With the first half of the season completed, Belton’s cricketers hosted winless Rackheath at Southtown Common and were slightly surprised when the visitors elected to bat first on a lush green wicket.

This decision backfired spectacularly when they found themselves 20 for five off just 10 overs; Nichols (4 for 43) and Ali (3 for 9) doing the damage.

Scarborough briefly held up the torrent of wickets with six boundaries in his 28, but without much support the tail subsided to a meagre 83 all out off 27 overs.

Knight and Chachalani chipped in with wickets, one featuring a stunning catch in the outfield by Hodds.

Belton openers Day and Toll were obliged to bat for 11 overs before tea, the two comfortably reaching 46 with few scares.

After tea, Toll was harshly adjudged lbw, but Day (52 not out) and Savoury, aided by an unacceptable number of wides from the visitors, saw the home side over the finish line with nine wickets and 28 overs to spare.

Maximum points for the home side, sponsored by CERTEX UK (Lifting Gear).

Tolly’s Tusker Man of the Match: Paul Hodds for THAT catch!

Rackheath: R Symonds c A Savoury b Nichols 5, JoJo b Nichols 0, J Patrick b Ali 6, S Williams c Knight b Ali 0, J Scarborough b Nichols 28, J O’Beirne lbw Ali 0, W Knight c Hodds b Knight 12, R Lake b Nichols 6, Sibi not out 3, P Banham c G Savoury b Chanchalani 15, T Brown b Chanchalani 0, extras 8. Total 83. Bowling: Nichols 12-5-43-4, Ali 7-4-9-3, Knight 6-2-23-1, Chanchalani 1.4-0-2-2.

Belton: S Day not out 52, A Toll lbw Williams 8, A Savoury not out 2, extras 22. Total (1 wkt) 84. Bowling: O’Beirne 5-0-19-0, W Knight 4-1-13-0, P Banham 4-1-4-0, S Williams 3-0-27-1, R Lake 1-0-17-0.

Over the years, a friendship has developed between the clubs of Belton and Worstead, with several players having represented both teams.

The Burgess Shield match at Southtown Common on Sunday was a fine example of this, with plenty of runs, wickets and excellent sportsmanship throughout. Unusually, three pairs of brothers took part.

Worstead were soon reduced to 43 for four due to some irrational stroke play, an unpredictable bounce and an excellent spell of bowling from Moar.

Skipper Beeden joined opener Toll and the pair repaired the early damage, until Toll fell at the drinks break for 29. This enabled Browne and Beeden to launch an astonishing assault on the perspiring Belton fielders. Both batsmen gave chances, which the home side failed to take, proving very costly.

Craig Beeden completed his century in fine style, the partnership of 150 beating the previous club record for the sixth wicket.

The introduction of young George Savoury (3 for 48) finally broke the partnership with the score on 228, but Bean and Hammond pushed on to complete the innings, Worstead’s total reaching 257 for eight.

After a fine Moar tea, W Goreham and G Savoury made a steady start to the home team’s reply but Edge removed the dangerous W Goreham and Treglown bowled A Savoury cheaply.

R Goreham hit an impressive 75 (including four sixes) but with Belton falling ever further behind the required run-rate of 6.5 runs per over, the tail could not score quickly enough to worry the visitors. The home side finished on 192 for eight off their 40 overs, 65 runs short of the target.

Worstead: R Eagleton lbw b Moar 0, A Toll c A Savoury b Bareham 29, T Williams lbw b Moar 0, D Treglown c-b R Goreham 15, J oe Edge b Moar 4, C Beeden c R Goreham b G Savoury 107, A Browne lbw b G Savoury 58, J Hammond c A Savoury b G Savoury 11, J Bean not out 14, Josh Edge not out 0. extras 19. Total (8 wkts) 257. Bowling: Moar 10-2-35-3, R Goreham 10-2-46-1, Bareham 10-0-75-1, Chanchalani 6-0-44-0, G Savoury 4-0-48-3.

Belton: W Goreham c Beeden b Joe Edge 25, G Savoury b Beeden 20, A Savoury b Treglown 6, R Goreham c Beeden b Treglown 75, R Ashling b Treglown 16, G Moar not out 14, H Chanchalani c Treglown b Josh Edge 0, S Mordecai b Williams 7, D Bareham run out 1, C Mordecai not out 7, extras 21. Total (8 wkts) 192. Bowling: Hammond 5-1-17-0, Joe Edge 4-2-16-1, Treglown 8-1-31-3, Williams 5-0-14-1, Browne 4-0-17-0, Beeden 6-1-25-1, Bean 4-0-26-0, Josh Edge 2-0-13-1, Eagleton 2-0-15-0.