North Wales Cricket League Division Two – all hail champions Bethesda!

NORTH WALES CRICKET LEAGUE REPORTS – SEP 10

DIVISION TWO

Bethesda (15) 196-7 Northop 2nd XI (0) 58-10

Llongyfarchiadau i Clwb Criced Bethesda/congratulations Bethesda Cricket Club – North Wales League Division Two champions 2022.

Top division champions five times in the 1980’s and 90’s, and Division One title winners in 2004, Pesda have now repeated their Division Two championship success of 2014.

And they did it in style, with a crushing 138-run victory over Northop seconds at Parc Villa on Saturday.

Winners in 19 of their 21 matches this season, Bethesda have recorded an outstanding nine maximum points triumphs.

Relegated from Division One in 2021, the Ogwen Valley team have bounced straight back up.

Star man with the bat on Saturday was Matthew Harrington, who finished 109 not out to record his second ton for the club and second highest ever score.

Harrington dominated Pesda’s innings of 196-7, made off 40 overs after they were put into bat and had slumped to 24-3.

The wicket-keeper batsman produced his century off 89 balls, hitting 14 fours and three sixes.

Ben Parker was next highest contributor with 24, while for Northop seconds, Finn Jenkins scooped 3-37 and Sion Ferguson 2-25.

In reply, the Flintshire visitors were bundled over for just 58.

Richard Lee Williams did the early damage, taking an excellent 3-19 off nine overs, before Carwyn L Williams showed his class, grabbing 4-6 off 3.4 overs. Jamie Savage also did well, picking up 2-15.

Bethesda needed 16 points to make sure of the title, but second-place Menai Bridge seconds’ shock home loss to Mold seconds meant the Ogwen men could start their celebrations a week early.

Bethesda Cricket Club – North Wales League roll of honour

Division One champions (became the Premier Division in 2001) – 1982, 1983, 1984, 1990, 1991

Division One champions (by now the second division) – 2004

Division Two champions – 2014, 2022

Division Three champions – 1980

Division Four champions (Bethesda 2nd XI) – 1993

Menai Bridge 2nd XI (2) 164-10 Mold 2nd XI (13) 167-5

Struggling Mold seconds pulled off a shock win at a Menai seconds outfit which had won its last 14 league games on the bounce.

Second-from-top met second-from-bottom at Tyn-y-Caeau with the Bridge needing a win to keep their distant title hopes alive.

Already guaranteed a top-two promotion spot, the Anglesey side were put into bat and bowled out for 164 off 36.1 overs.

Openers Matt Bixby (58) and Sam Bixby (39) got the hosts off to an ideal start but then it all went somewhat downhill.

Luca Davies starred with the ball for Mold, taking 5-30, Aled Proffit bagged 3-50 and James Griffiths 2-15.

In reply, Mold’s experienced pair Chris Boulton (59) and Griffiths (55 no) did most to ensure the Flintshire men reached a winning 167-5 in 36.5, John Duffy 2-42 for the home side.

Bersham (12) 182-9 Carmel and District (3) 153-10

Just a week after making a career best 152, Bersham’s Maneesha Ayomal Nissanka so nearly made it back-to-back centuries – but he missed out by a single run.

Nonetheless, Nissanka’s 99 opening the innings went a long way towards assuring the Colliers were victorious.

Put into bat, Bersham posted 182-9 off 40 overs, Suresh Lakmal Koswaththage adding an important 42.

Incidentally, which of the two Bersham batsmen mentioned here has the longest full name?
Suresh = 24 and Maneesha = 22. 😃

For Carmel, the comparatively shorter-named Ben Sim took 4-18 and Ieuan Jones 3-52.

In response, Carmel were 153 all out, Benjamin Davies hitting 38 and Ryan Roberts 37.

Suresh snapped up 4-28 for the hosts, while Rathnayaka Mudiyanselage Shanka (29 letters!) grabbed 3-32.

Gresford 2nd XI (12) 130-9 Clwb Criced Caernarfon (3) 85-10

Gresford seconds skipper George Morris is within 43 runs of 1,000 in the league for the season after Saturday’s win over bottom side Caernarfon.

Morris top-scored with 37 in his team’s modest total of 130-9, Huw Erddyn Davies taking 3-19 and Ian Morgan 2-19 for the Cofis.

Harry Morris then claimed 5-21 off nine and Sam Burke 3-2 as the visitors were bowled out for 85, Grant Peisley carrying his bat for 38 not out.

Hawarden Park 2nd XI (11) 162-7 Mochdre 2nd XI (4) 149-10

Mochdre seconds captain Scott Roberts produced a top match score of 50, but it was all in vain as the visitors lost narrowly at Moor Lane.

Park won the toss and elected to bat, posting 162-7, Imran Khattak 38, Finlay Jones 2-32 and Sion Gravell 2-36 for the visitors.

Opener Roberts led the fight in Mochdre’s reply, but they finished 149 all out, Callum Chambers adding 31, Michael Almond 4-34, Khattak 2-20 and Tom Wilson 2-27 for the home team.

St Asaph 2nd XI (13) 211-9 Ruthin (2) 155-7

Roger Cloate (81) and captain Ben Murphy (52) put on 129 for the second wicket to ensure Saints set a winning score of 211-9 at Elwy Park Grove.

Osian Roberts and Matthew Duckworth both picked up 3-44 for the visitors.

Ruthin were restricted to 155-7, Jac Evans 45 and Jamie Hughes 33 not out, Mike Thompson 3-28 for the hosts.