137 all out.

Shaldon started their reply slowly with Rob Hall conceding just two runs off his six overs while at the other end Jon Parsons took the first three wickets to fall as the score reached 17 off nine overs.

With the ball now behaving less unpredictably Sam Mason (30) and Dowsing (10) led a recovery, taking the score to 50 before keeper Woods pulled off the first of two acrobatic catches to break the partnership.

After that Belstone worked steadily through the lower order with Colin Wyatt (2-2) and Pete Gross (1-0) polishing things off with the last three wickets in eight balls.

l Chudleigh, last season?s fellow promotees to South Devon League division 1, were the visitors to a sun drenched Rew Meadow last Sunday.

Belstone won the toss and elected to bat but none of their batsmen made headway against a steady Chudleigh attack.

A succession of soft dismissals began when a ball from Williams trickled off Dave Langsford?s (13) boot onto the stumps and continued when skipper Richard Drake (17) pulled Solway?s first ball long hop straight to backward square leg and Wayne Pearce clipped Howard to midwicket where Mark Halse took one of his three catches in the innings.

Even so, Belstone reached 74 for four after 26 overs, but then proceeded to lose their last six wickets for just 27 runs, being all out for 101 with over five overs wasted.

With such a small total to chase Chudleigh could afford to take their time and this they did, scoring at two an over for the first ten overs before Jon Parsons claimed both openers in his economical spell (9-2-16-2).

Man of the match Halse then mixed careful defence with clean hitting, striking eight fours in a half-century that took Chudleigh to a comfortable six wicket victory with over eight overs to spare.

l There is another South Devon League game this Sunday at Rew Meadow when Roborough are the visitors.

This Saturday sees the annual car boot sale at Belstone?s ground, open to the public from 10am.