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Dumberton v Belstone

BELSTONE’S first tour since 2001 took them to Dumbleton on the Gloucestershire and Worcestershire border where their former player Scott Tremain now plays his cricket.

The 40-over match began in dramatic style as the visitor’s opener Phil Woods was run out off the first ball, then recalled after bowler Prudden was judged to have obstructed him, only to be clean bowled four balls later.

The innings gained momentum as Tom Pearce and Richard Drake added 42 for the second wicket with Pearce striking Pete Boorman for three sixes in four balls and bowlers Ben Attwood and Ed Bragg conceding 20 wides in their first seven overs.

Boorman (5-1-28-3) gained revenge by taking a return catch to dismiss Pearce for 37 whereupon the brakes came on and wickets began to fall so that Belstone declined from 90-4 to 105-8 with 18 overs still to go.

A watchful tenth wicket stand of 41 in 53 minutes between Phil Dennis (28) and Callum Mallett (13 not out) restored some respectability as Belstone finished on 156 all out, a total helped by extras who top-scored on 42.

Although the Dumbleton reply took some time to get going they never looked in any trouble as Slabbert dominated an opening partnership of 49 with Bragg, who was first out for seven when Ryan Dennis (8-2-19-1) took a sharp caught and bowled.

The spin of Alex Jopling caused some excitement as Slabbert lifted him for two sixes to reach his 50 off 66 balls in an hour but then Jopling produced a magic ball which pitched on leg and spun past the forward push to take the top of the off stump. He followed up with three more wickets in the space of 18 balls to give the visitors hope at 123-5, but then Scott Tremain (28 not out) and Ollie Forbes (11 not out) saw Dumbleton comfortably home without further loss, Tremain ending proceedings with a six to the pavilion steps.

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Trull v Belstone

THE following day Belstone arrived at Trull on the edge of Taunton for a 35-over game.

Belstone openers Dan Fogerty and Chris Walpole were a study in contrasts: in a partnership of 48 in six overs Fogerty smashed seven boundaries and a six before being bowled by Miles Quick (6-1-36-2) while Walpole played the sheet anchor role with three runs.

More of the same followed as Rob Sandercock made 16 from six balls and Callum Mallett reached 19 before Walpole was fourth out with the score on 99, having amassed five runs from 35 balls faced.

Phil Woods took 12 balls to get off the mark but then hit the biggest six of the tour before he was run out for 15.

The last five Belstone batsmen contributed five runs between them so it was left to Mallett to push the score along which he did to such effect that he reached a maiden half century off 50 balls in 68 minutes, eventually carrying his bat on 54 not out with ten boundaries, as the innings ended on 155 all out.

Trull’s reply got off to a poor start with both openers clean bowled cheaply by Ryan Dennis (5-1-8-2) and only 18 on the board after ten overs.

James Smith suddenly took 20 off the first five balls of Tom Pearce’s opening over, only for Pearce to have him caught by Phil Dennis for 32 off the sixth ball.

Johnson, playing his first senior game, was run out by a throw from Dan Fogerty without facing a ball. Skipper Ed Barrett knuckled down for an hour to make 41 and with Warren Haynes (20) and Danny Parsons (16) also chipping in with useful runs, Trull began to edge towards their target, at one time needing 24 with four wickets and five overs left. However, tight death bowling from Dan Fogerty (3-1-10-1) and Sandercock (two runs conceded off eight balls) increased the pressure until Johnson senior attempted a sharp single and was beaten by a direct hit from Belstone captain Matt Dennis, giving the tourists a 13 run win.