FOR the second time in four days Belstone found near-certain victory threatened by a remarkable last-wicket partnership – but whereas earlier in the week the Sticklepath pair had triumphed this time Belstone finally broke through after 31 minutes of increasing anxiety against Bideford to record a 35 run win.

After being put in to bat most of the Belstone batsmen got a start without anyone going on to dominate, especially with the ball often keeping low off the wicket and the lush Rew Meadow outfield holding up ground strokes. Ji Eccles (6-1-19-2) made the first two breakthroughs before Sam Ewen (24) and Tom Fogerty (30) played well in the middle order but wickets fell steadily throughout the innings with no partnership exceeding 25 runs.

Seven of the eight bowlers used took wickets with young spinner Jack Ford (6-1-21-2) probably being the stand-out. The Belstone innings ticked over with no great momentum until four balls before the end of their 40 overs when they were all out for an under-par 146.

Some imaginative field placings by skipper Richard Drake quickly bore fruit when the Bideford reply got underway as Oliver Hannam drove uppishly to Drake himself at short mid-on to give Harry Bushin (8-1-29-3) the first of his three wickets.

An excellent slip catch down by his bootlaces by Eddy Jones removed Jack Ford for seven off the pace of Mark Whiteside (7-2-21-2) and the home side’s fine fielding continued with a lightning pick-up and direct-hit throw by Sam Ewen at mid off to run out Paul Lathwell for five.

The dangerous Eccles holed out for 13 and by the time spinner Alex Jopling (8-2-28-3) bowled a double wicket maiden Bideford found themselves in all sorts of trouble at 51 for eight in only the 17th over. James Ford, batting at number seven and fresh from his match-winning 127 not out a week ago against North Devon, then took charge, superbly farming the strike first with number 10 Matt Parkhouse and then with last man Tom Parkhouse, who came in with the score on 65-9.

For the next ten overs Ford declined singles off the first few balls of each over or hit the bad balls for boundaries before successfully taking a single late in the over to keep the strike, with Parkhouse effectively dead batting the few deliveries he had to face.

The score mounted past one hundred as Belstone crowded Parkhouse or dropped right back for Ford, all to no avail.

Finally, Ewen was called up to bowl; his second ball sailed back over his head into the next field to bring up Ford’s run-a-minute to 50, but the next ripped through his defences to scatter the stumps and end the game – the partnership had added 46 runs of which Parkhouse had contributed a valuable nought not out.

Belstone (20pts) beat Bideford (6pts) by 35 runs.