Pwllheli Cricket Club News

First home win for Pwllheli

Before I write this weeks report I must confess to having received some criticism of a previous report I wrote.  I wish to apologise for this and refuse to name names for the sake of saving any embarrassment.  However, I would like to say that Nadeem batted, bowled and fielded very well indeed this week!!

On to the match!  Pwllheli were looking for their first home win of the season again bottom club Brymbo and after claiming the toss due to a late arrival by the opposition, skipper Gower had less hesitation that usual in electing to bat.  Openers Jones and Cooper set about their task well, helped by some indifferent fielding, before, as has happened so many times this season, Rob Cooper was given out to a howler of a LBW decision for a hard hitting 29.

This brought Ceiri Rowlands, the saviour of the second team to the wicket, for a quick fire innings of 2!  Ben Jones by this time was becoming more fluent and with Rehman at the other end, the score started gathering momentum.  Rehman was batting with more of his natural aggression following a heart to heart with the skipper and it was wonderful to watch.

Drinks came and went, and then Ben Jones also went for a wonderful knock of 64.  The in form Chris Moore smacked his first ball to the boundary but unfortunately was to trouble the scorers no more lobbing a simple catch.   With Rehman (who it should be noted is third head coach) rapidly approaching a deserved century the experienced second head coach Williams was a welcome site – making a miraculous recovery from a severe throat infection – and he was present when the magical three figures for Rehman arrived.

A few more lusty blows and Gower was able to declare on 246 for 5 after 45 overs to claim the maximum 10 batting points.

Resting the exhausted Jones, it was down to the mad carpenter Owens and the still in form Moore to open the bowling.  Both managed to extract more movement and pace than the Brymbo bowlers and were soon amongst the wickets.  Moore finishing with 2 wickets from 10 overs and the ever exhausted Owens 3 wickets for 17 runs from his full 13 overs.

The Brymbo middle order seemed intent on survival rather than points and skipper Gower chopped and changed his bowlers trying to get the necessary wickets.  Adam Williams (as always) bowled well to grab 3 for 14, a strange run out and Rehman picking up the final wicket meant that Pwllheli claimed the maximum 30 points, bowling the visitors out for only 85 runs.

In the bar afterwards, a chirpy skipper Gower commented on the days performance: “At last, a home win!  We have been so close on so many occasions this year that this is actually a strange feeling!  Credit goes to the whole team for an excellent batting display, tight fielding and great bowling.  Roll on the two games next weekend – we are now 4th from bottom, a little late for a promotion push possibly?  Where the heck is Rhys and that round?”