Dolgellau  84 (33.4) tied with Pontblyddyn  84 (40.4)

North Wales League, Division 1 

THERE was a rare tied match at The Marian on Saturday, both Dolgellau and visiting Pontblyddyn dismissed for the low score of 84, the bowlers in the ascendancy.

Dolgellau's Jaco Oosthuizen claimed seven wickets for 19 from 7.4 overs as the away side collapsed from 60 without loss to 84 all out in the space of 13 overs.

Jaco's figures are the best bowling, at the moment, in the top four divisions of the league.

He was supported by Sion Francis, who stepped up to the plate following the late withdrawal from the team of all rounder Jack Williamson, due to illness; Francis taking 3 for 11 from 9 overs.

Needing to score a winning 85 from their 45 overs, the hosts were soon in trouble themselves, staggering to 45 for 7, the Pontblyddyn bowlers having their turn on what proved to be a bowler friendly track.

Indeed only two Dolgellau batters reached double figures, Stuart Evans and Sam Jones who took their side to within six runs of victory, earlier only opener Nick Thomas making double digits for the visitors.

There was no hint of the batting carnage to come as Nick Thomas and Ben Mackriell opened the day's proceedings with 60 runs from 20.2 overs for Pontblyddyn.

Three overs later it was 65 for 5. Three wickets fell on 60.

Mackriell caught and bowled by Francis, Thomas for 33 with a six and 2 fours, the day's top score, lbw to Jaco, and skipper James Griffiths caught by the keeper Dave Jenkins giving Jaco a second wicket.

Gethin Thomas was also caught, Jenkins bowled Jaco; Osian Jones lbw to Francis; Ioan Jones lbw to Jaco and James Hughes bowled by Francis to make it 68 for 7.

The last three wickets could only add a further 16 runs, Ryan White, Ethan Roberts and Ian White were all bowled by Oosthuizen, giving him his superb 7 for 19 from 7.4 overs, by far his career best bowling figures.

Pontblyddyn capitulated to 84 all out in the 34th over, Francis 9 overs, 3 maidens, 3 for 11 the other successful bowler.

Skipper Jack Williams sent down 5 overs 0 for 13, Morgan Yorke 0 for 18 off 6 overs and Lafras Van Vuuren 0 for 20 from 6.

When Dolgellau started their run chase the batters seemed to be over cautious with such a low target in their sights, admittedly in the face of some excellent opening bowling by Ioan Jones and the spin of Osian Jones.

From the painstaking  first 10 overs there were just 8 runs on the board for the loss of Van Vuuren bowled by Osian.

Opener Jenkins and Yorke took it to 22, but then 3 wickets fell for 2 runs. Jenkins lbw to Osian, Yorke caught Mackriell bowled James Hughes and Oosthuizen bowled by Hughes; 24 for 4.

Hughes had two more wickets bowling both Francis (for 8) and Jack Williams, now 41 for 6, which became 45 for 7 when Tom Conde fell to Ethan Roberts.

The target of 85 looked a long way off before that partnership of 34 for the 8th wicket between number 6 batter Stuart Evans and Sam Jones took it to 79 at which Jones was bowled by Ethan for a valiant 15.

The score crept up to 84 for the loss of Dyfan Hughes lbw to Ioan Jones, but with just a single needed for victory Evans was caught by the keeper Griffiths, the bowling hero for the visitors Ethan Roberts.

Evans with the assistance of Jones had dragged Dolgellau back into the match, scoring 24 before the final disappointment for him and his team, who in reality were grateful for the tie after being 45 for 7 and not much batting left in the hutch.

The Pontblyddyn bowling was excellent.

James Hughes finished with 4 for 15 from 9 overs, Ethan Roberts 3 for 15 from 7.4, Ioan Jones 2 for 14 from 9 and Osian Jones 1 for 10 from 8, the most economical.

Ryan White had 7 overs for 25, both teams taking 8 points for the tie on a day of famine for the batters and feast for the bowlers, Oosthuizen's 7 for 19 being the highlight of the day.