Bridge edge home against rivals Bangor
DEFENDING champions Menai Bridge emerged victorious from the eagerly-awaited clash at Bangor, winning a tight game by just three runs.
The home side won the toss and elected to field and opening bowler Mike Hughes quickly had the Bridge batsmen in trouble and this was a theme that was to progress throughout the innings.
Only skipper Dion Holden and Robbie Jones made figures that worried the total and Bangor would end up skittling the current champions all out for 76.
Hughes was pick of the bowlers taking 5 for 30 off 10 overs, Nadene Raymond and Shane Ryley each picking up two wickets.
Confidence looked high in the Bangor dressing room and the home side set about the run chase with openers David Winter and Owen Riley putting on a 27-run partnership before Winter was trapped leg before wicket off the bowling of Gerallt Roberts.
Bridge kept the bowling tight and didn’t give anything away.
The introduction of Sean O’Callaghan saw the tables turn and Bangor went from 27 for 1 to 62 for 9 with O’Callaghan eventually returning figures of 11 overs, four maidens, and seven for 18.
O’Callaghan took the last wicket of Bangor skipper Gareth W Edwards leaving the hosts three runs short, prompting jubilant scenes from the visitors and an 11-4 score.
Elsewhere, newly-promoted Pontblyddyn celebrated their first win by beating Connah’s Quay by 29 runs.
Pontblyddyn scored 127 all out in 45.3 overs. Top scorer was James Hughes with 43 and Martin Burger (4-24) and Mali Auty (3-24) the best of the Connah’s Quay bowlers.
In response, Quay slumped to 98 all out with only captain Burger really making an impact with an impressive 36.
Daz Wilcock (3-8), Rhys Jones (3-14) and Chris Moss (2-22) were the key bowlers for Pontblyddyn.
Denbigh proved too strong for Northop, winning by 34 runs at Ystrad Road.
The home side scored 148-7 with opener Gerallt Lyall scoring 40 and Ammar Mahmood and Tom Blackwell getting two wickets apiece for Northop. Blackwell then starred with the bat, scoring 55 in his team’s total of 114-9 in 41.5 overs. Sam Lewis was the main man in the Denbigh attack taking 5-26.
Llandudno were also victorious as they beat Brymbo by 25 runs with Danial Evans (53) and opener Matthew Jones (32) the top scorers in Llandudno’s 137 all out, with Daniel Parry and Mohamed Nilam Jayman taking four wickets each.
Brymbo looked set for victory when they reached 91-1 but slumped to 112 all out.
Gareth Pugh (24), Nilam Jayman (35) and Claybrook (26) top scored for Brymbo but Jack Rimmington (4-20) did the damage for Llandudno.
Pwllheli gained a win as they beat Mochdre by three wickets.
The home side scored 187-7 in their 50 overs with captain Morgan Murray-Williams (53) and Iain Metcalfe (48) top scoring and Stewart Williams (3-44) the best of the Mochdre bowlers.
Mochdre could only manage 146 all out in their innings with only opener Alex Davies putting up any resistance with a knock of 57.