BUCKLEY 127 lost to DOLGELLAU 128 by 1 run

North Wales League - Division One

Dolgellau sealed a dramatic win by the barest of margins when hosts Buckley lost their last 5 wickets for 9 runs chasing a total of 128.

From 118 for 5 Buckley slumped to 127 all out to lose by 1 run, Jack Williamson taking 3 wickets and skipper Jack Williams 2 wickets.

The visitors were asked to bat first in bowler friendly conditions and coupled with a slow outfield found runs hard to come by after openers Jack Williamson and Stuart Evans started with a partnership of 34 in 9 overs.

Sam Williams and Williamson added 19, Sam being dismissed for 11 with 2 boundaries.

After putting on 27 for the third wicket with Morgan Yorke, Williamson received a sharply turning delivery from spinner Alyn Evans and was bowled for 36 which included six fours.

The score at that point, in the 20th over, was 82 for 3. Thereafter Dolgellau lost 7 wickets for 45 runs, the innings finishing on 128 from 38 overs, 7 overs not used.

Veteran Evans claimed another 5 wickets to end with the excellent figures of 6 for 23 from his 9 overs, 4 of which were maidens.

Only Jaco Oosthuizen with 18 managed to reach double figures in the latter part of the innings, hitting 3 boundaries before being bowled by Mike Wootton.

Dolgellau went from 115 for 5 to 118 for 9. Ten more runs were added to the total by the last pairing of Rob Humphreys and youngster Joel Eynon, Humphreys hitting a huge six over the long on boundary.

Jack Gibson bowled Humphreys to end the innings on 128, leaving Eynon as the not out batter; those ten runs proving to be vital.

To go with Alyn Evans’ 6 for 23, Lee Taylor took 2 for 27 from 7 overs, Gibson 1 for 13 from 6 good overs and Wootton 1 for 32 from 9 overs. Ollie Fellows held 2 catches and keeper Paul Rambaldi 1 catch.

Fellows then turned his attention to opening the Buckley batting with his captain Louis Parry, who skyed a catch to the keeper Humphreys from the bowling of Jack Williams to make it 20 for 1.

Fellows stayed at the crease scoring 37 runs with a six and 5 fours, until he was the sixth wicket to fall, lbw to Jack Williamson, which heralded the Buckley collapse to 127 all out.

There were three double figure knocks which assisted Fellows to put the hosts in a good position for a win.

Alex Storey and Rambaldi both made 14, Storey lbw to Sam Williams and Rambaldi bowled by Jack Williams, who also had Wootton caught by Joe Williamson for 11.

118 for 6 became 124 for 7, Josh Murray bowled by Jack Williamson. Wootton’s dismissal made it 124 for 8 and that of Rhys Jones, 125 for 9, caught Humphreys off Jack Williams.

One short run added some more drama to the occasion before Jack Williamson bowled Evans to give Dolgellau a one run victory, all out 127.

Jack Williams finished with 4 for 24 from 7 overs and Jack Williamson 3 for 32 from 6.5 overs, while Sam Williams 2 for 27 from 9 and Morgan Yorke 1 for 10 from 6 both had excellent bowling spells. Dolgellau went home with 11 points to Buckley’s 4 points.

• Dolgellau’s Jonathan Lloyd became the first player from a North Wales club to play for The Forty Club Wales, when they played at Christ College Brecon last week.

Lloyd top scored with 39 as his side made 153 for 9 from their 40 overs.

The Brecon team were then restricted to 81 for 9, Lloyd taking 1 for 12 from 5 overs and holding two catches.

On Thursday of this week Lloyd will be on his travels again when he represents Wales Over 50s 3rds away to Essex Over 50s C team.