Belstone Cricket Club won the North Devon League division one title for the first time in the club’s history on Sunday.

The team came into their final game at Heathcoat on the back of a winning run of seven games which ensured they rapidly climbed to the top of the North Devon League Division One. To secure the title they needed to win at Heathcoat or for the weather to intervene as this would allow a win by default but a loss would hand the title to Westleigh.

After Heathcoat won the toss and batted, opener Richard Pugsley performed well before being caught behind by Matt Dennis off Dan Fogerty for 33. The main partnership of the innings came towards the end of the 40 overs when Guy Bucknell and Freddie Bucknell (32) added 60 for the sixth wicket, with Guy top-scoring with 63, including five boundaries. Wickets were shared between five of the seven bowlers used by Belstone.

Needing 201 to win, Belstone soon lost Richard Drake. Ryan Dennis took his league aggregate to 632 runs with 21 and James Ewen played a solid knock of 22 but three quick wickets for Fardin Kibria reduced the visitors to 49 for four. The innings was stabilised as skipper Matt Dennis and Sam Ewen added 64, but when Ewen was caught by Kibria off Dan Lessiter for 43, the match was back in the balance, however it was at this point that it started raining. The game was abandoned with the visitors on 114 for five which meant that Belstone won.

Matt Dennis from the team said: ‘We were quietly confident during the match. We’ve won against them in the past, but it can depend on the team that’s put out. We’ve had a really strong performance throughout the season. We’d love to win again but our focus then will be getting players out onto the field and going from there. We’ve gradually worked our way up from division five to division one.’