Dolgellau were defeated for the first time this season, but only just, at Conwy on Saturday, by the slender margin of nine runs.

Conwy 242 for 6 beat Dolgellau 233 by 9 runs, North Wales Division 1

On a warm sunny afternoon, ideal for batting, Conwy had no hesitation in deciding to bat first. They racked up 242 for 6 from their 45 overs, Dolgellau replying with 233, being all out with 2 balls of their innings remaining.

The visitors, who had to make four changes to last week’s winning team, recovered from 115 for 5 thanks to an excellent 6th wicket partnership of 94 between Sion Francis, who top scored with 78, and Joe Williamson.

Earlier opener Evan Williams made 61 to help lay the foundation for Conwy’s innings.

Williams and Phil Davies had an opening stand of 70 in 13 overs for the hosts. Davies had scored 32 with 6 fours before he was caught by Francis off the bowling of spinner Sam Williams.

Dan Davies struck 30 in an alliance of 48 with Williams, giving Sam a second wicket, caught by skipper Jack Williams. Home team captain Jonathan Davies was then bowled by Jack Williamson to make it 119 for 3 in the 26th over.

Fifty-five runs were added for the next wicket with Evan reaching his half century, his stay at the crease ending on 61, stumped by Dave Jenkins, the bowler Jack Williams.

Evan hit five fours and his 50 came off 82 balls. His 4th wicket partner was Raj Britto and it was 174 for 4 from 37 when Evan was dismissed.

Britto continued with Callum Jones, but with the total on 200 Britto was caught by Stuart Evans off Francis, having made 40 with 4 boundaries.

The visitors took one more wicket in the last five overs, Callum well caught by Sam Williams on the long on boundary, the bowler Morgan Yorke, after striking two sixes in his 17. Vaughan Williams, 17 not out, and Patrick Jelley, 14 not out, added 30 runs, the innings closing on 242 for 6.

The pick of the bowlers was Sam Williams who impressed with 2 for 25 from his 9 overs. Jack Williams had 1 for 36, Jack Williamson 1 for 40, Sion Francis 1 for 41 and Morgan Yorke 1 for 47.

In contrast to Conwy’s start Dolgellau lost two early wickets, Vaughan Williams taking two wickets in his first over, the second of the innings; Stuart Evans caught by Guto Davies and Sam Williams caught by the keeper Dan Davies.

There followed a good partnership of 68 in 12 overs between opener Jack Williamson and Oliver Barnes at number four. At 75 Barnes was lbw to spinner Tom Plank for 29 with 3 fours.

Yorke helped Williamson to move it on to 102 at which Yorke was bowled by Guto Davies for 17. It became 115 for 5 after 23 overs when Jack Williamson was caught behind for 44 with 6 fours by Dan Davies, giving Guto a second wicket.

There was now a danger of Dolgellau coming away from the match with no points, but Sion Francis and Joe Williamson had other ideas, having a 6th wicket stand of 94 before they were parted. Francis raced to a 50 from 58 deliveries striking 11 fours in all.

The pair had taken their side to within touching distance of their target, but with the total on 209 Joe was bowled by Plank for 25 with 3 fours.

Plank also bowled Jenkins, before Francis and Jack Williams advanced it to 230.

However both were dismissed on that total, Jack caught by Guto off Vaughan, who also run out Francis the very next ball, 230 for 9.

Francis had an outstanding knock of 78 off 75 balls, but in the end it was so near so far for the visitors as their last wicket went down on 233, Matthew Maslin bowled by Plank giving him a 4th wicket, Sam Jones the not out batsman.

Dolgellau required 12 runs to win from the last over with their last pair at the crease, but it was not to be as Conwy won by 9 runs after a feast of runs on a hot day.

Plank finished with 4 for 41 from 8.4 overs, Vaughan Williams 3 for 42 from 8 and Guto Davies 2 for 34 from 7 overs as Conwy took 11 points and Dolgellau 4 points.

It takes Conwy to equal top with Gwersyllt Park, Dolgellau third, 3 points behind, in the early part of the season.

Division 4: Dolgellau 2nds 141 lost to Ruthin 2nds 192 for 8 by 51 runs

After last week’s win at Llanrwst, Dolgellau 2nds were missing quite a few players from that team, but although losing by 51 runs put up decent performance at The Marian on Saturday when Ruthin 2nds were the visitors.

Asked to bat first by hosts’ captain Alex Yorke, Ruthin totalled 192 for 8 from their 40 overs, Dolgellau responding with 141 all out from 36.1 overs.

Dolgellau’s outstanding innings was by opener Phil Deane who made 64 with seven boundaries before he was run out.

Phil Leeds, 30, Anthony Reeve, 23, and Sion Mills, 8, were the other main contributors.

Aled Owen, who played for Dolgellau for many years, took two wickets for Ruthin. Skipper Alun Jones was Ruthin’s main man with the bat making 92 with 8 fours, before being caught by Sion Mills off the bowling of Dyfan Hughes.

His fellow opener Ned Roberts with 45 was the only other batter to reach double figures. For the home side Tom Conde had 2 for 27, Deane 1 for 41, Niki Williams 1 for 43 and Dyfan 1 for 53, while Yorke had a good spell of 8 overs for just 16 runs.

Niki also had a catch and a run out as Ruthin won by 51 runs.