IT was blistering hot at The Marian on Saturday, a day that saw Dolgellau fall to an 8 wicket defeat to Hawarden Park who are 4th in the League, while Dolgellau occupy bottom place and it is increasingly likely that they will play in Division 2 next season.

Opting to bat first, in 30° heat, Dolgellau totalled 150 for 8 from their 45 overs, only to see the visitors reach a winning 151 for 2 in 28.2 overs.

The two stand out batters of the match were each team's overseas players, the home side's Lafras Van Vuuren scored 83 and Hawarden's Australian Corey Cuffe struck 80.

There was early trouble for Dolgellau as veteran pace bowler Mike Wootton reduced Dolgellau to 11 for 3, Cuffe taking 2 catches behind the stumps.

At the other end Evan Shaw made it 16 for 4, before Lafras and Jonathan Lloyd steadied the ship for 13 overs putting on 40 for the 5th wicket.

At 56 Lloyd was adjudged lbw to Ian Martin for 17 with 3 boundaries.

Lafras and Phil Deane moved it on to 72, the latter also lbw to Martin.

The 7th wicket alliance of Lafras and Phil Leeds saw the highest stand of the innings, 57, taking it to 129 at which Leeds was stumped by Cuffe off James Martin for 15 with 2 fours.

In the meantime Lafras had reached an excellent fifty from 86 balls as he did his utmost to give the scoreboard some respectability.

Lafras was eventually dismissed in the 41st over, given out lbw to James Martin for 83 from 113 deliveries, having struck 9 boundaries.

Tom Slattery, 9 not out and Dyfan Hughes 6 not out added 16 as Dolgellau closed on 150 for 8.

Wootton's two spells gave him 9 overs, 3 for 23. Ian Martin had 2 for 22, James Martin 2 for 26, Evan Shaw 1 for 42 and Tom Wilson 0 for 30, all bowling nine overs.

Visiting captain Campbell Marr and Corey Cuffe then proceeded to have an opening partnership of 67 in 14 overs.

The breakthrough came in Lafras' third over having Marr caught behind by opposing skipper Rob Humphreys for 23 with 4 fours.

Evan Shaw joined Cuffe who continued to punish the majority of the Dolgellau bowling as he and Shaw took their side to the brink of victory with a stand of 81 for the second wicket in just 14 overs.

Cuffe got to his 50 from 60 balls and hit 13 fours in his run a ball 80, being eventually bowled by Slattery in his only over, with Hawarden just 3 runs away from a win.

Shaw was on 23 not out as he and Phil Bradfield took it to a successful 151 for 2 for an 8 wicket victory.

The pick of the bowlers was Lafras with 9 overs, 1 for 21. Joe Williamson, Callum Taylor, Lloyd and Hughes all toiled away in the heat without success on this occasion.

Fixtures, Saturday, 19 July: Bangor II v Pontblyddyn; Gresford v Llandudno; Halkyn v Brymbo II; Hawarden Park v Dolgellau; Mochdre II v Mold; Northop II v Connahs Quay