Dolgellau  246 for 5 beat Mold  174 by 72 runs

North Wales Cricket League, Division One

DOLGELLAU made it five wins in a row with a 72 run success against Mold at the Marian on Saturday.

Put in to bat Dolgellau totalled 246 for 5 from their 45 overs, Lafras Van Vuuren scoring 74 and Sion Francis 67.

Mold's innings looked promising when they were 102 for 3 off 21 overs, but they gradually fell away to be dismissed for 174 in the 38th over, opener Tom North making 59.

The hosts lost Jaco Oosthuizen in the third over, bowled by Jon Crane.

Opener Dave Jenkins was joined by Lafras Van Vuuren, their productive second wicket alliance adding 58 runs to the total.

In the 21st over Jenkins was caught and bowled by Tom North for 24 with three boundaries.

Lafras and Morgan Yorke then put on 56 in just seven overs for the 3rd wicket.

It became 120 for 3 when Yorke was caught by skipper Isaac Allen on the riverside boundary, having struck 29, four boundaries, off 19 balls, the bowler Lewis Pringle.

Lafras had reached a half century previously, being on 52 when Yorke was dismissed.

There followed another excellent partnership between Lafras and the in form Sion Francis.

Their stand was worth 60 runs for the 4th wicket in seven overs.

With the total on 180 in the 36th over Lafras was caught at deep mid on by North off Allen for his side's top score of 74, which included 14 well struck fours.

Francis and Jonathan Lloyd continued to make the runs flow, in another good partnership, Francis getting to his fifty off 44 deliveries with 10 hard hit boundaries, 2 sixes and 8 fours.

Francis and Lloyd added 61 in 8 overs before Francis missed an attempted ramp shot in the penultimate over, and was bowled by Usman Butt for 67 to make it 241 for 5.

Stuart Evans saw out the innings with Lloyd who was not out 23 at the close of 246 for 5, having hit 3 fours.

Mold used eight bowlers, five of them taking a wicket apiece.

The stand out was Jon Crane, his 9 overs going for just 15 runs and a wicket. Butt had 1 for 23, Allen 1 for 30, North 1 for 47 and Pringle 1 for 49.

George Godwin bowled six tidy overs for 16 at the start.

When Mold replied they lost three wickets in the first nine overs, to stand at 25 for 3. Godwin was run out from a direct hit by Francis, Richard Crane caught at mid on by Stuart Evans off debutant Rumman Ahmed, who took a second wicket, bowling Jon Crane.

Opener Tom North and number 5 Isaac Allen proceeded to repair the damage, and aided by some inconsistent Dolgellau bowling, had a stand of 77 for the 4th wicket.

North raced to a 50 off 52 balls with 2 sixes and 8 fours before he was out for 59, well caught in the covers by Jonathan Lloyd, Lafras getting the breakthrough; 102 for 4.

Lafras struck again 26 runs later, bowling Usman Butt for 8.

Dolgellau player Rob Humphreys captures an image of the sun setting after the last home match of the season
Dolgellau player Rob Humphreys captures an image of the sun setting after the last home match of the season (Supplied)

Allen continued to score runs but more wickets went down at the other end.

Oosthuizen bowled John Williams and had Connor Hughes lbw before Allen's stay came to an end, bowled by Yorke for 39, five fours.

Rhys Hughes and Daniel Williams added 19 to move it on to 166, the innings finishing on 174 in the 38th over, Ahmed claiming the last 2 wickets, bowling Williams and Pringle. Rhys Hughes on 8 not out.

Ahmed claimed 4 for 43 from 7.1 overs, Oosthuizen 2 for 28 off 9, Lafras 2 for 36 also from 9 and Yorke 1 for 21 from 5 overs.

Francis had 5 overs for 18 and skipper Jack Williams 2 overs for 19, his side winning by 72 runs, earning 13 points. Dolgellau are in 5th place in Division 1 with 3 away matches to come.

The club would like to thank Rod Davies for the excellent photos from their home matches throughout the season.  

Hawarden Park 3rds  170 for 5 beat Dolgellau 2nds  110 for 4 by 60 runs, Division Four

DOLGELLAU 2nds travelled to Shotton CC on Saturday to take on Hawarden Park 3rds.

Asked to bat first, Hawarden notched up 170 for 5 from their 40 overs, Jo Robinson top scoring with 70, Andrew Robbins 27, John Cooper 15 and skipper Kenneth Evans 11 not out.

There were two wickets for Iwan Parry and 1 each for Llio Parry, Dyfan Hughes and Phil Deane while guest wicketkeeper Aled Owen had a catch and a stumping.

Dolgellau replied with 110 for 4, to lose by 60 runs.

It was good to see Tom Slattery returning to the cricketing arena and he proceeded to top score for his team with 50 not out, a good half century with 3 fours.

Deane made 20 as V. Kumar claimed 2 for 11 from 8 overs for the Park, Cooper 1 for just 6 from 8 overs.