Cricket

Promotion-chasing Pwllheli take draw

Pwllheli (201-9) drew at Llay Welfare (218-6 declared)

PAUL Gower’s promotion-chasing Pwllheli team continue to occupy second position in the North Wales League’s division one, after getting caught up in a not unfavourable losing draw at Llay Welfare.
The points’ award was 20-9 to Llay’s benefit, although the home team’s target of 218 runs for six wickets declared had been seriously threatened by Pwllheli’s reply, which reached 201 for nine.
The original meeting between the rivals at Bodegroes Park on 29 May had been rained-off and so there was everything to play for at the Wrexham club’s ground.
Llay, normally prolific scorers, were invited to take first knock on a damp and possibly unpredictable wicket by Pwllheli’s captain, when he won the toss, but they duly built a substantial innings.
The effort spanned all of 45 overs, as 218 runs were registered on the scoreboard for the loss of six wickets, starting in fine style with an opening stand of 90 plus runs by youngster Michael Paletia, who hit 45, and the dominant Dave Phennah, scoring 82.
Damian Bryan, going at number three, continued the accumulation by providing 37 runs, although Pwllheli’s fielders were at fault over a period in putting down three not particularly difficult catches.
The most impressive Pwllheli bowler was pacey Ben Jones, whose 13 overs yielded only one wicket at a cost of 43 runs, when he probably merited a far better return.
Off-spinner Nadeem Rehman enjoyed the most complimentary analysis of three wickets for 26 runs from nine overs, three of them maidens, while Adam Williams’ medium-pace contributions were punished at two for 74 from his overs bowled.
Pwllheli’s reply showed plenty of purpose and hope for a long time in the innings, as the batsmen chased the massive target but, after doing so well for so long, they were frustrated late on and had to opt for plan B, to survive for a split decision.
Number 10 Griffith Jones was dismissed off the final ball of the 55 overs’ innings, leaving the team total at 201 for 9, with the last man in the pavilion and unused.
Several of Pwllheli’s early batsmen had flourished, as opener Neil Williams scored 30 runs, Nadeem Rehman and Chris Moore were dismissed agonisingly on 49, to be denied their half centuries, while Charlie Taylor made 19 and Mike Hughes a lusty 30 runs, including 24 in boundaries.
Llay’s bowling figures showed Dave Phennah having reaped three wickets for 42 runs in 13 overs of leg-spin, while Damien Bryan returned two for 27 from 10 overs and Tom Crewe two for 41 from 11.

Pwllheli 2nds (56-2) beat
Chirk 2nds (55 all out) by eight wickets

PWLLHELI’s bowlers and batsmen wasted little time in despatching visitors Chirk in an eight wicket virtual wipe-out in the North Wales League’s division five.
The strangely low-scoring contest at Bodegroes Park was all over before tea, as captain Ian Evans and his team comfortably consolidated their mid-table status.
Chirk’s time at the crease lasted just 24 overs, as the visitors’ limitations were exposed by bowlers Glyn Hughes and Terry O’Neill, with the aid of the alert fielders.
Almost unplayable Hughes enjoyed the haul of four wickets for five runs in just three overs, while medium-pacer O’Neill recorded three for 17 in eight overs.
It all amounted to a bad day from Chirk’s viewpoint, although not early on, when the scoreboard displayed 39 for two, thanks at that stage to the promise shown by Tim Flack on 15 and Ian Williams 14.
Pwllheli’s response later achieved the inevitable victory at 56 for two in 24 overs and the main credits were claimed by Ian Evans, who stroked 31 runs, and number three Simon Williams on 15 not out.
The duo moved away from a possibly perilous four for one situation to an almost winning 46 for two, while John Sawbrick, offered some resistance, bowling 11 overs, seven of them maidens, as he earned two wickets for just six runs with a variety of slow but extremely accurate deliveries.

Pictured: Glyn Hughes was Pwllheli's best bowler on Saturday as he managed 4 wickets for 5 runs off 3 overs. Pic:Dewi Wyn