North Wales Cricket League Premier: Wins for St Asaph, Brymbo, Gwersyllt Park and Menai Bridge

NORTH WALES CRICKET LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION – SATURDAY, AUGUST 1

St Asaph 1st XI (18) 325-9 Northop 1st XI (7) 196-10

Opener William Norman made a maiden century for a St Asaph side which kept a firm hold on top spot after thrashing Northop by 129 runs at Elwy Park Grove on Saturday.
Norman struck 21 fours and two sixes in a tremendous knock of 133 – the third highest score of his senior career.
Saints were put into bat and piled up 325-9 off 50 overs, Norman putting on 204 for the first wicket alongside Kyle Williams (76).
Mathew Ryan then went on to make 73 not out before the hosts lost eight wickets for 61 runs yet still posted a mammoth total.
Bart Ryan-Beswick took 5-65 and Matthew Mullarkey 4-58 for the visitors.

Northop were bowled out for 196, Elliot Colclough 54 and Ben Beaver 36 before number 11 Andy Poynton provided some late entertainment in scoring 39.
For Saints, Danny Ryan picked up 3-29, Robbie Prior 2-37 and Joe Norman 2-41. Points: 18-7 St Asaph.

Brymbo 1st XI (18) 190-4 Mold 1st XI (5) 189-10

Sam Aplin’s commanding innings of 93 not out saw second-place Brymbo to victory over visitors Mold.
Put into bat, the away side chalked up 189 all out off 45.4 overs, Louis Boulton best with 53, while for the Steelmen, Richard Deniz claimed 3-17, Chris Taylor 2-32 and Dikshant Vairagi 2-43.
Jon Crane bowled dangerman Taylor early in Brymbo’s reply, but Aplin and Vairagi then put on 120 for the second wicket.
Vairagi made 58, while Aplin’s unbeaten 93 included 17 fours. The home side needed just 32 overs to reach a winning 190-4, Thomas North 3-28 for the travellers.

Hawarden Park 1st XI (3) 136-10 Gwersyllt Park 1st XI (18) 281-5

Skipper Jake James cracked 142 not out in Gwersyllt Park’s huge winning score of 281-5 at Moor Lane.
James’ joint second-best career effort came off just 99 balls and included 15 fours and two sixes.
Tom Hooson added 32 and Iroshan De Silva 31 for the visitors, Evan Shaw scooping 2-46 for Hawarden.
In response, the basement side were dismissed for just 136, Owen Littler 34 not out, Daniel Jones snaring 5-24 and Neil Pearson 2-15 for Gwersyllt, who triumped by 145 runs.

Menai Bridge 1st XI (18) 229-8 Bangor 1st XI (5) 145-10

Fourth-place Menai Bridge comfortably saw off neighbours Bangor, leaving the reigning champions flailing in the bottom two relegation spots.
Winning the toss and batting, the Bridge set 229-8 off 50, Gethin Roberts a dynamic 75 not out from 68 deliveries, hitting nine fours and two sixes, while Dion Holden made 62.
The hosts were less well-placed on 150-8 before Roberts and Patrick Glover (28 no) put on an unbroken 79 for the ninth wicket.
Francois Mostert stood out for Bangor with 4-20 off 10 overs.
Despite a spirited 41 from Liam McCann, the visitors were blasted out for just 145, Holden 4-29, Matthew Jones 3-11 and Ayush Verma 2-41.