ST ASAPH 97-3

CHIRK 94

FABULOUS Foulkes was the key to a successful weekend for St Asaph in North Wales Cricket League action.

A stunning opening spell of bowling from Jason Foulkes supplied the foundations to the Saints' thumping seven-wicket Premier Division triumph in their home meeting with Chirk.

The visitors were second best throughout the course of the encounter, with the Elwy Grove Park side easing to a 10th win of the summer to boost their hopes of achieving a top-two finish this season.

Chirk were left to rue their decision to make first use of the batting track after they won the toss.

In next to no time, they found themselves being reduced to a perilous 2-3.

Aided by Nathanael Scott's catch, Foulkes dismissed opener Wynn Jones for a duck and the Saints' bowler then accounted for the wicket of James Carter.

Foulkes continued his blitz to gain the wicket of Nicholas Flack and leave Chirk in all sorts of bother.

Good efforts from Andrew Swarbrick (31), Jonathan Phillips (23) and Chris Pritchard (18) attempted to improve Chirk's mood, but the visitors were eventually dismissed for 94 in the 37th over.

Foulkes would be the star of the show with the ball, finishing up with a fantastic 5-21 return from 12 overs.

Danny Ryan was also in superb form to bag 4-20 and the remaining wicket to fall went the way of Elliot Morris (1-2).

St Asaph wasted little time when it was their turn to reply and they required fewer than 20 overs to reach their victory target.

Openers Mathew Ryan and Nathanael Scott got the innings off to a solid start courtesy of a first wicket partnership of 38.

This eventually came to a halt when Ryan was dismissed by Swarbrick (1-27) for 17.

The Saints edged closer to success with a second wicket stand of 35, which was compiled by skipper Will Ryan and Scott.

Ryan (12) was the next batsman out as Jonathan Phillips claimed his wicket.

When St Asaph were just three runs away from a 14-1 triumph, they will have been disappointed to have lost one point with the fall of the third wicket.

It was Scott who departed for a fine 52, becoming Phillips' second victim of the afternoon.

Duncan Midgley and Jason Foulkes would guide St Asaph to a winning 97-3 in 16 overs.