RUTHIN Cricket Club are off to a flyer with both the first and seconds running out victors over Abergele in their opening games of the season.

In North Wales Cricket league Division One, Ruthin's firsts faced Abergele's firsts at home.

Ruthin batted first and scored a hard fought 91 in 30 overs with the top scorers being Josh Duckworth (24), Harry Pooler (16) and Alistair Dodd (14).

Abergele never really got going with their top scorer, Owen Lynam, finishing not out on nine. All of Ruthin's bowlers saw success with Llyr Williams achieving the most impressive figures of two wickets for two runs off six overs.

Jac Evans and Josh Duckworth both finished with three wickets for 14 although Harry Pooler had started the rout, bowling Ben Garnett with the third ball of Abergele’s innings and he finished with two for 11 off four overs.

Meanwhile, Ruthin's second team travelled to face Abergele's seconds and with a relatively young side in tow - one being aged under 11 and three of them under 13 - they won by the one wicket (118-117).

Abergele won the toss and decided to bat but found scoring difficult with the run rate being kept to below two.However, it was Rhys Tudor who struck first and it was he and Osian Roberts who removed the first three batsmen.

Abergele rallied towards the end but never really recovered although with some risky running and some combative stroke play meant that they ended up 117 all out off 39.4 balls.

Ruthin lost their first wicket in the third over with the next two wickets falling in the fifth and ninth over. But, Dafydd Roberts and Oly Jones put together the first partnership of their innings and it was Oly’s patient and watchful innings that gave a foundation for Roberts to play his shots.

Matthew Duckworth joined Daffyd Cale in the middle with the score on 86 for six after 29 overs and when Cale was out for 11, it provided a tense ending.

Drawing on his many years of experience and Ed Jones' five runs being scored at a very valuable time, Duckworth lead his team to victory with seven balls to spare.

On Saturday, Ruthin's firsts are away and the seconds are at home against Mold and the latter will also play a home fixture on the Sunday against Nantclwyd.