14th January 2015
| Mallory Gray
The
Wales 50’s D&M side completed the 2014 season by playing in the
final of the Southern Counties Senior Championship against Dorset 50’s,
played at Trowbridge CC on the 12thSeptember. Unfortunately, Wales lost
by 9 wkts.
In reaching to the final, the team had won 7 of their 8 championship games,
Somerset x 1, Devon x 2, Gloucestershire x 2 & Wiltshire x 2.
On
a glorious sunny day, Captain Danny Griffiths (Carmarthen Wanderers CC)
won the toss and elected to bat, a strategy that had worked well during
the season. However, with the tight Dorset bowling, the team score at
20 overs was 57, several batsmen got into double figures and at the end
of the 45 overs Wales were 177 all out, Paul Bennett (Chepstow CC)
scoring an excellent 63.
After
tea, the team was confident of making inroads into the Dorset batting
line up. However, the Dorset opening pair of Jim Ryall and John Young
tore into the Welsh seamers and put on 62 in the first 10 overs. Danny
changed tactics and brought on the spin attack of Steve Jones (Burton
CC) and Paul Webb (Whitland CC) who slowed the scoring down
considerably. However, both batsman worked well together and batted
sensibly before Jim Ryall finally fell on 98. Dorset went on to win by 9
wkts in the 41st over.
Excellent bowling by Steve Jones (Burton CC) -
9-4-11-0, did not bring a more deserved reward of a wicket or two.
The
Welsh D&M Championship side has only been playing in this
championship league for two seasons, and has reached the final in
both seasons. 21 players were called on to represent Wales during this
season and 22 were called on last season, all representing their country in
the most professional manner. Their support is certainly appreciated by
captain Danny Griffiths.
The
squad is able to field two 49 year old's in this championship,
therefore if there is any Welsh cricketer currently playing
league cricket who would like to have a taste of championship
cricket in this age group please contact Danny at -
[email protected] or by telephone on 07768574620.