North Devon division two

Belstone v Victoria Park

VICTORIA Park arrived at Rew Meadow for this clash fresh from a win against League-leaders Holsworthy a week before.

A close middle-of-the-table match might therefore have been expected but things didn't quite work out that way on a two-paced pitch which was taking considerable spin after the long dry spell.

Belstone began with a solid opening partnership of 58 between Scott Tremain (22) and Sam Ewen (30) but at 95-4 the game was evenly poised. A Belstone record fifth wicket stand of 123 between Richard Drake (102) and Matt Dennis (48) then swung the game Belstone's way with Drake taking advantage of five dropped catches to reach his seventh century for the club, scored at a run-a-minute with nine fours and five sixes.

Further runs came from Ryan Dennis (35) as the visitors' bowlers wilted in the heat, their cause not helped by conceding 36 extras.

Neil Merrick and Andrew Jeffrey were the most successful bowlers, sharing seven wickets but giving away 109 runs between them.

All this took Belstone to a 45-over total of 302 for eight, the second highest score they have ever made.

Victoria Park's reply began badly when Scott Tremain snapped up a sharp chance at short leg to dismiss opener Colin Bettiss for two and quickly went downhill from there.

Ryan Dennis and Dan Fogerty bowled unchanged through the whole innings which lasted a brief 10.2 overs and 39 runs.

No Victoria Park batsman reached double figures as Fogerty picked up 4-5 and Dennis 6-23, the best bowling figures of the season so far. Belstone thus completed their biggest ever win, by 263 runs, to consolidate third spot in the table.

Belstone (20pts) beat Victoria Park (0pts) by 263 runs.