Dolgellau (160 for 8) beat Llay Welfare (158 for 8) by 2 runs

THERE was a close match at the Marian on Saturday as second-placed Llay Welfare visited Dolgellau, who were third in the North Wales League division one.

It was not quite as close as England’s thrilling World Cup Final win over New Zealand on Sunday, but the margin of victory was just 2 runs in favour of the home side, who kept Llay to 158 for 8 after earlier setting a total of 160 for 8.

In the home side’s innings opener Greg Smithies top scored with 49 runs, and Phil Leeds was undefeated on 43, with Smithies also taking 3 wickets as Chris Woodcock made 43 for the visitors.

Llay needed 10 runs to win from their last over, which was bowled by Smithies, but could only manage 7. Woodcock was well caught by Matthew Maslin at deep mid-wicket from the first ball of the over.

The next 4 deliveries saw 6 runs and a run out by Mark Edmondson, which left Llay requiring four from the final ball. It was not to be for the visitors when that last delivery hit the pads of Tom Parry and resulted in a single leg bye to give Dolgellau a slender home victory.

On winning the toss, Dolgellau had a solid opening partnership of 57 in 19 overs between Smithies and Jack Williamson, who was bowled by Llay captain Nathan Humphreys, before the hosts lost a further two batsmen 20 runs later, Ethan Griffiths and Jack Parry both having good bowling spells for the visitors.

Jonathan Lloyd was run out by Dave Phennah and on the same total of 77, Smithies was caught by Tom Crewe at short mid-off, giving Humphreys a second wicket. Smithies struck 7 boundaries in his well constructed innings of 49.

It became 85 for 5 as two wickets went down in the 32nd over bowled by Phennah; Tom Kistruck was stumped by John Lloyd and Jaco Oosthuizen trapped lbw.

Number five batsman Phil Leeds added 26 in 7 overs for the 6th wicket with Mark Edmondson, who had made 14 when he was acrobatically caught by keeper Lloyd down the leg side off bowler Woodcock. Leeds and Sam Williams moved it on to 128 before Lloyd had another victim, stumping Williams off Ethan Griffiths.

The last 7 overs saw the addition of what turned out to be 32 very valuable runs. Skipper Rob Humphreys and Leeds put on 26 for the 8th wicket, the former being caught at long on by Nathan Humphreys from the first ball of the final over, which gave Phennah his third wicket.

Ted Hughes came in for the last 5 balls and was undefeated at the end, as was Leeds who guided his side to a total of 160 for 8 on completion of the 50 overs.

Leeds’ 43 not out from 58 deliveries contained 3 boundaries and he also scored 68 not out the following day for the Wales Over 50s team at Bristol, although Gloucestershire won the match.

For the Wrexham side, Phennah took 3 for 39 from 11 overs, Humphreys 2 for 28 from 10, Griffiths 1 for 32 from 11 and Woodcock 1 for 10 from 2. Crewe and Jack Parry both had 7 overs for 19 runs.

Llay also had an opening stand of over fifty, Jack Parry and Dave Phennah putting on 63 runs, before a needless run out resulted in Parry being dismissed for 30 with 5 fours, the fielder Jack Williamson.

Nine runs later in the 31st over Phennah, who also hit 5 fours, was bowled by Sam Williams for 32 to make it 72 for 2. Thereafter Woodcock and John Lloyd proceeded to score 57 runs for the 3rd wicket to put them in a good position.

The partnership was broken, however, when Lloyd was run out by a combination of Leeds in the field and Williams at the stumps. Lloyd had made 19, the total now on 129 for 3 in the 45th over.

Although they had wickets in hand they found the runs hard to come by, especially at one end where Leeds sent down 12 overs and conceded just 14 runs, his final six overs being maidens.

Smithies got the wicket of Griffiths caught by Williamson and then bowled Humphreys to leave it at 147 for 5 in the 48th over. Jonathan Lloyd was called into action to bowl the penultimate over and only conceded 4 runs, while seeing Jacob Roberts being run out by Leeds.

It stood at 151 for 7 going into that last dramatic over, Dolgellau winning by 2 runs after the run out of Tom Davies by Edmondson and 6 runs being scored to leave Llay on 158 for 8 with Tom Parry and Tom Crewe at the crease.Woodcock top scored with 43, Smithies claimed 3 for 32 and Williams 1 for 40 to go with Leeds’ good spell. Edmondson bowled well without any luck, with 12 overs for 34 while Oosthuizen had 6 overs for 27.

Dolgellau earned 11 points to take second place, Llay in third. The match balls were sponsored by Partridge Opticians.

DOLGELLAU Seconds lost for only the second time this season when they were defeated at Llangollen by 4 wickets. Sent in to bat, Dolgellau notched up 136 for 6 from their 40 overs, the hosts replying with 137 for 6 in the 33rd over. Dolgellau’s captain Richard Rees hit his second successive half century, opening the batting and carrying his bat for 63, 7 fours. James Bradbury-Willis made 21, Morgan Yorke 12 and Dan Williams 10.

Kamran Hassan top scored for Llangollen with 32, other contributions coming from Richard Hughes 29 not out, Gethin Williams 16 not out, Arthur Jenkins 13, Gareth Jones 12 and Bryn Sheppard 11.

Dave Jenkins had two wickets while Iwan Parry, Yorke, Rees and Bradbury-Willis had one wicket each, before Llangollen reached their winning target.