North Devon two Belstone v Bideford BELSTONE'S latest match was a 544-run feast — resulting in a seven wicket win after their best-ever highest-ever second innings total. After Bideford won the toss and batted, Matthew Allin and John Weeks took a while to get established in the face of good bowling from Ryan Dennis and Dan Fogerty but when Weeks was out they had established a partnership of 87. Billy Blackburn was out first ball, edging to Richard Drake at first slip off Tom Fogerty. This brought in Bideford's overseas signing Josh Roach, rapidly catching up Allin. Roach took just 42 minutes to reach half century, including one six. Three more sixes followed for Roach along with six boundaries before his hour-long innings ended for 79 when keeper Scott Tremain picked up a smart leg-side edge off Matt Dennis, by which time the third wicket partnership had added 129 in 16 overs. By now Allin had regained his touch, picking up twos with clever flicks and reverse sweeps into the wide-open spaces — he raced to a run-a-minute second fifty to reach his century in the penultimate over with ten fours and two sixes. Stanbury provided support towards the end with 28 not out in an unbroken fourth wicket partnership of 57. Belstone's Phil Woods and Scott Tremain provided a solid start — their left-hand, right-hand combination helped to upset the bowlers. Forty for none after ten overs became 100 for none after 20 overs and then 150 for none after 28 overs by which time both batsmen had reached half centuries. Drake joined Tremain who continued a drive to the boundary off most overs, while Drake found his form with a six over the pavilion. A standing ovation greeted Tremain's hundred, his third for the club, which was reached with another extra-cover drive to the fence, after 102 balls faced in 136 minutes. This partnership added 59 before Drake was also caught behind off Roach for 28, which still left 36 needed for victory off four overs. Tension mounted further when Tremain was out to the same Stanbury/Roach combination for 110 which included 14 fours, leaving 21 needed off 15 balls. Opening bowler Gareth Davies returned and bowled a couple of full tosses to Matt Dennis who smacked them out of the ground onto the roof of the Happy Cafe opposite — 20 runs came from the over and the game was Belstone's.