Four wins in a row

BELVEDERE maintained their impressive recent run, making it four wins in a row against rock bottom North Perrott.

Having lost the toss, Belvedere were asked to bowl first on a good-looking batting track. Cornish and Hosey began well, making scoring slow.

Cornish soon struck, bowling Briggs for nine with one that swung away late. Clarke and Kennis put together a steady partnership against the accurate home bowling as Hosey (0-14) and Cornish (2-32) continued to make the batsmen’s lives difficult.

The introduction of Taylor and McCrea maintained the pressure. Kennis was finally undone by Taylor who tempted him down the wicket once too often, keeper Jones taking a fine leg side stumping. Clarke and Marshall-Jones continued to bat sensibly, pushing the score past the hundred mark.

Broadhead, introduced on the back of a fine individual fielding performance, had an immediate effect, trapping Marshall-Jones leg before for 10. Watts then came on and struck immediately, having Clarke well caught at point by McCrea.

Broadhead (2-14) bowled accurately in his spell and was rewarded with the wicket of Oulton to leave the away team struggling at 119-5.

Harper was bowled by Watts (2-30) before some big late order hitting from Ostler (21) pushed the score to a respectable 176-8 at the interval.

In reply, Belvedere began with good intent as Seale and Chadwick looked to attack at every opportunity.

Having put on 65 and looking comfortable, Seale (31) holed out at long on off Webb to end a promising innings. Chadwick and Crockett continued to push the score on as boundaries came regularly before Chadwick missed a straight one to be trapped leg before off the impressive left arm spin of Szczepanski for 37.

Cornish joined Crockett and they looked set to be leading the home side to victory before Crockett was bowled by Szczepanski for 21. A mid-order collapse put Belvedere in trouble as Ashfield, Jones and Watts were undone by the accurate bowling of Webb and Szczepanski.

Cornish and McCrea batted sensibly, pushing the singles and punishing the bad ball before Cornish was trapped leg before by Kennis with 20 still needed. Hosey and McCrea continued to bat carefully, with young McCrea showing great maturity and a fine array of strokes. Despite losing Hosey late on McCrea (27) and Taylor (4) guided Belvedere home to a two wicket victory.

Belvedere can now look forward to the remaining fixtures against teams above them in the table. In a good all-round performance Matt Cornish once again showed his talents but the man of the match award went to Sam McCrea.

* BELVEDERE 2nd XI hosted Wellington at Priory Community School. Captain Sam Neate lost the toss and was invited to bowl first.

Veteran Andy Loud (0-25) returned for his first game of the season and bowled an incredible spell that somehow ended without any dismissals. Fellow opening bowler CJ Neate (1-30) struggled into the wind, but picked up the wicket of Crout, well caught by Loud at mid on.

Ben Robinson (0-18) bowled well throughout his five overs and veteran Rob Statham (2-27) also bowled well, picking up two wickets, although some occasional poor fielding did not help the bowlers.

Spinners Ross Wood (2-44) and Sam Neate (1-29) troubled the Wellington batsmen at times, and there were some fine catches by wicketkeeper Mike Hosey and Jamie Loud. Wellington finished on 186-6.

Belvedere again batted irresponsibly and their batsmen struggled to stay at the crease for any substantial time. Only Sam Neate (20) and Andy Loud (12) got into double figures as Belvedere were skittled for 67. Man of the match was Sam Neate.

* BELVEDERE A recorded a 19-run victory over Banwell & Churchill 2nds.

Batting first, Belvedere clocked up a score of 200, with opener Lodge blasting 85, which included 10 fours and six sixes. David Long made a brisk 18 before captain Paul Davis clubbed a quick-fire 26.

The visitors’ reply started badly, with Davis and Fairhurst (2-25) bowling well. The middle order rebuilt the innings but Sam Jennings took two wickets to give Belvedere the initiative. Nathan Hancock was then handed the ball and accounted for the last three batsmen, clean bowling them all, to seal victory.

Jon Lodge and Nathan Hancock were joint men of the match.