IT was a close affair at the Marian on Sunday as Dolgellau entertained Llandudno in the second round of this season's Welsh Cup knockout.

The match went down to the last of the 80 overs, with Llandudno, who are currently fifth in the North Wales Premier Division, edging over the winning line by 4 wickets, with just 3 balls to spare.

Dolgellau, deciding to bat first, were in deep trouble when they slumped to 36 for 5 in 10 overs, and then 66 for 6 at the half way stage, but a 7th wicket partnership of 79 between skipper Rob Humphreys, 50, and number eight Jamie Tomkins, 26, brought some respectability to the total, closing on 148 for 9 from the 40 overs.

This proved to be not quite enough as Llandudno reached 150 for 6 from 39.3 overs to advance to the next round.

This despite probably the most economical bowling spell ever seen at the Marian, or anywhere else for that matter; Dolgellau’s Phil Leeds bowling his allowance of 8 overs for just 2 runs with 6 maidens and taking 3 wickets. However the lack of bowlers with first team experience did not help the home team’s cause.

Llandudno’s team included eight players from their side which beat Connah’s Quay on Saturday, and their bowlers soon had the hosts in a spot of bother, when losing opener Stuart Evans, bowled by Sam Rimmington in the first over.

His fellow opener Greg Smithies struck 3 fours in his 13 before he was given out lbw to the same bowler. Indeed the neutral umpire at the College End gave Rimmington another 2 lbw decisions, both of which caused a degree of controversy.

It was 36 for 3 when Will Hannam was bowled by Matty Jones for 9, and then 36 for 5, with Tom Kistruck and Phil Leeds falling to the dreaded umpire’s finger.

Gareth Lanagan and Rob Humphreys did their best to repair the damage with a stand of 30, until from the first ball after the drinks break Lanagan was caught behind by captain Luke Kenworthy from the bowling of Jake Sumberland for 7.

Jamie Tomkins joined Humphreys in an alliance of 79 for the seventh wicket to take it to the 39th over, in which Tomkins was unlucky to be given out, when stumped by Kenworthy off Jones for 26.

Alex Steel was run out by Ajay Dhawan and from the final ball of the innings Humphreys was stumped, after making a good 50 runs, which included 6 boundaries, the bowler being Jack Thornton.

Rimmington claimed 4 for 19, Jones 2 for 28, Sumberland 1 for 29 and Thornton 1 for 44 as Dolgellau finished on 148 for 9.

When Llandudno replied they advanced to 38 from 10 overs, before they lost Rimmington for 19 with a six and 2 fours, when caught by Humphreys off Greg Smithies’ bowling. Opener Matty Jones and Kevin James added 28, the former being bowled by Leeds, also for 19.

Leeds took another 2 wickets as 7 more runs were scored to leave it at 73 for 4. James hit a six and a four, before he was bowled for 16, and Lewis Jones fell lbw.

With Dolgellau sensing an upset was on the cards, Ajay Dhawan joined number four Kenworthy in a stand of 60 for the 5th wicket to put the visitors back on track. The breakthrough came at 133 in the 37th over when Dhawan was bowled by Stuart Evans for 23, and this was followed by the dismissal of Jack Thornton who fell to an excellent one-handed catch by Iwan Parry, from a Tomkins delivery.

Thereafter Tom Thornton and Kenworthy took their side over the winning line, Thornton hitting a four to seal victory with just 3 balls remaining. Kenworthy did an excellent job for Llandudno, making an undefeated 42 from 64 balls with a six and 5 fours to guide his side home.

Leeds’ outstanding bowling of 3 wickets for just 2 runs from 8 overs went unrewarded on this occasion as the opposition made it to a winning toal of 150 for 6.

Smithies took 1 for 19 from 7 overs, Evans 1 for 20 from 3 overs and Tomkins 1 for 26 from 5.3 overs. Llandudno will travel to play Denbigh in the next round.

The match ball on Sunday was sponsored by Plas Isa Guesthouse, Dolgellau.

Both of last Saturday’s league games were victims of the wet weather, including Gwersyllt at home for the firsts and Llanrwst seconds away in division four.