WELSH CUP CRICKET: Brymbo into semis but heartbreak for Northop Hall

Brymbo are through to the Cricket Welsh Cup semi-finals, but Northop Hall crashed out of the competition after looking well-placed for victory.

This afternoon’s quarter-finals saw North Wales League Premier side Brymbo travel to Ammanford, while Hall took the long journey to Penarth.

Ammanford 226-10 Brymbo 230-6

Brothers George and Richard Deniz saw Brymbo over the line as the three-time Welsh Cup winners advanced to the 2026 semis at the expense of hosts Ammanford.

Earlier, a crucial 78 from opener Sam Aplin had put the Steelmen on the victory road in this hard-fought contest against South Wales Premier League opponents.

Brymbo won the toss and decided to field, bowling the hosts out for 226 having had them wobbling on 95-5 at one stage.

Josef Davies was very much the key man for the South Walians, hitting 107 off 85 balls, including 12 fours and five sixes.

Aplin took 3-32 and Dan Parry 3-44 for the visitors, who are currently second in the North Wales Premier.

In reply, Brymbo made a fine start, putting on 67 for the first wicket before Chris Taylor was dismissed for 33.

The total had advanced to an impressive 126-1 when Dikshant Vairagi also went for 33, Aplin remaining solid at the other end.

From 163-2 and seemingly coasting, the visitors then lost four wickets for 30 runs, including the heroic Aplin, whose 78 included 12 fours.

However, the Deniz brothers ensured no further losses for Brymbo, Richard ending 27 no and George 24 no as the North Walians reached 230-6 off 37/4 – a fantastic victory.

Penarth 162-7 Northop Hall 146-10

Chasing 163 for victory, Northop Hall looked to be coasting at 87-0, but then a flood of wicket losses cost them dear.

The Liverpool Competition First Division high-flyers did well to restrict Penarth to a modest 162-7 off 40 overs, Vinayak Vijay 56 and Adeeb Ilyas 52 for the hosts.

But with Paul Jenkins producing typically immaculate figures of 3-21 off eight and Matthew Jones claiming 3-30, the Flintshire travellers had left themselves a very achievable target.

In response, Carwyn Johnson and Jac Kennedy both scored 41 in putting together an 87 stand for the first wicket.

However, it all then went pear shaped as Alexander Graveson dismissed both openers and wreaked havoc with the early Hall line-up.

The visitors plummeted to 105-8 and looked all but beaten. Andrew Watkin and Paul Jenkins did produce some late hope with double-figure contributions, but Hall ended up all out for 146 off 37.2.

Graveson took a match-clinching 6-23 for Penarth, who join Brymbo, Cardiff and Briton Ferry Town in the semi-finals.