Cricket: Hawarden Park stun North Wales League Premier Division pacesetters Pontblyddyn

Jun 18 2009 by Paul Wheelock, Flintshire Chronicle

Cricket: Hawarden Park stun North Wales League Premier Division pacesetters Pontblyddyn

HAWARDEN Park prevented Pontblyddyn from making it a magnificent seven victories from seven on Saturday as they became the first team to claim the scalp of the North Wales League Premier Division pacesetters.

After a 100% winning start to the season, Julian Morris’ men were favourites to extend their advantage at the top. But Hawarden are a different team to the one that only managed to survive the drop on the final day of last season.

While they have not made the flying start to the campaign that they had hoped, Adam Doyle’s side have improved game-on-game, as Pont found to their cost at their Alder Meadow home.

With Jamie Ducker (4-54 off 15 overs), Craig Wilson (1-38 off 15) and Campbell Marr (1-44 off 14) in the mood, the hosts had to settle for 230-6 after 58 testing overs. And that total would have been lower had Phil Davies not cut loose late on in the innings.

The league’s leading run-maker is in fantastic form and his unbeaten 111 was his second century in as many matches.

Hawarden’s Tom Ducker is new to the league, but his big-hitting reputation is growing fast and he shared an opening-wicket partnership of 115 with James Hurlin (41) on his way to 81.

Although Mark Neath (3-22 off 15 overs) bowled well, he could not stop Marr (52no) and Ian Martin (24no) steering the visitors to 231-4 and a 23-1 points bonanza that hauled them out of the bottom two.

Captain Doyle, who did not come into bat, said: “I love batting and playing cricket but I’d be happy not to come in again this season if the lads keep playing like that! It was a fantastic result for us and a good result for the league because it looked like Pont were going to run away with it.

“We’re out of the relegation zone now and we want to get as high up the league as possible.”