DOLGELLAU  205 for 7 lost to BUCKLEY 206 for 5 by 5 wickets

North Wales League, Division 1 THE new season finally got under way on Saturday for Dolgellau CC, but not in a favourable way as visitors Buckley claimed a five wicket win in Division 1 of the North Wales League.

The host captain, Jack Williams won the toss and decided to bat first on a warm, sunny afternoon, ideal for batting.

At the end of their 45 overs Dolgellau had reached 205 for 7, only to see Buckley progress to 206 for 5 with 5 overs to spare.

For Dolgellau, South African player Lafras Van Vuuren made a pleasing debut, top scoring with an undefeated 87 and was also the pick of the bowlers only conceding 21 runs from his nine overs of off spin.

The new season gift of 58 extras when Dolgellau fielded boosted Buckley's winning total, 43 of which were wides, the vast majority leg side wides some of which went to the boundary.

Those 58 extras helped speed the visitors to their success and surpassed any innings extras of last season.

Dolgellau opener Morgan Yorke was dismissed bowled by Jack Whitley when the total was on 16, and fellow opener Jonathan LLoyd for 18 following a 2nd wicket stand of 38 with Sion Francis, caught by Whitley off spinner Adam Shaw.

Debutant Lafras joined Francis in the middle and after a watchful start proceeded to punish the loose deliveries.

Likewise Francis was batting well, carefully building his innings until he was caught by Carl Jutson off Ollie Fellows for 35 with a six and 4 fours, having a partnership of 70 with Lafras, who was on 39 at the dismissal of Francis.

Dolgellau went from 124 for 2 to 155 for 6, single figure scores for Jaco Oosthuizen, Stuart Evans and Jack Williams who went to a smart stumping by Rocco Franco off Jack Gibson.

Phil Leeds helped Lafras add 30 for the 7th wicket as the overs remaining diminished, caught for 10, giving Fellows a 4th wicket.

In the meantime Lafras had reached a half century from 77 deliveries, his 50 coming in the 33rd over.

Number 9 batter Sam Jones stayed with Lafras for the last few overs as 20 more runs were added to take Dolgellau to 205 for 7.

Lafras remained unbeaten on 87, striking 2 sixes and 9 fours, while the total of the other batters' runs was 79, Buckley donating 39 extras, 

Fellows claimed 4 for 29 from his 9 overs and there was 1 wicket apiece for Whitley, Shaw and Gibson.

After the interval Buckley got off to an excellent start notching up 64 from the first 10 overs with Rocco Franco doing the bulk of the scoring.

When their first wicket went down in the 16th over, that of Adam Smith for 16 bowled by Jack Williams, the total was 89, Franco scoring 64 of those reaching his fifty off 33 balls.

Franco had advanced to 74 from 73 balls, hitting 3 sixes and 8 fours, being caught at mid off by Lafras giving Jack his 2nd wicket, the total now 111 for 2 from 22 overs, as the introduction of Lafras into the bowling attack stemmed the flow of runs somewhat.

Danny Sprake was lbw to Jack and Whitley bowled by Lafras before Chris Geary and Jutson took it to 154 for 5, the latter lbw to Yorke.

Buckley did not lose another wicket, Geary and Fellows taking them across the winning line with an unbroken alliance of 52, some wayward Dolgellau bowling not helping matters.

Fellows hit a six and 2 fours in his 25 not out while Geary was on 18 not out as a 5 wicket victory came to Lee Taylor's Buckley side, reaching 206 for 5 in 40 overs.

Jack Williams finished with 3 for 43 from 9 overs, Lafras 1 for 21 from 9 and Yorke 1 for 51 from 9 overs; Francis and Oosthuizen the other bowlers used, as Buckley take 13 points to Dolgellau's 2 points.

Dolgellau 2nds visited Corwen 2nds for a division four clash on Saturday and fell to defeat by 36 runs.

An innings of 100 not out by Corwen's number 4 batter Barry Morris carried his side to 181 for 7 from the 40 overs.

Morris struck 12 fours, only 2 others making it to double figures, David Buckland 20 not out and Iwan Turner 10.

Dolgellau debutant Tom Deane took 3 wickets for 24, skipper Alex Yorke 2 for 15, Tom Conde 1 for 18 and Iwan Parry 1 for 32, Tom Deane also holding a catch, while youngster James Conde only conceded 14 from his 4 overs.

Dolgellau responded with 145 all out in 37.2 overs, Tom Conde top scoring with a good 56 with 8 boundaries. Alun Roberts made 24 and Alex Yorke 16, Morris taking 3 for 24 to go with his century.

Nathan Davenport and Buckland had 2 wickets each as Corwen won by 36 runs.

The previous week's Bank Holiday Monday, Dolgellau 2nds match at home to Mynydd Isa & Maeshafn was abandoned due to heavy rain saturating the playing area.

The visitors were all out for 102, skipper Richard Rees taking 3 for 13, Phil Deane 3 for 36 and Dave Jenkins 2 for 8. Rees had 2 catches and a run out, Tom Conde and Joel Eynon a catch each and Sam Jones a run out. Dolgellau had made 9 for 1 in reply before the rain brought an end to proceedings.