Good Evans! Will smashes first ton in Bay victory

Will Evans in batting action. Photo: GEORGE FRANKS PHOTOGRAPHY

LIVERPOOL AND DISTRICT CRICKET COMPETITION

1ST XI DIVISION ONE

BOOTLE (4) 164-10 COLWYN BAY (25) 254-2 DEC

Will Evans made his biggest impact yet as a Colwyn Bay player when he smashed a typically dashing 111 not out in his team’s bashing of Bootle at Wadham Road.

The former Mochdre and Neston star and captain of Cheshire County joined the Bay this season and recorded his first century for the Penrhyn Avenue club on Saturday.

Evans, 33, hit his 111 off just 92 balls, cracking 11 fours and five sixes as the Bay hammered 254-2 declared off 47 overs after being put into bat by their Liverpool hosts.

The wicket-keeper batsman, renowned for his flamboyant stroke-play, starred in an unbroken third-wicket partnership of 172 with opener Jack Parry, who also made his best score for the club of 81 not out.

Sion Morris (26) and Zack Gidlow (21) made useful contributions.

Bootle could only muster 164 all out in reply, Callum Mcgee best with 61, while former Prestatyn and Northop Hall man Keiron New struck 38 down the order, having earlier taken both Bay wickets to fall.

For the visitors, Ryan Holtby picked up 3-28, Paul Jenkins 3-47 from 18 overs, Parry 2-18 and Patrick Glover 2-56.

Wins for North Wales clubs over Bootle are like the proverbial buses – you don’t get one for ages then two come along at once.

Last week it was Northop Hall’s turn to defeat the mighty Mersey men and seven days later Bay dished out the beating.

A brilliant team performance from Colwyn at Wadham Road, but it was that man Evans who made the main headlines.

FACT FILE – WILL EVANS

Born: January 8, 1989
Clubs: Mochdre (2003-2012; 2015-16), Neston (2013-14; 2017-2021), Colwyn Bay (2022-)
Made Mochdre first team debut aged 14 at Dolgellau in July 2003
Between 2003-12 scored 4,588 league runs and 5,176 in total for Mochdre’s first team. Scored 5,740 in total for club, including seven centuries. Rejoined for 2015 and 2016 seasons, adding another 1,350 runs, making it more than 7,000 for the club.
Made career highest score of 216 not out for Mochdre v Chirk in 2012
Represented Neston in the Cheshire League between 2013-14 and 2017-21, scoring 4,047 league runs, 5,432 for the club in all matches and notched 10 centuries.
Has played for Wales Minor Counties
Became Cheshire County captain in 2021, made 112 v Oxfordshire last year
Joined Colwyn Bay in 2022 and has chalked up 345 league runs so far at an average of 49.49
Has scored more than 12,850 club runs in senior career