Burns (pictured) and Dennis point Bridestowe & Belstone towards six-wicket win | 'Kian looked back to his best swinging the game in our favour' – Tallan Burns

BRIDESTOWE & Belstone took a step in the right direction up the A Division table with a seven-wicket win over Thorverton.

The Moorlanders went into the game one place and six points ahead of Cullompton in the second relegation place. Thorverton occupied the other one.

Bridestowe & Belstone are still only six points above the drop spots, but will be encouraged by a first league win in four starts.

Luke Vukusic top scored with 89 for Thorverton in a 50-over total of 247 for eight. He shared stands of 76 with Lihan Laubusher (19) and 71 with Shane Yelverton (27) before Shaq Glasgow spun him out.

After a brief slow down mid-innings, Bobby Heard (33) got Thorverton going again. He was one of two wickets taken by Callum Mallett (2-56).

Bridestowe & Belstone’s won it in the final over when skipper Tallan Burns hit Yelverton for four.

Men of the moment for B&B were opener Ryan Dennis (82) and Kian Burns (100), whose third-wicket stand of 163 put them in the driving seat. Leon Horn (25) took the chase within 13 runs of the target.

Getting there wasn’t straightforward for B&B: Ben Slaviero's five-for-29 return ensured they had a battle on their hands. George Daldorph (10-1-36-0) kept it tight.

Skipper Burns said irrespective of what the table says, this was an important win.

“Thorverton are way stronger than their league position suggests and this was a big confidence boost ahead of some tough fixtures coming up, said Burns.

“Despite some rusty bowling and fielding, we were pleased to keep them to a par score. 

“You always need a big partnership chasing a score like that. Luckily for us Ryan and Kian did just that.

“Ryan dug in early, getting us through a difficult patch and then reaped the rewards later on in his innings. Kian looked back to his best swinging the game in our favour.”

Although tail-enders Thorverton have gone seven games without a win, skipper Jake Choules remains resolutely upbeat … with some reservations.

“It was a bad loss in the circumstances,” said Choules.

“We dropped the opposition’s top scorer for probably the third or fourth time this season, but also a few significant moments outside of our control went against us. Don’t seem to be getting any luck this season. 

"Positives were batting well in partnerships and good spells from Ben Slaviero and George Daldorph.

“I don’t think we’re far away but we can’t leave it much longer before going on a run.”

The first team Thorverton have to get past are Cullompton, who are the opposition this Saturday.