ST ASAPH 150

PONTBLYDDYN 144

HOW are your nerves holding up St Asaph?

There was a tense and close North Wales Cricket League Premier Division contest at Elwy Grove Park on Saturday, as the Saints hosted Pontblyddyn.

Had the visitors batted out their 50 overs, they would have won the contest.

However, St Asaph's bowlers managed to dismiss Pontblyddyn with more than three overs to spare, securing a slender six-run success in the process.

Skipper Will Ryan led from the front when St Asaph made first use of the batting track after winning the toss.

Ryan top scored with 64 batting at number three.

A number of other St Asaph batsmen enjoyed decent starts to their innings, but nobody was able to go on and contribute a key score.

Mathew Ryan (15) and Nathanael Scott (13) were solid at the top of the order, compiling a first wicket stand of 21.

Batting at number five, Danny Ryan struck 19, but no-one else managed to reach double figures.

The efforts of Daz Wilcock (3-21), James Hughes (3-52), Rhys Jones (2-26) and Chris Moss (1-42) made sure that the Saints found themselves being bowled out for 150 in the 45th over.

St Asaph knew they needed a good start to their time in the field and this is exactly what transpired.

Liam Moores and Alex Baker soon reduced Pontblyddyn to a perilous 2-2.

Recovery was in the offing thanks to the contributions of James Griffiths (33), Alistair Roberts (19) and captain Glenn Chambers (18).

But St Asaph were strong favourites to secure success when the visitors stuttered to 117-8, still 34 runs shy of victory.

That wasn't quite the end of the drama, though, with Chris Moss and Rhys Jones taking Pontblyddyn to within sight of the win.

The duo put together a crucial 26-run stand for the ninth wicket and with the situation becoming desperate, Alex Baker bowled Moss for 26.

With tension high, Liam Moores then dismissed number 11 batsman Daz Wilcock for a duck, leaving Pontblyddyn all out for 144.

Sharing the wickets for the Saints were Liam Moored (3-27), Mathew Ryan (3-35), Alex Baker (2-38) and Elliot Morris (1-12).