DOLGELLAU scored their highest-ever total in the North Wales League on Saturday, at home to Gwersyllt Park, when surpassing the 350 that was also scored this season against Abergele at the Marian.

Dolgellau’s 50 over total of 368 for 6 resulted in a big 239 run victory for the hosts, with Gwersyllt being dismissed for 129 in the 31st over, with Sri Lankan Kalutharage Wijesekara making 44 runs.

There were four half centurions for the hosts, both Gareth Lanagan and Greg Smithies made 79, while Mark Edmondson hit an undefeated 53 - which was a season’s best for all three batsmen.

South African Eric Herbert added to the feast of runs by striking 53 in 21 balls.

Skipper Phil Leeds then claimed 4 for 15 and spinner Jack Williamson 3 for 34 as the visitors wilted on a sunny afternoon.

After winning the toss and electing to bat first, Dolgellau lost an early wicket, with opener Sion Francis being bowled by Lewis Cole-Jones in the third over.

Lanagan and Smithies, at number three, then had a fine productive alliance of 124 in 20 overs for the second wicket as Gwersyllt’s bowlers were put to the sword.

Smithies reached his fifty in 45 balls and was eventually out for 79, bowled by Jake James, but not before smashing 11 fours and a six in his hard hitting 66 ball knock.

Stuart Evans joined Lanagan to add a further 77 runs, until, with the total on 212 from 34 overs, Evans was caught by Kalutharage Wijesekara for 22, the bowler Phil Huckridge, Gwersyllt’s captain.

In the meantime Lanagan advanced to a fifty, which came from 82 deliveries, striking a total of 10 fours in his fluent 79.

At 218 Lanagan was the fourth Dolgellau batsman to be dismissed, caught by Huckridge off Cole-Jones, after making his third half-century of the summer.

Geraint Jones and Mark Edmondson continued the good work, putting on 45 runs in seven overs for the fifth wicket, with Jones being run out by Cole-Jones for 20 to leave it at 263 for 5 in 42 overs.

The last seven overs saw 105 runs scored as Edmondson and Herbert went on the rampage. Herbert hit 5 sixes and 3 fours in a 17 ball fifty as he and Edmondson plundered 72 before they were separated, with Herbert being bowled by Neil Green for 53 as he went for another big hit.

Edmondson reached his fifty from 36 deliveries and was unbeaten on 53 at the close having hit 2 sixes and 4 fours. Edmondson and Rob Humphreys, 9 not out, took it from 335 for 6 to 368 for 6 when the innings ended on the record score.

The bowlers had meagre pickings, Cole-Jones returned 2 for 60, Green 1 for 59, James 1 for 32 and Huckridge 1 for 16.

Gwersyllt advanced to 55 for 1 from 10 overs in reply, James having been bowled by Edmondson for 15 with the total on 18.

However this proved to be the calm before the storm, nine wickets falling for 74 runs in 23.1 overs. Number three Scott Watkins fell for 20, which included a six and a four, also bowled by Edmondson.

Seventeen runs later Lee Beer was caught by Edmondson from the bowling of Jack Williamson to make it 72 for 3.

The visitors made it to 100 before opener Wijesekara was given out lbw to Leeds for a top score of 44, with a six and 5 fours.

Only another 29 runs were added for the loss of 6 wickets as the innings fell away to 129 all out. Green was bowled by Leeds, who also bowled Cole-Jones for 16.

Smithies caught Morgan Davies off Williamson, Dale Jones was run out by Edmondson, Nilanka De Silva caught and bowled for 15 by Williamson and Huckridge bowled by Leeds, giving him 4 wickets, Paul Baker was the not out batsman as Dolgellau won by 239 runs.

Leeds had 4 for 15 from 5.1 overs, Williamson 3 for 34 from 9 overs and Edmondson 2 for 31 from 10 overs, Sam Williams, 0 for 44, was the other bowler used.

Last Saturday’s match ball sponsors were Arran Furniture (Jon Martin Evans) and The Unit (Dave Hughes).

Pwllheli II (158 for 4) lost to Dolgellau II (159 for 7) by 3 wickets

DOLGELLAU Seconds did the double over Pwllheli Seconds, when beating them by 3 wickets on Saturday - following their 6 wicket win the previous week.

Pwllheli, put in to bat, made a respectable 158 for 4 from their 40 overs, but Dolgellau got there at 159 for 7 with 2.3 overs to spare, with Bryn Fogden scoring 45 not out on his last appearance before moving to Cardiff to work.

Pwllheli skipper Neil Williams and youngster Owen Reilly had a good opening partnership as Williams made 38, before being caught by Dolgellau debutant Neil Mitchell off the bowling of Fogden, and Reilly made a good 56, before he was caught by Jason Weaver, from Jack Mynard.

Rhys Griffiths was caught Fogden, bowled Dan Williams for 12, before Nick Butterworth, who opened the batting for Pwllheli Firsts the previous week, made a quick-fire 35 not out as the innings finished on 158 for 4.

Dan Williams took 2 for 27, Mynard 1 for 24 from 9 overs and Fogden 1 for 38 from 8 overs, and there were good spells by Weaver 0 for 18 off 9 and James Bradbury-Willis 0 for 2 off 9 overs.

When Dolgellau batted, Fogden came in when the score was 3 for 1 and was still there on 45 not out when his side reached a winning 159 for 7. Fogden and Mitchell put on 67 for the 3rd wicket, Mitchell making 34 with 5 fours.

Dave Jenkins contributed 19 and Jaco Oosthuizen made 17, before Dan Williams on 14 not out helped Fogden take their side from 133 for 7 to success at 159 for 7 for a 3 wicket victory.

Butterworth claimed 3 wickets for 14 from 9 overs, Osian Williams 3 for 27, also from 9, and Ioan Lloyd 1 for 32. Keeper Rhys Griffiths held 3 catches, while Iwan Moore also had a catch.

• A Dolgellau Under 11s team took part in a tournament in Llandudno on Sunday and did well to beat Llandudno, before losing to winners Mochdre. The All Stars sessions are paying off.