BELSTONE have marched into the final of the Lancaster Cup 20 over competition.

Starting both matches as underdogs a fine bowling performance saw them through by 14 runs against Lewdown on June 24 and last Thursday their batsmen excelled in a nerve wracking run chase to edge out Brentor by seven wickets with just three balls to spare.

Although Belstone began with a solid opening partnership of 41 from Eddie Jones (33) and Dennis Edwards (11) Lewdown worked their way through the middle order and did well to restrict the final score to 89 for eight.

Accurate bowling by Belstone then put the pressure on Lewdown; all the bowlers took wickets with Chris Gomersall (3-8) mopping up the tail as the home team were all out with four balls remaining.

In the semi-final Brentor were indebted to a fine partnership of 87 for the third wicket between Credicott, who hit 6 fours and 2 sixes in a cultured innings of 69, and Duke (23).

The innings began slowly with only 35 on the board at the half way stage, but such was the acceleration that the final ten overs brought a further 81 runs, leaving Belstone with a target of 117 to win at 5.85 runs an over.

That looked unlikely after five balls of the first Brentor over when the score was two wickets down with three extras on the board. The recovery began with a partnership of 52 for the third wicket between Chris Walpole (21) and Philip Woods (37 not out) and continued in dramatic style with Woods and Simon Tremain (28 not out) adding an unbroken 67 runs.

Turning ones into twos at every opportunity and helped by a generous selection of byes, leg byes, wides and no balls, they succeeded in making 20 runs off the last two overs to snatch victory in a well fought contest.

In a friendly against Exeter Thirds last Saturday Eddie Jones got Belstone off to a steady start, scoring 61 before being third out with the score at 79 after 23 overs. Thereafter the home team lost their way in the face of deceptive slow bowling by Browning (4-27), finishing at tea on 125 all out.

With the Exeter score at 66 for 5 - effectively 66 for 7 as they only had nine men - Belstone looked the more likely victors, thanks to three outfield catches by Philip Woods and good left arm bowling from young Chris Spinks (2-37).

However, with only one regular senior bowler in the team, Belstone were unable to break the unbroken partnership between Wilson (32 not out) and Smith (27 not out) which saw Exeter home to a 5 wicket win with six of the final 20 overs remaining.

The following day Belstone inflicted a second heavy defeat of the season on Shaldon in a South Devon League division two match. Skipper Shaw, with a powerful 35, was the only Shaldon player to make an impression as they struggled to 96 all out off 26.4 overs on a pitch of variable bounce.

All the Belstone bowlers chipped in with wickets, the pick of them debutant Brimblecombe (3-17).

In reply, Eddie Jones made batting look ridiculously easy; following his century against Shaldon in May, he plundered another 79 undefeated runs this time, scored in 35 minutes off 12 overs with 11 fours and 3 sixes, the last of which finished the game as it sailed over the hedge onto the foreshore of the Teign estuary.

Tonight (Thursday) Belstone entertain Yeoford in a Buckley Cup match, with a home friendly against Torquay this Sunday from 2.30pm.