OPENING batsman Jake Pascoe was Bovey Tracey’s unlikely hero with the ball in an 84-run win over Bridestowe & Belstone.

Bridestowe & Belstone were pottering along in reply at 101 for four – three wickets having fallen to Ben Kay – when the game swung dramatically in Bovey’s favour.

Pascoe, rarely deployed as a bowler, took three wickets in five balls as B&B subsided to 101 for seven.

Pascoe went on to claim career-best figures of five for 31 as B&B were dismissed for 126 chasing 211 to win. Shaquan Glasgow ran out of partners to bat with on 46 not out.

“Our bowling was much tighter, which was great to see,” said Bovey captain Seb Ansley.

“Ben Kay gained his just rewards for a quality spell up top, then Jake’s me flight and guile ripped through the middle to lower order.”

Slade van Staden, who represents the Dolphins franchise at home in South Africa, top-scored for Bovey with 85 in their 50-over total of 210 for nine. He got off the mark by hitting a first ball long-hop for four and added 10 more and a six before his time was up.

Van Staden’s stand of 86 with Lewis Hammett (30) was topped up by Tom Andrew making 25.

“Slade made it look pretty easy for the most part and was someone to bat around, with others chipping in towards the end,” said Ansley. “We finished with a decent total on a tricky pitch.”

Bridestowe & Belstone bowlers Tallan Burns, Simon Gillespie, Craig Penberthy and Shaquan Glasgow did well to operate at less than four runs an over.

Skipper Burns was the last man out for 25 before Pascoe changed the game.

Elsewhere, Bovey 2nd XI skipper Dan Green had no difficulty pinpointing where it all went wrong in the six-run defeat at Braunton.

When Bovey were 162 for four chasing 195 to win, it looked like job-done. It wasn’t.

Losing the next three wickets for just seven runs scored altered the complexion of the game and Bovey folded on 188.

At first glance a batting collapse proved Bovey’s downfall, which wasn’t how Green saw it.

“Ultimately, we only have ourselves to blame due to our extras column,” said Green in a clear reference to the 51 wides Bovey gave away.

Runs for Braunton’s top three of Kyle Faber (21), Sam Bithell (36) and Callum Mitchell (29) were only added to off the bat by Steve Aston with 21. The 51 wides Bovey Tracey gave away, outscored any individual.

Gethin Williams (3-23) and Jack Ansley (3-35) dominated Bovey’s bowling stats. Kiwi Sam Veal (2-32) offered little to hit.

Bovey appeared to be making light work of the chase as George Pitman (96) and Sam Russell (43) took the tally to 110 for two.

Steve Moore (3-26) and Baglow engineered the middle-order wobble that contributed to Bovey’s undoing, although as long as Pitman hung around the game was in the balance.

The target was seven to win with three wickets left when Valeri bowled Pitman. He polished off the tail to finish with figures of three for 33.

Green said hidden in the wreckage of defeat were some encouraging signs too.

“This is the second week in a row we have restricted a team to a below-par total, which is a positive,” said Green.

“George and Sam got us off to a great start, and broke the back of the chase, but credit to Braunton for fighting back and holding their nerve.”