Menai Bridge 2nds 147 lost to Dolgellau 187 for 9 by 40 runs

DOLGELLAU notched their sixth win of the campaign at Menai Bridge 2nds on a very hot and humid day.

Winning the toss and batting, Dolgellau finished on 187 for 9 from their 45 overs and then dismissed Menai Bridge for 147 in the 31st over, winning by 40 runs.

Dolgellau’s Sam Williams scored 51 and took four wickets for 33 in a man-of-the match performance.

The visitors lost their first wicket on 21 in the 5th over, Jack Williamson bowled for 16 by an Iwan Moore delivery which kept very low.

Opener Stuart Evans was given out lbw to Moore and Morgan Yorke caught by the keeper Ioan Jones for 14 from the bowling of Liam Bibby, to make it 40 for 3 from 8 overs.

Sam Williams joined number 4 batter Sion Francis in the middle and together they added 50 runs in 16 overs for the fourth wicket.

Francis had struck 7 fours in his 34 but with the total on 90 Sam Bixby held a one-handed slip catch off slow bowler David Owen to break the half-century partnership with Williams.

Five runs later Joe Williamson was caught behind by Ioan Jones giving Phil Smith a wicket.

Sam and Dave Jenkins then had a very useful alliance of 45 for the 6th wicket. Jenkins was on 10 when skipper Dion Owen held a sharp return catch to send him back to the pavilion.

It became 150 for 7 in the 39th over, Owen taking a second wicket, that of Moc Llywelyn lbw.

Thereafter Sam Williams reached a watchful half-century as he and Phil Deane added 19 for the 8th wicket. Sam included 6 fours in his 51, getting to his 50 in 103 deliveries, in what was a vital knock for Dolgellau.

He was eventually dismissed, stumped by Ioan Jones when he stepped down the wicket, the bowler Moore. Deane and Richard Rees moved it on from 169 for 8 to 178 for 9, Deane caught in the deep by Ben Roberts for 10, giving Moore a 4th wicket.

Rees, 8 not out, and Joel Eynon, 2 not out, survived until the end of the 45 overs, the innings closing on 187 for 9.

Iwan Moore claimed 4 for 48 from his 9 overs and Dion Owen 2 for 25 from 6 overs.

Three bowlers had 1 wicket each, Phil Smith had an excellent spell taking 1 for 17 from 9, as did David Owen 1 for 26, also from 9, while Bibby had 1 for 41 from his 9 overs.

After the break Menai lost a wicket with just 6 runs on the board, Sam Bixby, lbw to Yorke.

Number three Moore struck 16, all fours, but he was well held in the slips by Jack Williamson off Joe Williamson in the 8th over.

Thirty-five for 2 became 50 for 3 when opener Ian Granger was bowled by Joe Williamson for 20 with 4 boundaries.

Dion Owen, at number 4, proceeded to see 5 more partners dismissed, none of them making it to double figures, as spinners Sam Williams and Jack Williamson did the damage.

Roberts was bowled by Jack, the total on 67, and Matt Bixby lbw to Sam for 9 after adding 21 with Owen.

Ioan Jones was then caught by Jack from Sam’s bowling to make it 88 for 6 in just the 16th over.

The hosts were well up with the required run rate but were losing wickets at regular intervals.

Owen continued to accumulate runs, as Smith was lbw to Jack and Tomos Rees Jones caught by Moc Llywelyn, a third wicket for Jack; 112 for 8 from 23 overs.

Fourteen runs later Menai’s winning hopes were dashed when Dion Owen was adjudged lbw to Sam, having scored 40 with 8 well struck fours.

The last wicket pair of Liam Bibby and David Owen managed another 21 runs between them, the innings ending when David Owen was caught by Francis, in front of the bat, to give Sam a 4th wicket, and fittingly the last word when the hosts were all out for 147 in the 31st over. Owen made 10 and Bibby 7 not out, Dolgellau winning by 40 runs. A welcome victory as Dolgellau had to make 5 changes to the previous week’s team.

Sam Williams claimed 4 for 33 from 7.3 overs, Jack Williamson 3 for 39 from 9, Joe Williamson 2 for 27 from 7 and Yorke 1 for 21 from 4 overs. Dolgellau take 12 points and Menai Bridge 3 points. The match ball was sponsored by Edwin Pugh, Pencefn, Dolgellau.

• Dolgellau’s Jonathan Lloyd has been busy during the week.

Playing for Wales Over 50s 3rds on Tuesday at Croesyceiliog CC against Hampshire Seniors CC Lloyd made an outstanding century, making 114 out of a total of 271 for 7.

However it was still not enough, Hampshire winning by 2 runs after scoring 273 for 6 from their 40 overs.

Lloyd’s 114 came off 101 balls with 4 sixes and 8 fours, also taking 2 for 40 when he bowled.

On Thursday at Panteg CC Lloyd was part of the Forty Club Wales side that beat Welsh Colleges 1sts by 4 wickets, 205 for 6 to 204 all out.

He had no success with the bat this time but had 3 for 33 with the ball as well as a catch and a run out.

• On Monday at Y Marian there was a cricket competition for year 4 schoolchildren organised by Urdd Gobaith Cymru. Ysgol Y Berwyn, Bala, were declared the winners while Dolgellau’s Bro Idris A were second and Bro Idris B in third place.

Wednesday saw the third week of Dolgellau CCs All Stars and Dynamos programmes for those between the ages of 5 and 11, and it will continue for another 5 weeks.

Seniors practice continues on Tuesdays while the Ladies Team train on Thursdays.