Injuries and holidays are taking toll on Dinas (From Penarth Times)

Injuries and holidays are taking toll on Dinas

DINAS Powys First Eleven entertained Creigiau last weekend at an overcast Bryn-y-Don.

Having lost the toss again, Andy Ford's men were once again resigned to an afternoon's toil in the field. Lengthy spells from S Bussell (12-56-2), S Hudson (12-47-0) and H Marks (10-28-1) played their part in restricting the opposition to 204-7 off their 45 overs.

Pick of the bowlers once again was Duncan Boffin, with 4 for 33.

Faced with chasing a very manageable target on this Dinas wicket proved harder than the hosts would have imagined. Early wickets did not help the cause, with make-shift opener Steve Hudson the first to fall for 14.

Further contributions from Gordon Hannah (22), and the on-song Charlie Wingren (60) were as far as the Dinas resistance gave way, with none of the middle and lower order able to get going.

From 107-4 the deflated Villagers slumped to 130 all out, and to their eighth defeat of the season. The injuries and holidays appear to be taking their toll.

Dinas Powys Second Eleven made the trip down to Ewenny to play Vale on the same day.

After a certain amount of'persuasion' from his more experienced campaigners, skipper Evans won the toss and elected to bat in overcast conditions.

With a batting line-up somewhat short of batters, it was crucial that Dinas got off to a steady start.

Matthew Hunt and Ram Patel put on 40 for the first wicket, under pressure from some tight Vale bowling.

Hunt, first to fall for 14, was soon followed into the hutch by Pete Blackman, who - one ball after smashing the ball for four - claimed he hadn't seen the one that uprooted his middle stump.

At 48-2, Patel was joined by the in-form Mike O'Donovan, and together they pushed the score on to 78, before both fell in quick succession, O'Donovan for 20 and Patel 22.

With an array of talented spin-bowlers due in next, it was imperative that the current pair of G Evans and M Lowe scored runs.

After Lowe's untimely dismissal with the score at 100-5, the tail had to play their part in accumulating as many runs as possible in the remaining 15 overs.

A Patel and S Wilton fell cheaply, bamboozled by the Vale spinner, but man of the moment Basher stood his ground for the best part of 10 overs, with his captain, to ensure Dinas achieved a healthy total in difficult conditions.

After Basher's resistance was finally brought to an end for 14, N Thomas and young Tom Aplin soon followed suit, leaving Evans stranded (44) and Dinas all out for 162, just shy of their 45 overs.

Attempting to defend their total, the Villagers couldn't have got off to a better start, as with Anish Patel's first second-team delivery this season, Pete Blackman took a superb diving catch to remove Vale's dangerous opening batsman without scoring.

An accurate and lengthy spell of bowling from Mike Lowe gave Dinas hope of an unlikely victory, but as the opposition batsmen became more and more accustomed to their surroundings, they didn't look like getting out.

Despite two further wickets from Basher, thanks to catches from Lowe and Anish, runs continued to flow for Vale as they eventually reached their target in the 31st over, for the loss of 3 wickets.

Good fielding from Blackman, Hunt, Wilton and Aplin could not prevent the Seconds from slipping to their fifth successive defeat.