Cricket: Pontblyddyn survive Mold test to remain in title hunt

Sep 1 2011 by Alec Doyle, Flintshire Chronicle

PONTBLYDDYN kept up what pressure they could on Connah’s Quay as they beat Mold by five wickets on Monday.

Reeling in the top side will be tough for Pont, but they did everything possible to take the title to the wire in a tough bank holiday encounter.

Having chosen to bat Mold didn’t look as if they had offered Pont too much of a challenge as they scored 128ao.

Russell Wiseman top-scored with 32 as Ben Mason (3-32), Kevin Owen (3-27) and Mark Neath (2-19) helped Pont make short work of the batsmen.

But after the interval Mold took the ball and the initiative.

Pont were stunned as John Crane caught and bowled Chris Myles for just 10 and James Griffiths accounted for Phil Davies for 18.

Usman Butt then stopped Glenn Chambers in his tracks on 21 by clean bowling the league’s second-highest wicket-taker before Pont regained some composure.

Alistair Roberts put Pont back in control with a firm 40 and Marcel Frenzel helped him stabilise Ponts reply.

Eventually Roberts fell victim to Thomas North but Frenzel remained at the crease, helping Mark Neath and then Chris Moss nudge Pont over the line with 129-5.

North was Mold’s best bowler with 2-18 as they forced Pont to overcome a little wobble to keep their title aspirations alive.