North Devon division three

Belstone v Bratton Fleming

BELSTONE gained revenge for their thrashing at Bratton Fleming back in May with an equally convincing ten wicket victory in the corresponding home fixture in this league match – a game which, thanks to the weather, was their first at home in the League since May 13.

Batting first, Bratton Fleming found runs hard to come by throughout their innings in the face of a relentlessly accurate Belstone attack, spearheaded by opening bowlers Gary Sizmur (9-4-11-0) and Harry Bushin (9-1-17-2).

It was first change Ryan Dennis who took the first wicket when keeper Richard Drake caught a bottom edge to dismiss the prolific James Tapp for 13.

Bratton skipper Stephen Ayre hoisted the third ball he received for six but then swung wildly across the line to be bowled by Bushin. Byron Sanders and Martin Southcott (10) then added 42 runs for the fourth wicket in 14 overs before Southcott became Callum Mallett's first victim, edging behind to Drake with the score on 76.

Mallett, finding turn and lift with his spin from the pavilion end, worked his way through the rest of the Bratton batsmen including clean bowling Sanders for a patient 38, to return career-best figures of 5-22 from 8.3 overs, which were also the best Belstone bowling figures of the season.

Needing just 108 for victory Phil Woods set the tone of the reply by taking 14 from the second over.

Bratton tried seven bowlers to no effect as Woods and Scott Tremain hit 15 boundaries between them to reach the target in exactly an hour - recording their second unbroken century stand of the summer. Woods reached his 50 in even time while Tremain, hard on the heels of making 130 not out for Sandford seconds the previous day, followed suit shortly after with the winning stroke. Belstone (20 pts) beat Bratton Fleming (0 pts) by 10 wickets.

This win, their fourth in the league, should guarantee that Belstone remain in division three next season.