CHIRK 186-9

ST ASAPH 187-1

WHAT a chase St Asaph embarked on to make sure they enjoyed a winning North Wales Cricket League weekend.

Needing to overhaul a competitive total close to 190 during their Premier Division trip to Chirk, the super Saints completed their quest with minimum fuss.

Opener Nathanael Scott and captain Will Ryan were in terrific form with an unbroken stand of 187 to guide the visitors to a nine-wicket margin of success with nine overs to spare.

All of this meant that the Elwy Grove Park outfit secured 14 of the 15 points that were on offer on the day.

With an earlier 11am start due to the Champions League final that evening, it was St Asaph captain Ryan who was successful during the pre-match toss and his message back to the changing room was for the opening bowlers to get themselves limbered up.

The visitors could not have wished for a better start to proceedings and both of the Chirk openers were dismissed for ducks.

Duncan Midgley bowled Chris Pritchard and Jason Foulkes trapped Stevie Kelshaw leg before to leave the home side on 1-2.

Recovery was in the offing for the home side, with Nicholas Flack and Gareth Partridge putting together a 43-run stand for the third wicket.

This partnership was brought to a close when Partridge was trapped leg before by Andrew Bellis for 30.

Chirk did manage to get a number of promising partnerships going over the course of their innings, but this stand turned out to be the biggest one.

Flack would eventually depart for 24, while the Saints were indebted to a good captain's knock from Andrew Swarbrick, batting at number seven.

He made 57 before being the eighth man out when he was dismissed by Paul Fleming.

With further decent efforts from the likes of Adam Shillcock 14 not out, James Carter, Shaun Walker and Mark Shaw (all 13), Chirk reached 186-9 by the time their 50 overs were completed.

All of St Asaph's five-man attack picked up at least one wicket.

They were shared among Duncan Midgley (2-32), Jason Foulkes, Andrew Bellis and Paul Fleming (all 2-42), and Richard Marsh Evans (1-25).

As with the earlier innings, St Asaph's response did not get off to the best of starts.

Duncan Midgley became the third opener of the day to be dismissed for a duck when he was trapped leg before by Nicholas Flack (1-39).

That was to be the only down side to St Asaph's innings, though.

Nathanael Scott was the only opener to trouble the scorers and he did so in some style.

He finished up on an unbeaten 108 from 130 deliveries, hitting 14 fours and a six in the process.

Scott was superbly supported by Will Ryan, who struck 63 not out to guide St Asaph to a winning 187-1 in 41 overs.