Cricket: Campion shines in excellent Mochdre team effort

Jun 18 2009 by Our Correspondent, North Wales Weekly News

A GOOD all round team batting performance ensured Mochdre earned a winning draw at home against Menai Bridge in the North Wales League Premier Division.

All but two got themselves a score as the hosts were eventually all out in 53.1 overs for 218. Joe Chaplin top scored for the home side with 35, while Adam Campion put on 33 and Ross Stevens made 30.

There were also good knocks from Gareth Goodson (21), Will Evans (18), Gareth Johnson (18), Ahmir Sardir (17) and Gareth Davies (14) to see Mochdre post a healthy target, but they were always under pressure from Bridge’s New Zealander Baden Wilton who took 5-51 off 15 overs.

In reply Mochdre had their visitors eight down and 46 runs short of an unlikely victory as their 56 overs ran out.

Russ Boswell took 3-27 off 11 overs, while Campion claimed 2-28 off 15, eight of which maidens as he stifled the Bridge batsmen. But it was an unbeaten 59 from Luke Jones that largely helped the visitors hold on for the draw.

MOCHDRE THIRDS earned a narrow four-run victory in Division Five at Dolgellau seconds, thanks to a knock of 66 from skipper John Parry.

Opener Jake Senior made 42, while Sab Muthusamy and Joe Senior added 21 each to see Mochdre’s total reach 223-9 in their 45 overs.

Alex Davies then took 2-24 and Muthusamy 2-74 as Dolgellau were restricted to 219-6 in their 45 overs at the crease to deliver Mochdre the narrowest of victories.

LLANRWST lost ground on the leaders in the Premier Division after suffering an eight-wicket defeat at Bangor.

After being inserted at Ty Newydd, previously unbeaten Llan struggled to reach 150-8 declared in 43 overs, despite making a rapid start with openers Tarique Khan and Dave Taylor putting on 31 runs in the first four overs.

However, after Khan went for 14 and Taylor for 20, a middle order collapse saw the Rwsters struggling at 56-5. It was left to number eight batsman Matthew Coleman, who made 34 and number nine Tomos Slattery, who chipped in with 22, to resurect any kind of total for the visitors, as South African David Winter claimed 5-64 for Bangor off 12 overs.

That total was never going to be enough as Bangor raced to 151-2 in 31 overs, skipper Robbie Marshall finishing unbeaten on 65, after good opening efforts from Richard Parry (23) and Gwilym Lloyd Jones (48).

A knock of 107 from Shotton’s Gary Threadgold condemned LLANRWST SECONDS to a 90-run defeat at home in Division Three.

A Threadgold inspired Shotton finished on 268-9 in their 45 overs, and then had the Rwsters seconds all out for 178 in 44 in reply to leave the Conwy side with just the solitary point.

A century from Shaun Davies saw CONWY claim a 56-run victory over St Asaph seconds and move up to fifth in Division Two.

Opener Davies vindicated skipper David Wilkinson’s decision to bat first, while Daniel Davies posted 58 and Eddie Favill added 43 to their total of 264 all out in 45 overs.

Adam El-Lamie eventually took Shaun Davies’ wicket and finished with 3-63, while John Winning claimed 2-51 with a victim each for Jimmy Vaughan, Jordan Owen and Colin Fleming.

El-Lamie top scored for the Saints in reply with an unbeaten 78, but it was not enough to steer the visitors to victory as they finished six down for 208 in their 45 overs.

Dafydd Jones made 50 and Vaughan added 22 to the total.

For Conwy, Wilkinson took 2-44, aided by Danny Wilson’s 2-39.

CONWY SECONDS remain just off the pace in Division Four after a three-wicket win at Bodedern.

Hugh Kelly’s 5-38 off 11.3 overs and David Owen’s 3-28 from 11, as well as solitary wickets for Jake Longmore and Philip Wilson, saw the Anglesey side all out for 135 in 31.3 overs, despite a knock of 52 from Dewi Hughes.

Rob Miller and Dafydd Williams both top scored for Conwy in reply with 32 to push the visitors to victory at 136-7 off 39 overs.