North Wales Cricket League

First Division

HALKYN 280 for 8 beat DOLGELLAU 50 by 230 runs

Dolgellau, with six matches left, are now firmly in the relegation zone of Division 1 after their latest defeat at promotion bound Halkyn on Saturday.

Dolgellau were never in the contest, indeed if it was a boxing match the referee would have stopped it in the first round.

Winning the toss Halkyn amassed 280 for 8 from their 45 overs and then bowled Dolgellau out for a paltry 50, the margin of defeat the small matter of 230 runs; the visitors having to make seven changes to the previous week’s team.

Opening bat Andy Watkin hit a century for the hosts, carrying his bat for 101 not out from 110 deliveries, reaching his 50 from 65 deliveries and his hundred from 109 balls.

Skipper Ben Roberts and Watkin had a partnership of 91 in 15 overs before they were parted, Roberts striking 7 fours and a six in his 58 before he was caught by Dan Williams at deep mid off from the bowling of Jaco Oosthuizen.

After the run out of Gareth Fox by Sion Francis, overseas player Shamar Forde joined Watkin to add 97 for the third wicket.

Forde raced to a 50 from 42 balls, hitting seven boundaries, eventually falling for 56, to a good catch by Gruff Llywelyn at mid on, in Phil Leeds’ first over, Leeds being the sixth bowler used due to his late arrival at the ground.

The total stood at 193 for 3 from 29 overs. Watkin continued to flourish and was still there at the close, seeing five more wickets go down at the other end.

Leeds claimed four of those dismissals, the other being the run out of Muhammad Bajwa for 16 by Stuart Evans.

Leeds bowled Duane Williams, Shaun Gibson and Graeme Settle, who made 10, and had Nathan Lavender caught by Oosthuizen to finish with 5 for 35 from his nine overs.

Only Oosthuizen, of the other five bowlers used, had any success taking 1 for 33 from nine overs, while there was a good spell of 7 overs for 39 runs by 15 year old Jayden Roberts having his first bowl in Division 1.

Halkyn finished on 280 for 8, Watkin striking 7 fours in his undefeated 101.

The hosts then took 24 overs to dismiss Dolgellau for just 50.

From 23 for no wicket the visitors collapsed as all 10 wickets went down for just 27 runs. Jamie Davies picked up 4 for 21 from 9 overs, Lavender 2 for 21 from 7 overs and Ben Roberts 2 wickets for 3 runs from four overs.

Only opening bat Stuart Evans managed to reach double figures with 17. Wicketkeeper Forde held two catches and there was a catch each for Fox, Watkin and Gibson while Bajwa had a run out and James Beresford took a wicket at the end of a miserable day for Dolgellau.

The match ball was sponsored by Danny Jones Stone Walling, Dolgellau.

In midweek Dolgellau juniors Joel Eynon and James Conde played for the Cricket Wales North Under 13s Development team.

At Llandysul the opponents were Wales South, who won both games played. Joel took five wickets on the day and James scored 8 not out in his only innings.

PREMIER DIVISION

Pwllheli (159-8) lost to Gresford (195) by 36 runs

PUT into bat Gresford posted a solid 195 all out in 48.2 overs at Bodegroes Park with hosts Pwllheli’s run chase ending short.

Two Gresford players carried the bat for half centuries which formed the spine of the visitors’ innings.

After a shaky start Sam Thompson (56) and Joshua Knowles (51) came in at four and five respectively to give Gresford plenty of momentum.

Both were eventually bowled by Jason Underwood, Knowles caught by Logan Rhys Morgan after hitting three fours and Thompson caught by Iwan Moore after finding eight fours.

For Pwllheli, Underwood was the standout bowler with a fantastic five wickets for 42 runs off 7.3 overs.

Christopher Taylor (2-31-10), Daniel Pigott (1-21-10), Iwan Moore (1-24-8).

Taylor also an afternoon to remember with the bat posting 70 runs in 77 deliveries with seven fours.

He was eventually sent packing by Ryan Williams, Cam Evans with the catch.

There were only two other double figure contributions, Iwan Moore with a decent 35 including three fours before his wicket was taken LBW by Cam Evans while Ioan Roberts was stumped by Joshua Knowles on 14 off Joshua Knowles’ bowling.

Sam Thompson was Gresford pick of the bowlers taking four wickets for 30 off 9.1.

Ryan Williams and Cam Evans took two wickets apiece for 27 and 37 runs respectively with Chris Ellwood (1-21-8) and Simon Perry (1-37-10).