Belstone off mark in Division One with win over Bratton Fleming | Bushin leads bowling effort

FAMILY AFFAIR: Left and right are Dominic Chugg and Ruben Chugg with dad Jeremy in between. All three appeared for Barnstaple & Pilton on Sunday in the North Devon League Cup game against Victoria Park

ONLY three out of seven North Devon League games reached a conclusion in the latest round of fixtures. Two were abandoned due to bad weather and – worryingly – two were conceded by clubs unable to raise sides.

Belstone were invited to bat at Bratton Fleming and scored 222 in their 40-over Division One game. 

Phil Woods 57 and Richard Drake 37 led the way with an opening stand of 72 then Chris Walpole (21), Tom Boother (23) and Harry Bushin (23no) chipped in lower down.

Adam Drew with 4 for 41 was the pick of the Bratton bowlers. Jamie Tapp (3-29) was not far behind.

Bratton were skittled out for 113 and lost by 109 runs, which gave Belstone their first league win of the current campaign. 

Harry Bushin (3-22), and two wickets each for Boother and Doug Little, did the damage with the ball.

James Tapp (18), Steve Ayre (15) and 27 extras were the only double figure scores for Bratton. 

Newton Tracey entertained Hatherleigh at The Lawn, and a close finish looked a possibility until the rain intervened. 

Newton made 254 for eight in their 40 overs with Simon Gear (59no) and Phil Butcher (46) the leading batters. Oscar Moore (3-44) led the bowling effort for Hatherleigh.

Hatherleigh were rattling along at six and a half an over before the rain came when they were 169 for three. Harry Arden was left frustrated on 87 not out

Nomansland fielded three fresh faces against Exford in Division Two and the new-look attack restricted the opposition to 181 for nine in 40 overs. Ian Whybrow top scored for Exford with 89.

Ryan Bowden won the game in a hurry for Nomansland with an unbeaten 140. Bowden shared an unbeaten stand of 178 with Harry Hare (24no) to win by nine wickets with 17 overs to spare.

Bideford scored 284 for three against Ilfracombe at Westward Ho! Alex Hannam was Biddy’s now-customary NDL centurion with 117 and shared in an opening stand of 190 with Julian Hayter (67). 

Chris Ayers (52) and Nathan Townsend (42) led the reply for Ilfracombe, who were 135 for five when rain stopped play. Clayton Malgas took three for 19 from seven overs for the hosts.

Fileigh couldn't raise a side to travel to Lynton & Lynmouth

Hatherleigh 2ndXI conceded their Division Three game at Braunton Kelseymen

Victoria Park made light work of Barnstaple & Pilton by nine wickets in an NDL League Cup Pool B game.

Barnstaple & Pilton were restricted to 89 for 8 in a game reduced to 30 overs a side.

Rob Wilkins (34) was B&P’s the only significant scorer. Jeremy Chugg, playing his first game for five years and in the company of sons Ruben and Dominic, made the next best of a dozen.

Jolyon Malin (3-12), Ian Brown (2-2) and Mark Lee (2-8) were particularly miserly with the ball for Victoria Park. 

Skipper Will Anderson (49no) led the Victoria Park charge, with support from Ian Brown (25), as the runs were knocked off in 15.1 overs.