After three weeks without a game due to inclement weather and opposing teams being short of players, Stoke Fleming hosted Holbeton at Venn Lane. Home skipper Ed church lost the toss and Holbeton invited Stoke to bat. The home side juggled with the batting order to give others a chance at the top of the order, and this soon backfired as the Holbeton opening bowlers got the best out of what was a decent wicket for batting. None of the top five batsmen got into double figures, as Bancroft (4 for 9 off 8) hit the wickets with alarming regularity. At 23 for 4 off nine overs, Stoke were in real trouble. Debutant Simon Holmes walked out to the crease to try to arrest the batting collapse, but wickets still kept falling and with the score on 55 for 6 things weren't looking any better. Church came out to join Holmes, and the two of them played with great care to slowly turn the tide back in Stoke's favour. Both batsmen showed the top order how it should have been done, watching the good balls and putting the bad ones away to the boundary. After putting on 98 in 14 game-changing overs, the partnership was finally broken as Holmes was caught for a fantastic 60. In the next over Church was bowled for an equally impressive 50. With eight overs left and eight wickets down, Stoke were looking to get past the 200 mark. Steve and Mark Edmonds set about that task, keeping the run rate up at eight an over, until the former was out for 26. John Hardy came in for the last four overs, and with Mark took the score up to 228, Edmonds finishing unbeaten on 37. Holbeton's reply began steadily; runs coming at four an over but with wickets also falling fairly regularly. Noel Edmonds and Ted Duberley removed one opener each, both caught behind by Steve Edmonds. Mike Perkin, Matt Robinson and Mark Edmonds all chipped in with a wicket apiece, but it was Duberley, with 2 for 43, who was the pick of the bowlers. All of the bowlers had the fielders to thank, as Mark Edmonds, Holmes and Church all held on to good catches in the outfield, while Steve Edmonds took a sharp catch leaping to his right to remove the stubborn Luscombe for 28. Despite some big hitting from the lower order, Holbeton were always behind the run rate. The innings eventually petered out to 195 for 6 off 40 overs, ensuring Stoke maintained their winning run. Next Sunday Stoke travel to Harberton to defend the Mills Shield. Stoke Fleming CC are still on the lookout for more keen cricketers to join the club. If anyone is interested in playing for a friendly club on Sundays or Wednesday evenings, please pop in to the Green Dragon in Stoke Fleming to see a fixture list, and to leave a message for one of the club's members.