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The 70's Revival
The
club was revived in 1976 mainly through the efforts of Peter
Dutfield, then publican at The Tors. Matches were played
in the field between Brenamoor Common and the current Rew
Meadow ground, which was provided by Vic Martin. There were
no “facilities”, the pitch was rather dangerous and uneven, and
the outfield had its share of boulders, sheep droppings and
stinging nettles; not surprisingly bowlers were usually on top.
Ron Bray, who won the Best Bowler cup in 1976 and 1977, was one
of them; “my best performance was taking 9 for 32 against
West Devon Borough Council, four clean bowled, one caught and
bowled and four out lbw thanks to umpire Harold Hill. Another
game I remember was against The Victoria Inn from Exeter who got
us all out for 64, hardly a winning score. But they were all out
for just 9 – Mr Pulman (Mowhay) took 4 wickets in 4 balls. Clive
Gunnell brought a Westward TV team once; I got Alastair McHarg
out, he used to play second row for the Scotland rugby team.
Yes, it was a bit dangerous – Jeremy Terry (Old Rectory Farm)
was knocked out at square leg by a flying bat.” Peter
Hammond confirms the problems; “we weren’t allowed to cut the
outfield after the end of June. One time Robin Hill and I spent
Friday and Saturday preparing a wicket for a game against
Sticklepath. The horses were kept off with an electric fence,
but we found on Sunday morning that they had broken through it
and skuffed up the pitch.” Vic Hutchison was one of the
captains; “we played against the ladies once and Marge Bullen
bowled me first ball with an underarm full toss, she never let
me forget it!” (the men did dismiss the ladies for 26,
winning by 75 runs, thanks to 51 not out from Vyvian Rudd, one
of four Rudd boys to play in those years). Robert Willis also
remembers Marge and her partner’s son, Jacko Abbott; “Marge
used to take her false teeth out before playing. Jacko played
regularly, he hit one six right into Audrey Williams’ garden.”
In fact Jacko won a cup at the first annual dinner, as the
Okehampton and District Clarion reported, “for his stalwart
contribution, his help with the preparation of the pitch and his
100% attendance for practice games. Mr Abbott was overwhelmed by
this recognition of his work.” Others who played regularly
from the parish included Bob Barrett, Jim Brereton, Mickey Dyer,
Peter Hammond, Robin Hill, David Hutchison, Tim Jones, David
Kier, Bob Northcott, Steve Quill, and Chris Walpole.
The
club finished at the end of the 1981 season. An analysis of the
available records, from 1977 to 1981, make rather depressing
reading; played 39, won 11, lost 28. The highest score made by
Belstone was just 101 – against the ladies. 19 of the 39 innings
totalled under 50 runs. The highest individual Belstone score
was Vyvian Rudd’s 51 – against the ladies. Sometimes there was
time in the afternoon for another innings. The low point of all
came against Marhamchurch on 24th August 1980 when
the visitors were all out for 44. Unfortunately Belstone were
all out for 10, and batting again, were all out for 24. Not
much better was the game on 11th June 1978
when Okehampton Second XI bowled us out for 17 and knocked off
the runs in 16 balls. We tried hard for revenge next season;
Belstone made 51 all out (Nigel Rudd 34, no-one else more than
4) and had Okehampton on the brink of defeat at 19 for 9 – but
they still won. South Zeal claimed 7 ducks in Belstone’s total
of 19 all out on 14th August 1977 – and won by 9
wickets.
Belstone also came out a poor second in the local derby games
against Sticklepath. The present team may be unbeaten against
the old enemy – or Lower Belstone as some mischief-makers
call them – but Sticklepath won 4 out of the 5 games played
between 1979 and 1981. |
