Menai Bridge and St Asaph make early running in North Wales Cricket League Premier Division

NORTH WALES CRICKET LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION REPORTS – SATURDAY, MAY 7

Brymbo (3) 212-4 Menai Bridge (12) 216-6

Menai Bridge are the early narrow leaders of the Premier after a Luke Jones century helped them to victory at Brymbo on Saturday.
Put into bat, the Steelmen set 212-4 off 50 overs with skipper James Claybrook notching his second unbeaten century of the season. Claybrook was 114 not out at the close, boosting his early average to 268.00!
Opener Claybrook shared in a fourth wicket stand of 109 with West Indian Seth Agard (41).
The Anglesey visitors just got home with three balls to spare, finishing on 216-6 with Luke Jones making 103 and forming a partnership of 96 for the third wicket with Robbie Jones (51).
Jake James took 3-18 and Daniel Parry a fine 2-24 from 10 overs for the hosts.

Bangor (13) 158-10 Pontblyddyn (2) 107-10

Wicket-keeper Robbie Marshall’s 76 – his highest league score in seven seasons – played a key role in Bangor’s first win of the campaign.
Long-serving Marshall, who has clocked up more than 7,000 runs for the Ty Newydd club and claimed almost 350 dismissals, proved the difference on Saturday after a disastrous start to the home side’s innings.
With two bad defeats to start the season, the Citizens needed a tonic but after choosing to bat found themselves 35-5.
It was number seven Marshall and Idrees Ijaz (25) who led the recovery, putting on 52 for the eighth wicket as the hosts reached a more respectable 158 all out in 48.2 overs.
Ryan Dunning claimed an outstanding 4-14 from nine overs for Pont, removing all of the top three early and later bowling Marshall, who was ninth out for 76.
Chris Moss scooped 2-19 off 10 and Rhys Jones 2-20 from seven.
In reply, Pont were rolled over for 107, despite a defiant 35 not out from Chris Myles.
Owen Reilly collected 4-32, Nadeem Rehman 2-9 and Ijaz 2-24.
A very welcome win for Bangor.

Llandudno (12) 120-7 Mold (3) 118-10

Jamie Grimshaw continued his great start to the season with bat and ball as his four wickets proved crucial in Llandudno’s triumph over Mold at The Oval.
Inserted by the opposition, the visitors were dismissed for just 118 in 36.2 overs, John Crane the only batsman to make a real impression with 46.
Grimshaw snapped up 4-23 and Stephen Cheung 3-33.
Reaching the finish line was far from easy for Tudno, but they got to 120-7 in 41.2, Lewis Pringle 3-16 for the Flintshire side.

Llay Welfare (3) 136-10 Gresford (12) 165-10

Chris Ellwood’s 5-21 and 3-27 from Cam Evans ensured Gresford took the honours at The Ring.
The visitors were invited to bat and mustered 165 all out, Matthew Thompson 51, Jacob Roberts 2-7 for the Welfare.
Ellwood and Evans then took the home batting apart, Llay ending 136 all out, Tom Crewe 32.

Northop (2) 145-10 St Asaph (13) 207-10

Champions Saints put a halt to Northop’s strong start to 2022 with a convincing 62-run success at Flint Road.
Winning the toss and opting to bat, Asaph were once more indebted to the brilliance of Nathanael Scott, who scored 88 of the away side’s 207 all out. Scott’s league efforts to date are 112 not out, 93 no and 88 – that’s 293 runs for just once out.
Jason Foulkes, the day before he represented Wales NC, hit 38 down the order, adding 102 for the sixth wicket with Scott.
For the hosts, Mark Poynton picked up 5-47.
Foulkes then snared 3-26, Jack Griffiths 3-27 and Gareth Goodson 2-6 from 10 overs as Northop were sent packing for 145.

Pwllheli (4) 177-10 Mochdre (11) 182-10

A captain’s innings of 88 from Matty Humphreys did much to ensure Mochdre claimed a close-fought win at Parc Bodegroes.
The visitors were all out for 182, Humphreys totally dominating, while Logan Rhys Morgan grabbed 3-31 and Iwan Moore 2-24 for the home side.
Christopher Taylor hit an heroic 107 in Pwllheli’s response, but the hosts were all out for 177 – just six short of a winning score.
Taylor shared an opening stand of 79 with Morgan (24). When Taylor was out lbw, Pwll were in sight of victory at 168-8. Some good hitting from Cian Goodman (23) took the Llyn hosts closer, but it was not to be.
Humphreys was a real star on the day for Mochdre, as he pocketed 4-23 off 10 overs, Kyle Brown with 2-38.