MOLD 184 for 3  beat DOLGELLAU  180 for 6 by 7 wickets 

Readers North Wales League, Division 1

DOLGELLAU were left waiting for their first away win of the season after their defeat at 4th placed Mold on Saturday, the match shortened to 38 overs a side due to a thundery downpour at 23 overs of the visitors innings.

Put in to bat Dolgellau notched up 180 for 6 from their 38, only to see Mold respond in style, reaching a winning 184 for 3 with 6.1 overs to spare.

Lafras Van Vuuren top scored for Dolgellau with 59, but that was surpassed by Isaac Allen's undefeated 63, the host captain and Usman Butt taking the score from 91 for 3 to get to their target for a seven wicket success.

For the second successive week Dolgellau openers Jack Williamson and Dave Jenkins had a 50 partnership at the start of the innings, this time putting on 71 in 19 overs.

Play was halted by the thunderstorm for over an hour at 77 for 1 from 23 overs, after Williamson was given out lbw in Tom North's 6th over having struck a six and 4 fours in his knock of 34.

Jenkins was joined by Lafras in an alliance of 48 in 10 overs for the second wicket, Jenkins run out by George Jones, going for a quick single, hitting 5 fours in his steadfast 35.

During a stand of 36 with Morgan Yorke, Lafras got to his third 50 of the campaign and was on 56 when Yorke was well caught on the long off boundary by George Godwin off the bowling of Usman Butt for 11; 155 for 3 in the 34th of the 38 overs.

Four runs later Lafras left the scene for his 59 which included a six and 6 fours, his half century coming from 52 deliveries.

Attempting a scoop shot off the bowling of his fellow South African, Munowar Samsodien, Lafras miscued, giving a catch to the keeper Ewan Hill.

From the remaining 3.5 overs the later batters managed to eke out another 21 runs, Jaco Oosthuizen, Stuart Evans and Rob Humphreys making contributions.

Samsodien had a run out and Butt took his second wicket as Dolgellau closed on 180 for 6, Evans not out 8 and skipper Jack Williams a single, having to come in for one delivery.

Butt finished with 2 for 26, North 1 for 23 and Samsodien 1 for 32.

After the break, Mold's openers went six runs better than the visitors opening pair, from 6 overs less.

Tom North was the chief aggressor plundering 9 fours in his 48, but with the total on 77, North was run out by Richard Rees after being sent back by his partner Ewan Hill.

At 81, Hill departed for 27, four boundaries, well taken at short mid on by Jack Williamson in Lafras' 4th over.

It became 91 for 3 in the 18th over, when Richard Crane gave a catch to Lafras, returning the compliment to Williamson's bowling.

That proved to be the last success for Dolgellau as Mold cantered to a seven wicket victory, number three Usman Butt and number five Isaac Allen putting together an undefeated stand of 93.

Allen hammered 4 sixes and 4 fours as he made 63 not out from 55 balls, supported by the more watchful Butt on 28 not out from 45 deliveries.

Mold reached the winning line off 31.5 overs, giving them 14 points to the visitors single point.

Leg spinner Williamson claimed 1 for 34 from 9 overs and off spinner Lafras 1 for 36 from the same number of overs.

The other bowlers Jack Williams, Oosthuizen and Dyfan Hughes were out of luck on this occasion, Yorke unable to bowl because of a side strain.

At least the number of extras given away by the visitors was greatly reduced compared to recent matches, 16 this time.