Buckley Cup

Hatherleigh v Belstone

BELSTONE travelled to Hatherleigh for their final Buckley Cup 20-over evening game —knowing that six points would be enough to clinch the trophy. They batted first and quickly built up a formidable score as Sam Ewen with 26 retired (taking his season's average for the Club to 90.5). Richard Drake with 24, Phil Woods with 28 retired, Jamie Walker (18 not out) and Matt Dennis (17) all contributed well to a final total of 158-3 (their fifth highest 20-over total in 21 years), which gained them five batting points.

At the half-way stage of Hatherleigh's reply there was little in it as they had reached 62-4 against Belstone's 67-1, but by then Belstone's Tom Fogerty had taken the wicket that brought them their first bowling point, thus guaranteeing the trophy.

Fogerty finished with 4-24, as Belstone worked steadily through the rest of the innings until they were held up by a last wicket partnership between Richard Tidball (10 not out) and Jack Barkwell which ended when Barkwell was run out for 33 with six balls remaining.

Belstone took the 15 points to retain the Buckley Cup for the third successive season.

North Devon two

Belstone v Heathcoat

Since June Belstone have won five out of six in the league to move into third place in the table, just behind Heathcoat.

At Rew Meadow Belstone began with a solid partnership between Scott Tremain and Phil Woods which put on 67 runs in 78 minutes at three an over before Mitch Baker removed Tremain for 23 with a wicket-maiden first over. For the next 24 minutes runs flowed freely from the bat of skipper Richard Drake who hit three boundaries and a six in his 26 before he was bowled by Jean Rossouw with the score on 100 in the 29th over.

Runs then dried up again as Rossouw worked his way through the middle order, at one point taking four wickets for ten runs in 18 balls as Belstone declined from 107-2 to 156 all out in 44 overs. Woods held the whole innings together, only being dismissed in the penultimate over for 72, with seven fours and three sixes.

Heathcoat required three and a bit runs an over were reduced to 40-4 with both Heathcoat professionals out, Rossouw lbw to Ryan Dennis for a duck and Baker caught one-handed by Callum Mallet at short cover for four, also off Dennis. A fifth wicket partnership of 37 between Davis and Penberthy took them to 77 before Penberthy was leg before to Tom Fogerty for 19.

James Davis and Jamie Drew eased Heathcoat past 100 but the crucial moments came with the score on 116-5 in the 34th over with the recall of opening bowler Dan Fogerty. Davis edging to keeper Scott Tremain to depart for 37, and two balls later Dan Copp miscued to mid-on for a duck, giving Fogerty a double-wicket maiden.

Matt Dennis hung on to a sharp chance at second slip to dismiss Matt Hodson for a duck and, with the visitors one man short, the end came when Drew (21) skied to Woods off Thomas Boother.

Heathcoat lost their last four wickets for only 15 runs leaving Belstone the victors of an enthralling game by 25 runs.