North Devon two Shobrooke Park v Belstone BELSTONE'S first visit to Shobrooke Park in the league ended with their being outplayed in all departments and going down to a 124 run defeat. Shobrooke's John James hit the first ball of the match crisply to the mid-wicket boundary but up until the half-way stage of the innings the Belstone bowlers kept a grip of proceedings as the three-an-over score reached 66 for two. Then, helped by a string of dropped catches, James and Chris Simpson cut loose, adding 100 runs in the next ten overs. Eventually James was caught behind off the first ball of Tom Pearce's spell, having scored 97 in two hours with 12 fours and three sixes — the partnership having realised 114 for the third wicket. Simpson and Phil Anning continued the onslaught with eight sixes between them, most of which disappeared over midwicket off the luckless Callum Mallett, before Simpson was bowled for 60 by Dan Fogerty. Anning finished on 44 not out, scored in just half an hour, as Shobrooke reached 257 -5 at the end of their 45 overs. Ryan Dennis was the pick of the Belstone bowlers, with 2-24 from nine overs. Belstone reached 18 before they lost Phil Woods, who batted 33 minutes without troubling the scorers. Worse was to come as skipper Richard Drake was out first ball, leg before to an in-swinger from Nick Prell. Opener Scott Tremain defied the attack for 50 minutes making 15, but more failures at the other end left the innings in tatters at 51 for six. Savage counter-attacks from Matt Dennis (two sixes and four fours in his 48) and Harry Bushin (27, with four fours and a six in a 20-minute cameo) restored some respectability, with Chris Walpole defending at the other end during both their knocks to contribute a measly two runs in 54 minutes to partnerships that added 74 runs in total. The recall of Prell (9-3-12-4) and Simpson (4.1-1-9-3) soon wound up proceedings with Belstone's total of 133 all out just enough to gain them a couple of points from the heavy defeat.

Buckley Cup Belstone v Sticklepath Belstone began their defence of the Buckley Cup T20 evening series with a convincing 70 run win over Sticklepath. They began at a good rate reaching 32 in four overs before Scott Tremain was out to Tom Mallett for 12. Phil Woods, the other opener, soon retired on 25, but skipper Richard Drake suffered his third leg before decision in four games this season. Matt Dennis (26 retired), brother Ryan (25 retired) and Jamie Walker (18) all batted well to push the score along at almost seven-an-over to give a final total of 137-6 with Richard Boarder (4-0-27-2) the most successful Sticklepath bowler. Sticklepath fell behind the asking rate immediately and by the half way stage had only reached 30 for three. Their cause was not helped by good Belstone ground fielding which led to three run outs in the first five dismissals. Only Boarder (15) reached double figures in the top order as the visitors struggled to 46 for nine in the 16th over but then Belstone failed to take the final wicket with King (10 not out) and Burns (11 not out) adding 21 off the remaining 26 balls to deny the home team maximum points.

Barton v Belstone Belstone's first-ever visit to Barton CC at Torquay reached a nail-biting climax with all results possible as the last ball was bowled. At the start Barton made quick inroads into the visitors' batting as the lively Drake clean bowled the first three with only 31 on the board. In came Tom Fogerty, following his hundred the day before playing for Bridestowe, who began to strike the ball sweetly to record Belstone's first fifty of the season. Chris Walpole kept him company while 50 were added until Fogerty was out for 51 with six fours and a six, freakishly top edging a wide ball to the keeper. Walpole plodded on, bamboozled by, but successfully keeping out, the spin of Gatrall (8-4-21-0), while adding another 39 for the fifth wicket with Jamie Walker, until he was out for a patient 11, with the score on 120-5. Walker hit four boundaries in his 18 and Phil Woods followed with a rapid 24, but the last four wickets fell for only 11 runs to give a total of 164 all out. Criminally, the innings ended with more than six overs unused. Needing to score at just four an over Barton could afford to take their time and for a long while the required rate crept up as they played carefully and, in the case of number three Bellamy, benefitted from four dropped catches. On the other hand Scott Tremain took a stunning one handed catch at cover to dismiss the dangerous Bowker for 25 in Alex Jopling's first over and Walpole held a sharp gully chance to get rid of Simo (18) off Harry Bushin (8-2-29-0). Jopling took two more wickets for 31 by which time Barton still needed 81 runs from 12 overs. Drake joined Bellamy and immediately the run rate increased as he struck seven powerful boundaries and a six before Bellamy was caught behind by occasional keeper Matt Dennis for 48 off the second ball of Dan Fogerty's spell. Drake continued to chase down the total so that when the final over began, to be bowled by Fogerty, eight runs were needed. A crisp clip to the midwicket boundary and a few singles brought it down to two required off two balls. A wild swing from Drake saw him bowled for 42 — leaving two still needed with one ball left. New batsman Gatrall swung hopefully and edged a good length delivery, keeper Dennis could not hang on to the chance and they scampered the two required for a three-wicket Barton victory.