16th June 2015
| Mallory Gray
“Encouraging
team performances” – Cricket Wales performance manager, John Derrick.
The Wales cricket
teams have made a promising start to the new campaign across a range of age
groups.
Wales U12 started
in the best possible way, picking up a convincing 5 wicket victory against
Herefordshire U13. After losing the toss, Wales were made to field but made
inroads immediately with Jack Parry (NE Wales) picking up a wicket with the
first delivery of the match. Herefordshire recovered with a second wicket stand
of 46 but their middle order failed to kick on, as Welsh spinners Luc Rees
(West Glamorgan) (2-12) and Sean Buchanan (Eryri) (2-9) limited the visitors to
105-7. Chasing 106 to win, Wales lost two early wickets, but recovered with
Gwent pair Alex Horton (24) and Joe Westwood (17 not out) leading Wales to a 5
wicket victory.
Wales U12 enjoyed
further success when they travelled to Tiverton Heathcote Cricket Club to play
Devon U12s.
Devon put Wales into bat after winning the toss, a decision which
paid off immediately when they took an early wicket. But an impressive 55 run
stand for the second wicket between Ben Kellaway (Gwent) (30) and Osian Evans (Cardiff
and Vale) (49) put Wales on top. However,
Devon made regular inroads into the Welsh line-up and 107-3 turned into 155 all
out. Nevertheless, Jack Parry (1-8) and Joe Westwood (2-20) picked up early
wickets in the chase. And after the introduction of spinners Luc Rees (2-15)
and Ioan Phillips (Carmarthenshire) (2-18), Devon’s middle-order collapsed and
was bowled out inside 30 overs for a meagre 65.
The U14 Wales team
got their season underway with a win also, when they faced Millfield. Chasing
137, Gwent’s Scott O’Leary (52) and Tomos Evans (44 not out) led Wales to an 8
wicket win. Connor Davies (NE Wales) had earlier claimed figures of 4-23 to
reduce Millfield to a modest total.
Wales U14 followed
that by beating Wiltshire in a low scoring game. Wiltshire batted first but
struggled from the start, with Connor Stone (West Glamorgan) taking 5-9 to
limit the batting side to just 100. Further, despite losing a couple of early
wickets in reply, Travis Morgan (Gwent) (41 not out) and Tomos Evans (41 not
out) steered Wales home to a comfortable victory.
Wales U17s were on
show too, and began brightly against Cardiff CC with Oliver Pike (Cardiff and
Vale) taking 3-45 to limit Cardiff 202 inside their 45 overs. Yet despite half-centuries
from Jamie Mills (Cardiff and Vale) (50) and Scott Thornton (Gwent) (56), the
lower order batsmen were unable to score at the requisite run rate and consequently
Wales came 14 runs short.
Against Carmarthen
Wanderers, Wales U17s fared better, winning by 77 runs. A quick-fire 75 from
Scott Thornton propelled Wales to 221. Chasing, Carmarthen made an encouraging
start with an opening stand of 44, but were unable to stay in the game.
Wales U17s then went
to Millfield School, where - after Alastair Andrady (NE Wales) hit 110 - Wales
had good reason to think they had set a sizeable target. But when Millfield
started their innings they were able to put on 141 for the first wicket which
consequently proved too strong as they strolled home with 8 wickets remaining.
Wales U17s got
back to winning ways though when they thrashed Welsh Colleges by 42 runs after
setting up a huge total of 282-7 in 40 overs. Steffan Roberts (Mid Glamorgan) led
the way, scoring 101 from 93 balls. But the real fireworks came with Ryan Ward (Gwent)
who hit 53 off just 27 balls. Chasing 283 to win, Welsh Colleges put up a
commendable fight with many of Wales's bowlers leaking early runs. However, the
steady bowling of Prem Sisodiya (Cardiff and Vale) (2-37) was able ensure a
comfortable victory.
Wales U17 did fall
short against Newport at Spytty Park. Put in to bowl first, Wales were unable
to control the scoreboard from the onset as a strong top order performance from
Newport put the home team in charge despite Ieuan Paske's (Carmarthenshire) 4-20.
Chasing 236 to win, Wales fell short despite a very fine 52 from 74 balls from
Steffan Roberts, and lost by 29 runs.
“We have seen some
very encouraging team performances and some impressive individual contributions
at the start of the season,” said Cricket Wales performance manager, John
Derrick. “Our teams are now looking to
build on this as the season progresses.”
Buddugoliaethau
i dimau Cymru ar ddechrau’r tymor
Cafodd timau
criced Cymru ddechrau addawol i’r tymor newydd ar draws ystod o grwpiau oedran.
Dechreuodd tîm D12 Cymru yn y ffordd orau posib, gyda buddugoliaeth gadarn
o 5 wiced yn erbyn tîm D13 Swydd Henffordd.
Ar ôl colli’r tafliad, bu’n rhaid i Gymru faesu, ond cawsant hwyl arni’n
syth gyda Jack Parry (GDd Cymru) yn cael wiced gyda phêl gynta’r gêm. Llwyddodd
Swydd Henffordd i adfer y sefyllfa drwy sgorio 46 rhediad am yr ail wiced, ond
methodd gweddill y batwyr â manteisio ar y cyfle wrth i droellwyr Cymru, Luc
Rees (Gorll. Morgannwg) (2-12) a Sean Buchanan (Eryri) (2-9) gyfyngu sgôr yr
ymwelwyr i 105 am 7. Collodd Cymru ddwy wiced gynnar, ond llwyddodd y ddau
fatiwr o Went, Alex Horton (24) a Joe Westwood (17 heb fod allan) i arwain
Cymru i fuddugoliaeth o 5 wiced.
Cafodd tîm D12 Cymru lwyddiant pellach ar ôl teithio i Glwb Criced
Tiverton Heathcote i herio tîm D12 Dyfnaint.
Gofynnodd Dyfnaint i Gymru fatio’n gyntaf ar ôl ennill y tafliad, gan
gymryd wiced gynnar, ond roedd Cymru mewn sefyllfa gref yn sgil bartneriaeth
glodwiw o 55 rhediad am yr ail wiced gan Ben Kellaway (Gwent) (30) ac Osian
Evans (Caerdydd a’r Fro) (49). Fodd
bynnag, tarodd Dyfnaint yn ôl, gan gipio nifer o wicedi ac achosi dirywiad ym
matiad Cymru, o 107 am 3 i 155 i gyd allan.
Serch hynny, llwyddodd Jack Parry
(1-8) a Joe Westwood (2-20) i gipio
wicedi cynnar ym matiad Dyfnaint ac yn sgil ymdrechion y troellwyr Luc Rees
(2-15) ac Ioan Phillips (Sir Gâr) (2-18), bowliwyd y tîm cartref allan am 65
rhediad o fewn 30 pelawd.
Dechreuodd tîm D14
Cymru eu tymor gyda buddugoliaeth hefyd, yn erbyn tîm Millfield. Enillodd Cymru
o 8 wiced ar ôl i ddau fatiwr Gwent, Scott O’Leary (52) a Tomos Evans (44 heb
fod allan) arwain y ras i sgorio’r 137 rhediad oedd ei angen. Cipiodd Connor Davies (GDd Cymru) 4 wiced am 23 rhediad gan helpu i gyfyngu sgôr
Millfield.
Dilynodd tîm D14
Cymru hynny drwy guro Wiltshire mewn gêm o sgoriau isel. Wiltshire fatiodd yn gyntaf gan sgorio 100 yn
unig, gyda Connor Stone (Gorll. Morgannwg) yn cymryd 5-9. Er i Gymru golli
wicedi cynnar yn eu hymateb, llywiodd Travis Morgan (Gwent) (41 heb fod allan) a
Tomos Evans (41 heb fod allan) dîm Cymru i fuddugoliaeth gyfforddus.
Cafodd tîm D17
Cymru ddechreuad da hefyd yn erbyn Clwb Criced Caerdydd, gydag Oliver Pike (Caerdydd
a’r Fro) yn cymryd 3-45 gan helpu i gyfyngu sgôr Caerdydd i 202 o’u 45
pelawd. Serch ymdrechion gwrol Jamie Mills (Caerdydd a’r Fro) (50) a
Scott Thornton (Gwent) (56), ni allai’r gynffon sgorio’n ddigon cyflym a
chollodd Cymru o 14 rhediad.
Cafodd tîm D17 Cymru well hwyl arni yn erbyn Crwydrwyr Caerfyrddin,
gan ennill o 77 rhediad. Sgoriodd Cymru
221 yn dilyn batiad sydyn o 75 gan Scott Thornton. Cafodd Caerfyrddin ddechrau da i’w batiad,
gyda’r agorwyr yn sgorio 44 cyn cael eu gwahanu, ond dirywiodd y batiad o hynny
ymlaen.
Yna wynebodd tîm
D17 Cymru Ysgol Millfield. Credai Cymru
eu bod wedi gosod targed sylweddol wedi
i Alastair Andrady (GDd Cymru) daro 110, ond llwyddodd agorwyr Millfield i
sgorio 141 am y wiced gyntaf, a osododd y seiliau ar gyfer buddugoliaeth rwydd
o 8 wiced iddynt.
Serch hynny, daeth
llwyddiant i ran tîm D17 Cymru wrth iddyn nhw guro Colegau Cymru o 42 o
rediadau ar ôl gosod cyfanswm enfawr o 282-7 oddi ar 40 pelawd. Steffan Roberts (Morg. Ganol) a arweiniodd y
ffordd, gan sgorio 101 oddi ar 93 pêl, ond y perfformiad mwyaf tanllyd oedd un
Ryan Ward (Gwent) a darodd 53 oddi ar 27 pêl yn unig. Brwydrodd Colegau Cymru’n galed ond llwyddodd
bowlio tynn Prem Sisodiya (Caerdydd a’r Fro) (2-37) i sicrhau buddugoliaeth
gyfforddus i dîm Cymru.
Colli fu hanes tîm D17 Cymru yn erbyn Casnewydd ym Mharc Sbytty. Cymru fowliodd yn gyntaf, gan golli rheolaeth
ar y gêm o’r dechrau yn sgil perfformiad cryf gan fatwyr cynnar Casnewydd, er
gwaethaf ymdrechion Ieuan Paske (Sir Gâr) 4-20.
Collodd Cymru o 29 rhediad, er i Steffan Roberts sgorio 52 gwych oddi ar
74 pêl yn y ras i gyrraedd y targed o 236.
“Cafwyd perfformiadau
calonogol iawn gan y timau a chyfraniadau unigol nodedig ar ddechrau’r tymor,” meddai
rheolwr perfformiad Criced Cymru, John
Derrick. “Mae ein timau’n gobeithio
adeiladu ar hyn wrth i’r tymor fynd rhagddo.”