Buckley Cup

Belstone v Sticklepath

AN all-action local derby Buckley Cup match between Belstone and Sticklepath came to a climax with the last Sticklepath batsmen Richard Boarder and Ben Davey needing to hit 13 off the last over from Harry Bushin to win the high-scoring game.

The pair had already contributed 52 runs in quick time at the top of the order before having to retire on 27 and 25 respectively in accordance with the competition rules.

Earlier Sam Ewen and Scott Tremain got the Belstone innings off to a solid start with seven boundaries and a six between them before they both retired on 25. The middle order all made contributions to get the run rate to above six an over with Matt Dennis (10) crashing his first ball to the boundary and Dennis Edwards (20) scoring freely. Two smart stumpings from skipper Julian Baker and a five-wicket haul for Sean Marshall (4-0-28-5) ensured that Sticklepath picked up four bowling points as Belstone ended on 135 for 8 after 20 overs. Thanks to Boarder and Davey Sticklepath reached the halfway point of their reply on 69-2, right up with the required rate. An economical spell from Corey Burns (4-0-9-2), two wickets for Dennis in his first three balls of the season and two run outs swung the match towards Belstone but then No 10 Tom Mallett hit the biggest six seen all season while adding 25 with No 11 Carl Montgomerie. Mallett was run out by a direct hit from David Binns for 12 and Montgomerie was bowled by Trevor Oats for 13 to set up that final over. The pressure increased on Boarder after a dot first ball and just two from the next before he was clean bowled attempting a big hit to give Belstone the win by 10 runs.

North Devon division four

Lynton and Lynmouth v Belstone

AN outstanding performance by first-time Belstone skipper David Binns just failed to bring a victory at the Valley of the Rocks.

Watched over the famous wild goats, Belstone's 45 overs was an innings of two utterly contrasting halves; in the first 28 overs they struggled to get the ball off the square, scoring just 57-5 in the face of some accurate bowling by Connor Constable, Nick Constable (6-2-8-0), Barney Hayward (9-2-24-2) and Alistair Rodway (8-1-19-2).

Then Binns, helped first by Tom White (6) in a partnership of 45 for the sixth wicket, began a remarkable counter-attack. Connor Constable had conceded only three runs from his first five overs; his second spell of three overs cost 36, while Gary Phillips and Dave Wilde went for 113 off 14 overs. In a faultless display of well-timed drives and pulls Binns accelerated to reach his debut century before finally holing out at long-on for 113 with 13 fours and 4 sixes. He was well supported by Simon Tremain (37no) in a stand of 130 in 14 overs for the seventh wicket, which completely shattered the previous Belstone record for this wicket of 98, established in 2005. The first ten overs of the innings had brought 11 runs, the last ten 101 runs, to leave the visitors on 210-7 at tea.

Binns then opened the bowling, taking the first two wickets to fall with 50 on the board. Unlike Belstone however, Lynton and Lynmouth got away to a very brisk start so that they were always ahead of the required rate. Opener Rodway held one end tight with 13 fours in an elegant 73 while Peter Druce crashed ten boundaries in his rapid 51 as they added 80 for the fifth wicket. Belstone spilled five difficult chances and missed a run-out. As it was Hayward (34) continued the charge to take Lynton & Lynmouth to a well-judged two wicket victory with six overs to spare.

North Devon division four

Halberton v Belstone

BELSTONE visited top-of-the-table Halberton and found the home side continuing their fine form with a fluent batting display. Opener Andy Blake (39) and number three Dan Coles (49) set the tone with a partnership of 79 in just under an hour before Peter Harlow (9-0-30-2) claimed them both, Coles to a spectacular overhead two-handed catch at long-on by Phil Woods.

Adrian Mills (65) and Darren Partridge (31) carried on the good work with a rapid stand of 74 for the fourth wicket in 41minutes and the innings was finished off with a flourish by George Rowe whose 23 not out took only seven scoring strokes.

Chasing 254 for victory Belstone reached a decent 85 for two after 20 overs with Scott Tremain on 29 and Chris Walpole on 21, before a rapidly rising ball from Rowe took the splice of Tremain's bat to give a simple lobbed catch to gully. Disaster then struck as Rowe (6-1-17-4) ripped the heart out of the Belstone middle order with three more wickets in the space of six balls — leaving the visitors reeling on 91-6. Walpole (36), Simon Tremain (23), Luke Wonnacott (13) and a last wicket stand of 15 between Trevor Oats and Parsons eked out enough runs to take the total up to 162 all out, but this was a thoroughly convincing win for Halberton.