Holden ends up holding title trophy as Menai win
ALL rise for Menai Bridge – the 2018 North Wales Cricket League Premier Division champions. Dion Holden’s captain’s innings of 65 guided the Anglesey side to victory and the title at the expense of Pwllheli last Saturday.
Needing just three points to seal their third championship in five years, the islanders delivered the goods in style with a 12-3 triumph over their Llyn visitors.
Put into bat, Bridge were all out for 173, Holden’s half-century the key knock, with extras the next highest score with 27.
Morgan Murray-Williams picked up 4-32 for the visitors, Syed Kaleem Aslam adding 3-40.
Pwllheli were sent packing for 129 in reply, skipper and number 11 Michael Hughes making the Bridge wait for their glory with a defiant 37.
Patrick Glover snapped up 4-47, while Gerallt Roberts claimed 3-4 to claim a career-best 50 league wickets for the campaign.
Llandudno saw off outgoing champions Bangor by just 13 runs at The Oval.
Keegan Armstrong was 82 not out, Kevin James adding 33 and Ajay Dhawan 31 as Tudno set 217 all out, Andy Williams scooping 3-28 for the visitors.
The Citizens hit back with 204-9 before the overs ran out, captain Rob Marshall top-scoring with 54, Nadeem Rehman adding 52 and Matthew Haswell 48 no, Tom Thornton with 3-45 for the hosts, who bossed the points 11-4.
Bangor seconds claimed a narrow eight-run win over Menai Bridge seconds in the 2nd XI Premier Division.
Put into bat, the Citizens set 176-9 off 45 overs, Jamie Davies top-scoring with 45, Subhan Khan adding 37 and Peter Jones 30, while, for the Bridge, Phil Smith picked up 3-28, Liam Bibby 2-34 and Mathew Jones 2-39.
Menai’s reply ended just short on 1689, Dion Owen doing his best to turn things the way of the visitors with a match-highest 48, while Chris Williams was run out for 38.
Paul Lewis grabbed 3-36 and Jamie Camilleri 2-13 for Bangor, who edged the honours 11-4 on points.
Both teams finished level on 222 points, but third-place Bangor nudged Menai into fourth on games won.
The clubs also met at third team level on Sunday, Bangor getting the better of things again.
Kian Hughes and Prathyakash Singoor both scooped 4-11 as Menai were sent packing for a paltry 57 in just 22.2 overs.
Ali Zaidi top-scored with 25 not out as Bangor coasted to 58-3 and a 13-2 outcome.
In the final 3rd XI standings, Bridge ended up second and Bangor third.