Dolgellau (74) lost to Mochdre (75 for 2) by eight wickets

AN OUTSTANDING performance by Mochdre bowlers Russ Boswell and Matthew Humphreys at Dolgellau on Saturday resulted in an easy eight wicket victory in the end for the visiting team.

Mochdre captain Humphreys claimed 5 wickets for 18 from 9 overs, and Boswell took 4 for 13 from 9.4 overs as Dolgellau were all out for 74 in the 29th over.

Jaco Oosthuizen, batting at number eight, made 31 runs as just two players reached double figures. Mochdre advanced to a winning 75 for 2 in 17 overs, as the match finished before 5 o’clock.

Dolgellau were asked to bat first on an overcast, humid day, and there were no signs of the trouble that was to come as home captain Phil Leeds, together with Tom Kistruck, went to 19 in 8 overs.

This proved to be the calm before the storm, as 7 overs later the innings was reduced to 29 for 8, remarkably 5 wickets falling on the total of 29 as Humphreys and Boswell ripped through the Dolgellau batting line-up with pace and swing.

At 19 Kistruck was bowled by Humphreys and one run later Leeds was perhaps unlucky to be adjudged lbw to Humphreys, having scored 10. It then became 20 for 3 when Greg Smithies hit a low full toss from Boswell straight into the hands of Owen Davies at wide mid-on.

Robbie Lee and Mark Edmondson moved it on to 29 at which the collapse of all collapses ensued. Lee bowled by Boswell, 29 for 4; Edmondson bowled by Humphreys, 29 for 5; Jack Williamson bowled by Boswell, 29 for 6; Sam Williams lbw to Humphreys, 29 for 7 and Callum Taylor bowled by Humphreys 29 for 8.

Oosthuizen and James Bradbury-Willis stopped the rot for a while having an alliance of 36 for the 9th wicket as Boswell and Humphreys were removed from the attack. Oosthuizen was aggressive in striking 7 fours in his 31 from 32 deliveries, while Bradbury-Willis defended manfully to stay with his batting partner.

With the total on 65 in the 25th over Oosthuizen was eventually bowled by first change bowler Joe Chaplin and it was all over 9 runs later, the returning Boswell bowling Bradbury-Willis in the 29th over, the not out Jack Williams hitting a four.

Humphreys’ bowling figures were 9 overs, 3 maidens, 5 for 18 and Boswell’s 9.4 overs, 4 maidens, 4 for 13 while Chaplin claimed 1 for 13 from 5 overs.

It took 17 overs for Mochdre to get to their target of 75 which they did for the loss of 2 wickets. Stewart Williams and Gareth Davies put on 32 from 8 overs for the first wicket, Williams going for 15, with 3 fours, caught by wicketkeeper Kistruck off the bowling of Edmondson.

The total was on 51 when Leeds got through Davies’ defences to bowl him for 18, which had included 3 boundaries.

Mochdre did not have any further setbacks, number 3 batsman Chaplin taking charge hitting 8 fours in a knock of 38 not out, his skipper Humphreys at the other end when an 8 wicket victory was achieved.Leeds bowled 5 overs, 1 for 14 and Edmondson 6 overs, 1 for 38. Oosthuizen had 3 overs for 8 and Sam Williams 3 overs for 15; Mochdre taking 14 points and Dolgellau 1 point.The match ball sponsors were Drs. S & P Barnes, Machynlleth; J P & Sons, Dolgellau and Young’s Fruit and Veg, Eldon Square, Dolgellau.