BRYMBO 2nds 174 for 9 lost to DOLGELLAU 178 for 7 by 3 wickets
DOLGELLAU’S overseas player Lafras Van Vuuren starred with the bat as his side won on their visit to Brymbo 2nds on Saturday.
Lafras made 94 from 74 balls and earlier took 3 wickets as Brymbo totalled 174 for 9 from their 45 overs, after winning the toss.
Dolgellau replied with 178 for 7 in the 37th over for a three-wicket victory.
Brymbo went from 57 for 1 to 108 for 6 before Ioan Craven-Jones and Jordan Williams added 66 to move it on to 174, at which a further three wickets fell.
Brymbo's opening bat Joss Roberts has been a prolific run getter this season, his last 3 innings' being 92, 101 and 87, all undefeated, with a Bradmanesque average of 99.25.
However, on this occasion he was dismissed for 32, caught at mid wicket by Morgan Yorke off the bowling of leg spinner Jack Williamson.
Roberts was the second wicket to fall, striking 6 fours, to make it 57 for 2 in the 20th over, skipper Jack Williams bowling Gareth Pugh earlier when the total was on 32.
Number three Owain Pryce was lbw to Lafras, Oli Sheldrake and his captain George Bourne putting on 32 for the 4th wicket, before both fell lbw to Lafras.
Sheldrake made 11 and Bourne 14. Lafras ran out Anthony Savage with a direct hit to make it 108 for 6 with 11 overs to go.
This brought together Ioan Craven-Jones and Jordan Williams who were not parted until the final over, which was bowled by Jonathan Lloyd.
From the first ball of the over Jordan was run out by a Jack Williams direct strike, for 24.
Craven-Jones, from the next delivery, struck the ball in the direction of the long on boundary and it looked to be going for a six, but fielder Sam Jones took a superb catch just inside the line.
Craven-Jones hit 46 from 44 balls faced, 7 fours.
Jack Bettis was run out from a Callum Taylor return to make it three dismissals for no runs from Lloyd's over, a rarity for the final over of an innings.
Ross Roberts, who didn't face a ball, and Jack Prince were the not out batters as the hosts closed on 174 for 9.
Dolgellau had a good day in the field and on the bowling front.
Lafras claimed 3 for 33 from his 9 overs, Williamson 1 for 24 from 9, Williams 1 for 25 also from 9 and Lloyd 1 for 29 from 7 overs.
Taylor had a decent opening spell of 7 overs for 31 and Yorke had 4 overs for 27 runs.
On the resumption Dolgellau's openers Jack Williamson and Dave Jenkins had an alliance of 48 in 14 overs to lay a foundation.
After being hit for a six by Williamson in his first over, Jack Bettis got his revenge by bowling Williamson with the last ball of that over.
Williamson hit 4 fours and a six in his 29. Lafras joined Jenkins in the middle adding 26 to take it on to 74, at which Jenkins was lbw to Gareth Pugh for 16.
Yorke was well caught by Savage off Pugh at deep mid off, and Lloyd lbw to Jordan Williams; 87 for 4 from 22 overs.
Lafras and Stuart Evans advanced it to 118, the latter run out by Jack Prince, before Lafras and Rob Humphreys had a stand of 38 for the 6th wicket to move their side 19 runs away from victory, Humphreys given out lbw to Ross Roberts.
In the meantime Lafras had reached his fifty from 45 deliveries and was on 80 when Humphreys was out.
With the total on 172 and just 3 runs needed to win, Lafras' excellent innings came to an end on 94, having hit 2 sixes and 11 fours, striking the ball to all parts of the ground.
Lafras' last partner Jack Williams was with number 9 batter Richard Rees when the winning line was reached by Dolgellau, Rees hitting a four to seal a 3 wicket success, on 178 for 7.
Lafras' match winning knock ended when he was caught behind by Sheldrake off Joss Roberts, perhaps attempting to hit a six to reach a century!
Gareth Pugh had 2 wickets for 32 from 9 overs, Bettis 1 for 30, Ross Roberts 1 for 41 from 9, Jordan Williams 1 for 22 and Joss Roberts 1 for 8 at the end.
Dolgellau take 12 points, Brymbo 3 points.
In a midweek match Dolgellau's Jonathan Lloyd scored 65 not out for the Wales Over 50s 3rd XI side who beat their Gloucestershire counterparts away in Stroud.