North Wales Cricket League: Premier & Div 2-4 – Taylor takes a stunning 7-9 for Brymbo, but it’s between Northop and Saints for title

The fight for the North Wales Cricket League Premier Division title is now definitely a two-horse race between Northop and St Asaph.

With two matches apiece remaining, Northop have 209 points from 20 games and can only be caught by the Saints, on 202 from 20.

Remaining matches for the top two are:

NORTHOP (P 20 PTS 209)
Sep 9: Brymbo (home)
Sep 16: Bangor (away)

ST ASAPH (P 20 PTS 202)
Sep 9: Gresford (home)
Sep 16: Menai Bridge (away)

The gap is seven points and with tough tests remaining for both contenders, it could still go either way.

The leading pair were in winning form again last Saturday.

REPORTS – SEPTEMBER 2

Menai Bridge (4) 207-7 Northop (11) 208-9

Talk about games which could swing the title!

Last batting pair Charlie Collins and Mark Poynton put on a priceless nine runs which ensured Northop celebrated a one-wicket victory at Tyn-y-Caeau.

The Flintshire visitors won the toss and put Menai Bridge in, the Anglesey side setting 207-7 off 50 overs.

Bridge were 96-6 and then 145-7 before Iwan Moore (40 not out) and Gerallt Roberts (35 no) put on an unbroken 62 for the eighth wicket to make a real match of it.

Robbie Jones added 37 and Mathew Jones 31 for the hosts. Mark Poynton scooped 2-25 for the travellers.

In response, Northop were 61-4 and 131-5 before their middle and lower order turned the tide.

Marlon Barclay hit 48 and Ben Beaver 35 as the leaders finished on 208-9 off 44.5, Collins (6 no) and Poynton (3 no) guiding their team from 199-9 to the magical 208 figure.

Dion Holden bagged 2-28 and Gethin Roberts 2-36 for the islanders.

Llandudno (1) 82-10 St Asaph (3) 83-3

By collecting three more points than title rivals Northop, St Asaph are now just seven behind the table-toppers with two matches each left to play.

Llandudno called the coin correctly at The Oval and batted, but were rolled over for just 82, Robbie Prior 3-16, Ryan Dunning 3-22, Gareth Goodson 2-17 and Dan Evans 2-19 for the visitors.

Asaph reached 83-3 in just 17.4 overs, Duncan Midgley posting 32 not out and Jack Rimmington notching 2-25 for the hosts.

Brymbo (13) 129-4 Mold (2) 128-10

Christopher Taylor produced perhaps the best bowling spell of the season as he snapped up a stunning 7-9 in 5.4 overs in Brymbo’s victory over Mold.

South African star Taylor was pretty unplayable as the visitors plundered to 128 all out, despite a stoic 60 from John Williams opening the innings.

Taylor completed an amazing all-round performance with 51 as the Steelmen reached 129-4 in 27.5, James Claybrook adding 41 and Jason Underwood 30 not out, Richard Denuz 2-26 for the travelling team.

Gresford (12) 170-7 Bangor (3) 127-10

Sam Thompson (39) and skipper Matthew Thompson (37) came up with the crucial knocks in Gresford’s winning total of 170-7.

Gareth Edwards took an excellent 4-34 off 10 for the visitors, who were then bowled out for 127, Franco Kasner the standout with 56, Chris Ellwood 4-25 and Simon Perry 2-40 for the winning hosts.

Mochdre (1) 108-10 Denbigh (14) 195-8

Openers Harrison Jones (63) and Joe Clayton (54) put on 104 and launched Denbigh on their way to a score which proved more than enough to claim the win.

The visitors struck 195-8 in all off 50 overs, Sam Lewis adding 30, Stewart Williams 3-30 and Owen Davies 2-40 for the hosts.

Mochdre were sent packing for just 108 in response, Brad Kielow 39, Joe Lewis 3-18 and Andy Clarke 3-28.

Pontblyddyn (2) 81-10 Halkyn (13) 147-10

Halkyn edged ever closer to preserving their Premier status with a victory over relegated bottom side Pontblyddyn.

Put into bat, the visitors were dismissed for 147, Jamie Griffiths 43, Mark Neath 4-34, Chris Moss 2-21 off 10 and Renacko Belgrave 2-36 for the hosts.

Pont could only muster 81 when it was their turn to bat, Neath 29, while Nathan Roett claimed astonishing figures of 6-7 off nine overs for the visitors.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟PREMIER STARS🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

BATTING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Harrison Jones (Denbigh) 63
John Williams (Mold) 60
Franco Kasner (Bangor) 56
Joe Clayton (Denbigh) 54
Christopher Taylor (Brymbo) 51

BOWLING 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

Christopher Taylor (Brymbo) 7-9
Nathan Roett (Halkyn) 6-7
Chris Ellwood (Gresford) 4-25
Gareth Edwards (Bangor) 4-34
Mark Neath (Pontblyddyn) 4-34

DIVISION TWO

Bangor 2nd XI (14) 188-3 (Chris Barry 105 not out, Peter Jones 65, Ethan Roberts 3-31) Pontblyddyn 2nd XI (1) 96-10 (Ethan Roberts 30, Subhan Khan 6-17)

Bersham (12) 73-6 (Zachary Sardar 4-19) Mochdre 2nd XI (3) 72-10 (Owen Opie 33, Aswin Balasundarman 3-13)

Carmel & District (11) 127-9 (Ryan Roberts 50) Llanrwst (4) 119-10 (Iwan Edwards 51)

Hawarden Park 2nd XI (11) 116-9 (Tom Wilson 43, Sam Burke 4-16) Gresford 2nd XI (4) 99-10 (Nicholas Woods 4-14)

Mold 2nd XI (1) 131-8 (Louis Boulton 33 no, Thomas Croston 31, Gareth Pugh 3-28) Brymbo 2nd XI (14) 222-5 (Oliver Sheldrake 101 no, Joss Roberts 72)

St Asaph 2nd XI (15) 239-6 (David Lloyd 119, Ieuan Jones 78 no, Abbey Mayers 3-39) Buckley 2nd XI (0) 90-10 (Roger Cloete 4-31, Ieuan Jones 3-25)

DIVISION THREE

Bethesda 2nd XI (13) 110-7 (Jez Shea 59) Clwb Criced Caernarfon (2) 59-10 (Dewi Roberts 3-12)

Conwy 2nd XI (12) 123-10 (Richard Windmill 40) Corwen (3) 77-10 (Evan Williams 4-15, Daniel Davies 3-4)

Denbigh 2nd XI (4) 132-10 (Jake Hall 30, Jack Griffiths 3-13, Boden 3-21) Connah’s Quay 2nd XI (11) 140-10 (Chris Boden 49, Jake Jones 3-34)

DIVISION FOUR

Abergele 2nd XI (4) 77-10 (Eoin Johnson 4-4, Dafydd Timothy 3-11) Carmel & District 2nd XI (11) 79-8 (Cian Owen-Beach 3-13)

Dolgellau 2nd XI (15) Hawarden Park 3rd XI (-15) – Hawarden Park 3rd XI conceded

Halkyn 2nd XI (15) 149-7 (Duane Williams 42, Ned Roberts 3-21) Ruthin 2nd XI (0) 42-10

Llanrwst 2nd XI (14) 48-2 Marchwiel & Wrexham 2nd XI (1) 44-10 (Gaz Jones 5-8)