Sticklepath v Belstone

Hat trick ending spoiled by Drakey drop

The local Buckley Cup derby between Belstone and Sticklepath. played out on a cold drizzly evening, produced another low-scoring game where extras were top scorer in one innings (29 out of 68) and second top scorer (12 out of 67) in the other. Winning the toss and batting, Sticklepath were soon in trouble at 20 for five after seven overs, with all the top order clean bowled as they swung hopefully across the line of good length balls, most of which were delivered by Ryan Dennis in a penetrating spell of four overs in which he took four wickets for seven runs. Nigel Letheren (10) responded with a big six onto the roof of the stable in the next field but it was only Jim Mawle who looked settled as he batted calmly through the rest of the innings for 30 not out. Late drama came in Jack Barkwell’s first over when he bowled Hannant and Foreman for ducks with consecutive balls then saw Richard Drake, normally the safest of catchers, drop a straightforward slip catch given by last man Tim Butler, which denied Barkwell a hat-trick.

Chasing 68 to win Belstone gained five wides off the first ball of their reply and reached 40 before the first wicket fell in the fifth over, Brandon Horn (16) surpassing Letheren’s six with one that sailed clean over the stable roof. A good spell by Letheren which claimed three wickets for 17 runs held up Belstone for a while but they eventually ran out five wicket winners with more than eight overs to spare.