DOLGELLAU lost for the first time this season in the North Wales League division one when going down by 7 wickets at unbeaten Northop, in a match reduced to 35 overs a side due to rain early in the day.

Dolgellau, opting to bat first, set a total of 194 for 9, but Northop reached a match-winning 196 for 3 with 2.4 overs to spare as opener Darren Williams struck a fine century, being 104 not out at the close.

Earlier Dolgellau’s Eric Herbert hit 75 from 43 balls. It was 163 for 3 when Herbert was dismissed with 6 overs remaining, but some accurate Northop bowling coupled with the later batsmen hitting the ball into the hands of fielders, saw six wickets go down as 31 runs were added.

Gareth Lanagan and Sion Francis opened with a stand of 58 in 9 overs for the visitors, Francis striking the ball sweetly and hitting 8 fours in his 39 from 26 balls.

The introduction into the attack of young spinner Ben Beaver, however, saw Francis well caught on the long-on boundary by Harry Lewis. Eleven runs later, he also bowled Lanagan for 19 with 3 boundaries.

From 69 for 2 it advanced to 163 as Herbert and Stuart Evans had a partnership of 94 for the 4th wicket in 15 overs, with 75 of the runs accredited to Herbert, who struck 3 sixes and 11 fours in his 43 ball innings reaching his fifty in 35 deliveries.

When Herbert was caught and bowled by Mark Poynton for 75, there were six overs remaining, but some good bowling restricted the flow of runs in the latter part of the innings, six more wickets falling.

Stuart Evans made 19, caught Harry Lewis, bowled Andy Poynton; but no other batsman made it to double figures.

Greg Smithies, who was captain for the day in the absence of Phil Leeds, gave a catch to Beaver off Mark Poynton, and the same pair dismissed Mark Edmondson.

Sion Hughes was caught by Lloyd Hayes off Darren Williams, Geraint Jones was caught by keeper Danny Nicholson off Hayes and Sam Williams was bowled by Hayes. Rob Humphreys and Jason Weaver were the not out batsmen in a 194 total.

Mark Poynton finished with 3 wickets for 49 from his 8 overs, Beaver claimed 2 for 39, Andy Poynton 1 for 54, Williams 1 for 16 and Hayes 2 for 1 run at the end.

When Northop replied, openers Darren Williams and Harry Lewis had 48 runs on the board in 8 overs, before Lewis went to a good catch by Smithies, who held on to a skyer, Edmondson the bowler. Lewis hit 2 huge straight sixes and 3 fours in his 28.

It became 57 for 2 when Edmonson bowled Gareth Williams, before Hayes joined Darren Williams to add 39 runs.

Smithies bowled Hayes to make it 96 for 3 and that proved to be Dolgellau’s last success as Darren Williams partnered by Matthew Williams took Northop to victory with an unbroken alliance of 100.

The former took his side over the winning line with his second six. He made his first fifty from 58 balls and his century from 103 deliveries in a winning knock.

Matthew was 37 not out with 7 fours, with Darren on 104 not out with 15 fours to go with his 2 sixes, as Northop reached their target in the 33rd over at 196 for 3.

The beleaguered Dolgellau bowlers had scant reward, Edmondson had 2 for 59 from his 8 overs and Smithies 1 for 34 from 7 overs; the most economical bowler being Herbert, who only bowled 7 of his allowed 8 overs, conceding 28 runs.

Francis had a good spell of 5 overs for 21 towards the end of Northop’s innings.Dolgellau Seconds (104) lost to Bethesda Seconds (171 for 8) by 67 runs

DOLGELLAU Seconds lost to Bethesda Seconds by 67 runs at the Marian after the visitors had totalled 171 for 8 from 40 overs, with the home team’s batsmen replying with 104 all out in the 37th over.

Bethesda’s opener Steve Jones made an excellent undefeated 96 with 13 fours and a six, not quite making it to a century as the overs ran out. Lee Williams made 20 and Tomos Jones 11 for the visitors.

For Dolgellau, Dafydd Jones took 3 wickets for 30 and Jamie Tomkins 2 for 29.

Skipper Richard Rees had 1 for 18 from 9 overs, Jack Mynard 1 for 30 and Elgan Hughes 1 for 14, Rees also having a catch.

Dan Williams top scored for Dolgellau, making 31 with 6 boundaries, whilst Dave Jenkins 22, and Ken Wrobel 12 also reached double figures. Bethesda’s bowling successes were Lee Williams, 3 for 14 from 9 overs, Steve Jones 3 for 30, Andrew Day 2 for 21, Ryan Williams 1 for 22 and Dewi Roberts 1 for 1 towards the end.