MOCHDRE CRICKET CLUB

MOCHDRE CRICKET CLUB

2ND X1 REPORTS & SCORESHEET

AUG - SEPT

Saturday 5th August

Mochdre 2nd XI nurtured their slim hopes of third division survival with a hard fought five wicket victory over fellow strugglers Mynydd Isa 1st XI. Accurate medium pace was the order of the day as Neil Campion, 3 for 25 off 10 overs, with support from Frank Richards, 2 for 23 off 7, and Bob Gazeley, 2 for 30 off 10, combined to hold the visitors to 140 for 8, Joey Gordon 37, off their 45 overs. After the unexpected early loss of run-machine Alun Evans for a duck, it was Gazeley and Richards who propelled Mochdre into a winning position with a stand off 66 in 13 overs for the third wicket. Gazeley looked back to his majestic best with a superb unbeaten 53, including eight boundaries, whilst Richards contributed a fluent 34. Skipper Campion added 13 at the death, but the loss of two late wickets cost Mochdre an important point.

Saturday 12th August

Mochdre 2nd XI's home fixture with Dolgellau was abandoned due to heavy rain.

Saturday 19th August

Saturday 26th August

Mochdre 2nd XI suffered a heart-breaking one run defeat in a thriller at British Steel Shotton as their increasingly desperate fight to avoid relegation entered the final five fixtures. Promising youngster Ricky Watkins had a superlative all round game picking up 3 for 18 off 12 overs and two catches as BSC Shotton were bowled out for 125 on a typically difficult Shotton batting wicket. Another of Mochdre's cadre of talented juniors, Tom Cain, picked up 2 for 13, and Frank Richards chipped in with 3 for 36, as only Percy Williams with a fine 60, offered meaningful defiance for the home side. After l osing their openers cheaply to Tyrone Bailey, 4 for 25 off 12, Frank Richards, 18, and Oliver Tiernay, 17, pulled Mochdre back into the game, only to see a flurry of wickets reduce the visitors to 84 for 7. Ricky Watkins, 32, then produced an innings of calm maturity, with fine support from veteran John Preston, 17, only to see them both run out in a final catastrophic over which they had entered needing just two to win.

Monday 28th August

Mochdre 2nd XI's fight to avoid relegation from Division 3 of the North Wales League. The visitors were Bethesda 2nds, one place above the relegation zone and just two points better off at the start of the game. Opting to bat Bethesda made a solid start, first team opener Gerallt Jones rapidly accruing 28 before being snapped up behind the stumps by Adam Cain off the bowling of lofty seamer Steve Penk, 2 for 26 off 11. Thereafter wickets fell steadily as Azim Hussain, 2 for 22 off 9, and skipper Neil Campion, 2 for 29 off 10, worked their way through the middle order. Bethesda no 5 Deiniol Jones, 32, threatened to put the visitors on top before the introduc tion of young paceman Kevin Jones, who mopped up the tail for a season's best return of 3 for 9 off 5 overs as Bethesda were bowled out for 110. The challenge for Mochdre was to pass the Bethesda total with minimum loss of wickets in order to deprive the opposition of points. On a wicket beginning to help both seam and spin, the early order dug in well, openers Azim Hussain, 16, and Adam Cain , 18, along with no 3 Peter S Williams, 16, helping the total to 49 for 1. Mark Williams, 26, including five boundaries, took the fight to Bethesda, but the introduction of Gerallt Jones, 4 for 36 off 12, - relishing the cancellation of Bethesda's 1st team fixture - sparked a collapse. As tension rose to unbearable levels, Alun Evans, batting inexplicably low at no 8, steadied matters to remain unbeaten on 9 as Mochdre passed the Bethesda total with 7 wickets down. Mochdre's 6 points to 4 victory leaves them still in a precarious position - level with Bethesda with just three fixtures remaining, two of them away to promotion chasing Bala and Bangor II.

Saturday 2nd September

Mochdre 2nd XI continued their late season revival with a nail-biting two wicket Division 3 victory over promotion chasing Bangor 2nd XI. Saving his best for late season, veteran left arm spinner Bob Sugden bowled with loop and guile to rip the heart out of an experienced Bangor batting line-up, returning 4 for 17 off 12 overs. Skipper Neil Campion offered valuable support, picking up 2 for 34 off 12, as the home side were restricted to 100 for 8 off 45 hard fought overs, Eifion Parry top scoring with 28. Mochdre openers Adam Cain, 12, and Alun Evans, 13, dug in for a stand of 29 before medium pacer Richard Lloyd Jones, 4 for 32 off 12, removed all top four in the visitors order, reducing Mochdre to a precarious 41 for 4. Bob Gazeley, 18, steadied the ship, whilst Oliver Tierney took the battle to Bangor smashing 25 off 32 balls . At 85 for 5 Mochdre looked to be in control but a furry of wickets left Mochdre needing five off the last over with two wickets left. Just a week previously Neil Campion had seen his side needing three off the last over only to lose by one run to BSC S hotton. This time the captain himself was at the crease, and, together with seasoned campaigner Steve Penk, calmly steered his side to an invaluable win in their valiant fight against relegation.

Saturday 9th September

Veterans Steve Penk and Bob Sugden proved that there is no substitute for experience as their heroic exploits enabled Mochdre 2nd XI to clinch survival in Division 3 of the North Wales League by virtue of a 47 run victory over Llangollen 1st XI. Having chosen to bat , the Mochdre line-up struggled against accurate seam bowling from Mark Haywood, 4 for 27 off 12 overs, and Tommy Mash, 3 for 35 off 12. The relegation tension was evident as wickets fell at regular intervals with only Azim Hussain, 16, and Peter S Williams, 15, making meaningful contributions before the arrival of Bob Gazeley at the crease. Gazeley's composed batting brought him 34 invaluable runs, but the fall of his wicket left Mochdre on a thin looking 104 for 9 and the last pair, Steve Penk and Bob Sugden, at the wicket. Rising to the occasion, together they added 44 exhilarating runs for the last wicket, Penk 22 not out and Sugden 20, at their advancing age each recognising the need to minimise their effort by hitting four boundaries apiece. Llangollen's reply was based on a patient opening stand of 39 between Tony Marsh, 12, and Gwyn Morris, 31. The introduction of left arm spinner Sugden, 2 for 24 off 8, soon had them floundering whilst Azim Hussain, 3 for 18 off 9, bowling with zip and disguise , ripped through the middle order. Almost inevitably the last word fell to man of the match Steve Penk, the towering paceman completing the win with a season's best of 4 for 12 off 9 as the visitors were shot out for 101.

Saturday 16th September

A combination of a lost toss and the vagaries of the league rule book contrived to relegate Mochdre 2nd XI to the 4th Division of the North Wales League in extraordinary circumstances on Saturday. Needing just two points to guarantee survival and condemn Bethesda 2nds to the drop, Mochdre were faced with the always-daunting trip to league champions Bala. Skipper Neil Campion's greatest misfortune was to lose the toss and face inevitable insertion on a Bala track which was later described as "a disgrace" by the home side's umpire. Notwithstanding, the scorecard made a sorry sight as Mochdre were shot out for just 22, half the runs arriving in extras. Top scoring Mochdre batsman was plucky Clifton Robinson, 6, whilst six of his comrades returned with ducks. With a mere 23 needed, experienced Bala openers Keith Humphries, 11, and Nigel Aykroyd, 9, could afford to be patient. As hard as they tried, the Mochdre bowlers were unable to dislodge either batsman as they grafted their way to the target off 15 overs.

Mochdre II and Bethesda II finished the season equal on points. Sadly, despite having won seven matches to Bethesda's five, the rather arcane rules of the North Wales league deemed Mochdre to be relegated for having an inferior average of runs scored per match during the season. Good-humoured Mochdre captain Neil Campion was phlegmatic in his disappointment, reflecting on his team's monumental fightback in the second half of the season with a promise of promotion next summer.