First XI lose opener
24-04-10
Nick Washbrook found early form with the bat as Carmel First XI slipped to a seven-wicket defeat in their opening North Wales Cricket League Division Two fixture against Pontblyddyn Second XI.
Washbrook, who topped the Carmel averages last season, played with fluency before he was run out for 64.
Carmel lost Mike Jones (8) and WIll Loveland (8) early on after they were asked to bat by the visitors, but Washbrook continued where he left off in 2009 and he proved the mainstay of the innings along with wicketkeeper Danny Owens.
The pair took Carmel to 80/3 before vice-captain Owens was trapped lbw having made a typically aggressive 42 but Washbrook kept the scoreboard ticking over before he failed to make his ground and was run out to leave Carmel on 169/6 off 40.5 overs.
A score of 200+ looked beyond Carmel but a superb cameo by Jonny Hunter (37 not out) and some quick running between the wickets with Michael Harrison (7no) saw Carmel reach 202/7 off their 45 overs.
Carmel's bowlers will have fancied their chances of forcing a victory with the runs on the board but Pontblyddyn gave an exhibition in how to chase a large total.
Hunter claimed the first wicket and finished with figures of 1-40 off his 12 but Matthew Prescott was the pick of the bowling attack as he took 2-46 off nine while Chris Davies was wicketless on his First XI debut and returned 0-32 from seven overs.
Despite the loss of three wickets the visitors held their nerve and despite a few lucky edges they were able to claim a 8-2 points victory as they surpassed the total in the 42nd over. Full scorecard here...