Pwllheli Cricket Club News

Pwllheli snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

New captain Paul Gower, couldn’t have had a more difficult first match in charge, with the current first placed team, Clay Welfare visiting Pwllheli.

On a steaming hot day, Clay batted first and were soon in trouble when Simon Owens claimed a wicket with only the third ball of the match.  By the end of the second over however, it was Pwllheli who were in trouble as the Clay batmen went after our bowling hitting the ball to all parts of the ground!

The Pwllheli opening attack of Ben Jones and Simon Owens stuck to their task well and Jones soon picked up his first wicket of the day, well caught by the surprisingly mobile Chris Moore at first slip. Jones gave way to Nadeem Mohammed whilst Owens still toiled away in the blazing heat!  A neat catch by Nadeem Rehman fielding at gully gave Nadeem (2) his first wicket and things were going well.

The introduction of Nadeem (1) to the bowling attack brought more wickets but the Clay batsmen were still tanking along – scoring at nearly 6 an over.  A stunning catch by Gower earned Mohammed (or Nadeem 2!) another wicket and the weary Owens and the weary Jones came back to mop up the tail (or force an early declaration – you decide!).

Clay declared on 208 for 9 after only 44 overs to gain their maximum 10 batting points and set Pwllheli the task of scoring 209 from 56 overs.

Tea was very nice – the melon can be recommended in particular!

Regular opening Neil Williams was promoted from his previous number 10 position to open with Ben Jones and things started well with Jones in particular playing some lovely strokes.  Unfortunately having scored 13 he was adjudged LBW and it was time for some serious sunbathing for him.  The in form Aziz was next in and looked to continue where Jones left of only to be out quickly, falling to a stunning catch at second slip.

The Pwllheli boat was rocking!

Nadeem (1) and Williams set about the task of settling things down and it wasn’t long before Nadeem was playing some lovely looking shots.  Williams was his normal solid self, although clearly still suffering from his recent back problem he finally was out going for an out of character big shot for 13.

Chris Moore and Nadeem (2) both made starts and then both got out, Nadeem (1) at the other end was playing brilliantly.  Adam Williams failed to score which then brought the almost unknown Nabeel Mansoori to the wicket.  Taking the attack to the clay bowlers, his natural instinct to hit every ball started to pay off and we were back in the chase.

Needing 55 from the last 10 overs with 5 wickets in hand we were confident of not loosing, but as has happened so many times this season, these thoughts were unfounded.

Nadeem (1) was finally out for 75, Simon Owens looked a little out of form and was out for 0 and Rhys Griffiths (who never looks out of form) was the second batsmen to be given out LBW, also for 0.  So, 7 overs to go, 40 odd runs needed and skipper Gower, batting at a very strange number 11 came to the middle. Solid defence by Gower, coupled with Nabeels love of the big shot, managed to get us to the 56th over before Nabeel became the third Pwllheli batsman to be out LBW with the score on 176 and yet again, Pwllheli managed to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory!

In the bar afterwards, a detected and thirsty Gower praised his bowlers.  “The bowlers stuck to their task well and the fielding display was among the best I have seen at Pwhelli.  Again, it was our batting that was left wanting – we need to stop depending on only one batsmen and use a little more common sense to read the state of the game.  I think next week will need to see some changes to ensure that we do finally start winning – now, who is getting the skipper a beer?”