We have unfortunately really struggled to raise a full team thus far this season and a depleted ‘team’ of just 9 players including 2 ‘borrowed’ from the opposition took to the field at Islip in May for the opening fixture of the season and were duly beaten but far from disgraced with Ridlingtons Dave Fairley, more known for his fine bowling, recording his maiden half century with the bat.

The home fixture with Charnwood Casuals was postponed due to lack of players but we thankfully raised a full team for the annual 20 over Friday fixture against Uppingham at Castle Hill in late May and once again came away with an excellent and close victory with success achieved from the final ball of the match, the victory margin being a slender 3 runs. Batting first, we accumulated a respectable score of exactly 100 runs for 9 wickets from our 20 overs with Will Bell (27), Jack Salt (16) and skipper Steve Kind (12) top scoring. The Uppingham response indicated through-out that it was going to be a tight finish and so it proved with a boundary required from the final ball of the match for victory but thankfully for us a ‘dot ball’ secured us a victory margin of just 3 runs, the second year running that we have been victorious in the fixture off the final ball of the match.

A shortage of players and poor week-end weather ensured that our twice arranged home match with Langham didn’t take place in late May/early June but the weather relented on Father’s Day as we hosted the Harborough Tavernier’s. Batting first, we soon had the Tavernier’s in trouble at 5 for 3 from 3 overs but a fine recovery, dominated by one batsman, saw the visitors to a very decent total of 169 all out. In response, we made a poor start and loss wickets at frequent intervals, eventually being bowled out for just 82.

Next Fixtures:

Sunday 5 July at home to Great Dalby

Sunday 12 July away to Uppingham

Sunday 23 August away to Great Dalby

Sunday 30 August at home to Hallaton

If anybody, new or old to the village, wishes to participate in some ‘friendly’ cricket then please contact Steve Kind. We have really struggled to raise anything like a full or competitive team thus far this season with the exception of the Friday night fixture at Uppingham. We have kept this village cricket tradition going in Belton for several decades and it would be a real shame if we had to fold due to lack of support and interest.