North Devon one

Belstone v Bratton Fleming

THIS time last year Bratton Fleming skittled out visitors Belstone for 52, knocked the runs off without losing a wicket and the game was all over by the half-time tea interval. This year in the repeat division one fixture the roles were reversed with Belstone securing a comfortable six wicket win not long after the tea interval.

The Belstone opening attack of Ryan Dennis and Tom Boother were soon bowling good lines and lengths and using the slope of the pitch to advantage. By the time they had completed their full eight over spells they had each taken three wickets and the back of the Bratton Fleming innings had been broken at 65-6.

Dennis was economical with three for 19; Boother conceded 46 runs for his three wickets but did bowl a beauty that came back up the slope to bowl James Thomas for 28, who, with a six and four fours scored at a run-a-minute, was the only batsman who threatened to make a big score. Keeper Phil Hatton caught three of the first six, as the batsmen pushed forward only to find the edge. The pressure did not let up when first change bowlers Alex Jopling (3.2-0-18-2) and Arden Frew-Smith (4-0-16-2) came on - they mopped up the tail without delay for an all out total of 99.

Belstone openers Phil Woods and James Ewen ensured a steady start and then opened up with a succession of well-timed boundaries putting on 65 for the first wicket before Woods was caught low down by Thomas on the long off boundary for 27 off James Tapp.

Soon after skipper Richard Drake edged to slip for a duck, Ewen was nonchalantly caught one-handed on the deep cover boundary by Rob Scoines for 44, which included seven fours and a six, and Matt Dennis was also caught in the slips, all off Tapp (6-2-16-4) which suddenly left Belstone on 82-4.

Hatton (13 not out) and Ryan Dennis (8 not out) steered them calmly to the six wicket win.