North Wales Cricket Premier: Denbigh stun Brymbo, six for GG as Mold topple Hawarden, Menai’s Verma slams 20-ball half ton against Northop, Mochdre ease past champs

North Wales Cricket League

Premier Division reports – May 16

Brymbo 1st XI (9) 154-10 Denbigh 1st XI (18) 155-9

Last wicket pair Stuart Griffiths and Ifan Jones saw Denbigh over the line to a famous victory at highly-rated Brymbo on Saturday afternoon.

Having put the Steelmen into bat, the Vale of Clwyd visitors did a good job in dismissing the hosts for a modest 154.

Going well in reply at 122-4, Denbigh then lost a few batsmen and looked to be struggling before the final duo put on a crucial nine runs between them to see the travellers to a tense one-wicket win.

The result puts Denbigh level on points with leaders Menai Bridge, those two now the only teams with a 100 percent record in the Premier.

It was Wales spinner and visiting captain Harrison Jones who inserted the home side and then did most to destroy the batting.

Shaun Nash and Sam Lewis dismissed dangerous openers Sam Aplin and Chris Taylor respectively to leave the hosts 66-2 before left-arm slow bowler Jones took centre stage.

His victims including top-scorer James Claybrook for 40, Jones finished with a superb 6-39 as Brymbo plunged to 154 all out, Joe Lewis adding a useful 2-30.

In response, Denbigh were two down for just 14 before Sam Lewis and Harrison Jones put on 57 for the third wicket.

Lewis went for 29, but the away side moved on to 122-4 before Jones departed for a vital 58 which included four sixes.

The pendulum swung to and fro before Griffiths and Ifan Jones took Denbigh from 146-9 to a winning 155.

Aplin took 3-29, Daniel Parry 3-42 and Richard Deniz 2-26, but it was not enough to save the Wrexham-area side from defeat.

Mochdre 1st XI (18) 125-3 – revised target Bangor 1st XI (3) 135-10

Josh McIntyre scored an inspirational 55 not out in guiding Mochdre to a comfortable win over struggling champions Bangor.

Invited to bat, the visitors could only manage 135 all out in 40.4 overs, extras being the highest contributor with 41, while Francois Mostert posted 31 for the Citizens.

Owen Davies produced a fine spell for the hosts, taking 4-24 off 10 overs, while James French scooped 3-20 from eight.

With rain interrupting the play, Mochdre were set a reduced target of 124 off 39 overs.

They reached 125-3 off just 22 overs, having been 67-3 before McIntyre and captain Adam Campion (20 not out) put on an unbroken 58 for the fourth wicket.

Mostert picked up 3-30 off 10 for the away side, but the rest of the attack found the going tough as the Mochdre batsmen approached their task ebulliently.

Mold 1st XI (18) 179-8 Hawarden Park 1st XI (6) 144-10

Young talent George Godwin claimed a career best 6-39 as Mold successfully defended their total at Chester Road.

Asked to bat after losing the toss, the hosts were limited to 179-8 off a reduced 43 overs, opener Thomas North the star turn with 53 – nine fours and a six – while Jon Crane hit an extremely useful 30 down the order after Mold were wobbling on 129-7.

James Martin grabbed an impressive 4-26 off 10 for Park, Craig Wilson snaring 2-38.

In reply, Hawarden were going well on 76-3, captain Campbell Marr dismissed for an obstruction, before Godwin caught fire.

The 17-year-old left-arm spinner’s six wickets came off 10 overs as the visitors plummeted to 144 all out despite a spirited 29 not out from number nine Ian Martin.

Northop 1st XI (3) 150-9 Menai Bridge 1st XI (18) 155-3

In-form Ayush Verma hit a ruthless 65 not out as Premier leaders Menai Bridge romped to a seven-wicket triumph at Northop.

Canadian Verma, who scored a career-best 121 two weeks earlier in a win over Hawarden Park, struck gold again with eight sixes in his half-ton.

Northop were put into bat and set 150-9 off their 50 overs, Elliot Colclough (54) and Mohamed Nilam Jayman (28) forming an opening stand of 71 before both fell to the spin of Dion Holden.

Holden also trapped Wales international Sion Morris lbw for a duck, with the rest of the home batting making no impression.

In the bowling stakes, spinners Matthew Jones and Holden bagged 4-15 and 4-23 respectively.

Bridge’s awesome early-season batting form continued as they needed just 20.5 overs to reach 155-3.

Verma’s whirlwind knock came off just 20 balls, while opener Jack Gower produced a somewhat more sedate 57 off 49 deliveries, striking nine fours and two sides.

St Asaph 1st XI (6) Gwersyllt Park 1st XI (6)

Match abandoned