Wales women get off to flying start

30th June 2014 | Mallory Gray

Lauren Parfitt Batting against Worcestershire

Wales Women got their season off to a great start under new head coach Kathryn Wilkins, with victories over Durham and Worcestershire, before defeats by Ireland and Somerset.

Debuts were handed to Cerys Haf Thomas, the current Wales U17 vice-captain, and Sophie Tucker originally from Gloucestershire, for the opening ECB County Championship Division 2 match away to Durham. Naomi Williams-Wadley (Gwent) struck twice early to get Wales off to a great start and put Durham on the back foot at 5 for 2. Durham regrouped to 59 for 4 before a collapse saw them bowled out for 79. Excellent spells of slow bowling from the captain Claire Thomas (West Glamorgan) kept pressure on Durham, conceding just six runs off her eight overs, and allowing slow left-armer Lauren Parfitt (Gwent) to reap the rewards with figures of 3 for 18 off her 7.3 overs. Wales were four wickets down when passing the total, with Gwenan Davies (West Glamorgan) scoring 21 and Claire Thomas 21not out.  Lauren Parfitt, who has been out of the game for nearly 11 months after shoulder surgery, took three wickets, three catches and a run-out, and scored 18 runs to mark an excellent return.

In the victory over Worcestershire, Ffion Cartwright (Cardiff and the Vale) and Rebecca Struthers (Mid Glamorgan) both struck early leaving Worcestershire 7 for 2. Another excellent spell of tight bowling by Claire Thomas saw her concede just 15 runs off her 10 overs, while Marsha Davies (Gwent) picked up 2 wickets for 4 runs. The highlight of the bowling attack was the five wicket haul by Lauren Parfitt who finished with figures of 5 for 20 - her first for Wales Women, as Worcestershire ended all-out for 78.

Openers Gwenan Davies (35 not out) and Lauren Parfitt (31 not out) saw Wales home to a nine-wicket victory. However, Wales lost to Ireland by six wickets at Newport. Slumping to 37 for 7, the innings was revived by Marsha Davies, who batted for 37 overs and scored 34, to help Wales to a total of 114.

 Ireland were four wickets down and passed the total in 36 overs. Cecelia Joyce, the sister of Ireland and England international Ed Joyce, was the mainstay of the Ireland innings with 53.

Wales then lost by five wickets against Somerset at Aberdare CC. Wales were bowled out for 122, Gwenan Davies top scoring with 29. Somerset were 126 for 5 in reply, with Claire Thomas the pick of the Welsh bowlers, taking 1 for 15 in seven overs.

“We have certainly seen some ups and downs already,” said Wales team manager Aimee Rees. “Among the really positive outcomes so far has been seeing some talented young players making the senior team. For instance, 15-year-old Rose Evans made her senior debut against Somerset, and looked comfortable at that level. “We are now looking to press on and recapture our early form as the season progresses.”


Cafodd Tîm Merched Cymru ddechreuad da i’r tymor dan eu prif hyfforddwr newydd Kathryn Wilkins, gan guro Durham a Swydd Gaerwrangon, cyn cael eu trechu gan Yr Iwerddon a Gwlad yr Haf.

Cafodd  Cerys Haf Thomas, is-gapten presennol tîm dan 17 Cymru, a Sophie Tucker, o Swydd Gaerloyw’n wreiddiol, y cyfle i chwarae i’r tîm am y tro cyntaf yng ngêm agoriadol Adran 2 Pencampwriaeth Sirol yr ECB oddi cartref yn Durham.

Ergydiodd Naomi Williams-Wadley (Gwent) ddwywaith yn gynnar i roi dechreuad gwych i Gymru a rhoi  Durham mewn sefyllfa amddiffynnol ar 5 am 2.  Llwyddodd Durham i ailffurfio a chael 59 am 4 cyn chwalu unwaith eto a chael eu bowlio allan am 79.

Llwyddodd  y capten Claire Thomas (Gorllewin Morgannwg)  i gadw’r pwysau ar Durham, gyda chyfnodau o fowlio araf gwych, gan ildio dim ond chwe rhediad oddi ar ei wyth pelawd, a chaniatáu i’r bowliwr araf braich chwith, Lauren Parfitt (Gwent) i  fanteisio ar y sefyllfa honno gyda  ffigyrau o 3 am 18 oddi ar ei 7.3 pelawd.

Roedd Cymru bedair wiced i lawr wrth basio’r  cyfanswm, gyda Gwenan Davies (Gorllewin Morgannwg) yn sgorio 21 a Claire Thomas yn 21 heb fod allan.

Cafodd Lauren Parfitt, sydd heb chwarae am bron 11 mis yn dilyn triniaeth i’w hysgwydd, dair wiced, tri daliad a rhediad allan, gan sgorio 18 rhediad a dychwelyd i’r gêm mewn steil.

Yn y fuddugoliaeth yn erbyn Swydd Gaerwrangon, ergydiodd Ffion Cartwright (Caerdydd a’r Fro) a Rebecca Struthers (Morgannwg Ganol) yn gynnar ill dwy, gan adael Swydd Gaerwrangon yn 7 am 2.

Yn sgil cyfnod arall o fowlio tynn gan Claire Thomas, llwyddodd i ildio 15 o rediadau’n unig oddi ar ei 10 pelawd, gyda Marsha Davies (Gwent) yn cael 2 wiced am 4 rhediad. Uchafbwynt yr ymosodiad bowlio oedd yr haliad pum wiced gan Lauren Parfitt, a orffennodd gyda ffigyrau o 5 am 20 – ei chyntaf i Dîm Merched Cymru, wrth i Swydd Gaerwrangon orffen ar 78 i gyd allan.

Sicrhaodd y batwyr cyntaf Gwenan Davies (35 heb fod allan) a Lauren Parfitt (31 heb fod allan) fuddugoliaeth naw wiced i Gymru yn y pen draw.

Fodd bynnag, collodd Cymru i’r Iwerddon o chwe wiced yng Nghasnewydd.  Ar ôl disgyn i 37 am 7, rhoddodd  Marsha Davies fywyd newydd i’r batiad, gan fatio am 37 pelawd a sgorio 34, i helpu Cymru i gyrraedd cyfanswm o  114.

Roedd Yr Iwerddon pedair wiced i lawr a heibio’r cyfanswm mewn 36 pelawd.  Cecelia Joyce, chwaer chwaraewr rhyngwladol Yr Iwerddon a Lloegr, Ed Joyce, oedd asgwrn cefn batiad Yr Iwerddon gyda 53.

Aeth Cymru ymlaen i golli o bum wiced yn erbyn Gwlad yr Haf yng Nghlwb Criced Aberdâr.  Bowliwyd Cymru allan am 122, gyda Gwenan Davies â’r sgôr uchaf o 29. Atebodd Gwlad yr Haf gyda 126 am 5, gyda Claire Thomas ymhlith bowlwyr gorau Cymru, yn cymryd 1 am 15 mewn saith pelawd.

“Yn sicr ry’n ni wedi gweld llanw a thrai yn barod,” meddai rheolwr tîm Cymru Aimee Rees.  “Un o’r pethau hynod bositif hyd yn hyn fu gweld chwaraewyr ifanc talentog yn cyrraedd y tîm hyn.  Er enghraifft, chwaraeodd Rose Evans i’r tîm hyn am y tro cyntaf yn erbyn Gwlad yr Haf, gan edrych yn gyfforddus ar y lefel honno. “Ein bwriad nawr yw dal ati ac adfer peth o’n safon gynnar wrth i’r tymor fynd yn ei flaen.”