DINAS Powys 1st XI opened their account in Division 3 of the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League at home facing Monkswood on Saturday.

New 1st XI skipper Nathan Piddock promptly lost the toss and was asked to bat first by his opposite number. Opening up with Gordon Hannah, Piddock helped propel Dinas to 30 from the first seven overs before being bowled for 20.

In the same over, Lloyd Di Mauro also perished without troubling the scorers. Hannah then looked to rebuild with Asad Rizvi, with the pair laying a solid foundation before Rizvi was adjudged leg before wicket (LBW) after a partnership of 50.

Hannah fell shortly after for 31 leaving Curtis Wingren and 15-year-old 1st XI debutant Jack Thomas to rebuild the innings. Wingren started the more aggressively, but it was Thomas with the classy strokes which got Dinas to 113 at the Drinks break.

As per usual, drinks brought a wicket with Wingren being caught well at long on. Thomas fell shortly after leaving Jeff Mitchell and Lewis Clarke to build towards a solid first innings score.

Mitchell perished for a patient 12, whilst Clarke finished the innings on 30 having been run out off the last ball, and Dinas finished with a par score of 174 all out.

After a splendid tea break, Dinas looked to make early in roads and got just that with Lewis Clarke taking the confidence from his batting to bowl the dangerous Matthew Malson for a duck and in his second trapped Monkswood captain Mike Watkins LBW. The visitors then found themselves in a real spot of trouble at 25/5 thanks to further wickets for Clarke (3/11 off nine) and one apiece for skipper Piddock (1/23) and 1st XI veteran bowler Stephen Bussell (1/16).

The clever introduction from Piddock of Asad Rizvi worked a treat as the wily off-spinner took 5/15 from 5.2 overs to help bowl Monkswood out for 67.

After last week's frustrating loss, skipper Andy Ford took a different (read older) looking twos to Pontymister. Losing the toss and with the home side electing to bat Dinas, with at least three players of over 50 and a noticeable lack of pace about them took to the field.

The opening Ponty pair looked good and started aggressively, perhaps too much so and were soon back in the hutch courtesy of Singh’s bowling and catches that for once stuck. Brychan Tudor took a screamer and Gareth Evans took a spectacular one hander over his head.

Wickets fell steadily, and were shared round the bowling attack. A few lusty blows at the end off Hiscocks took the score to 127 before the secretary had his revenge bowling the last man with one that cut back and took the top off.

Once more the opposition had been allowed to get a few more than they should have but 128 looked a relatively comfortable target to win. There were three wickets each for Singh (3-23) and O'Coughtrey (3-11), but O'Coughtrey again bowled a great spell taking 1-11 in his nine overs.

After tea, last week's half centurion Tudor and O’Donovan set about the chase, with Tudor quick to punish any loose balls. O’Donovan was more watchful and eventually went for a patient five, which brought catching specialist Evans to the crease. He wasn’t in the mood for messing around, and quickly caught up with Tudor, with some strong leg side shots including a flat “horn”.

He got to a well deserved 50 just before Tudor hit the winning runs, finishing on 46 himself, as Dinas won by nine wickets with buckets of overs to spare.

Dinas Powys 3rd XI suffered defeat against Sully Spartans in Red Todd-Bennett’s first game as captain. The new skipper won the toss electing to bowl with Stuart Jones and Rob Tucker opening up the attack.

However, there was no early breakthrough allowing the Spartans’ opening batsman to find their feet. Overseas spinner (by virtue of his Cheltenham residency), Gareth Storey was brought on to mix it up and trapped opener Rod Howe LBW to claim Dinas’s first wicket before the carnage broke loose.

Fellow opener Shoaib (102) and Chris Howe (65) gave the Dinas bowlers some ‘tap’ although Mike Lowe, back from his exotic travels, was particularly aggrieved that the former wasn’t given out caught behind off his bowling much earlier on in the innings. Drinks came with Sully in a very strong position but Dinas rallied in the final 15 overs to claim a further six wickets with promising spells from Gareth Hodges and junior Nathan Waite.

Despite the late rally the early damage left the Villagers chasing a hefty target with Spartans closing on 282-8.

The Dinas batting started disastrously with openers Jones and Ian Roderick very quickly back in the pavilion with the skipper following soon after. Rob Tucker (46) and impressive new wicketkeeper Tom Eden (25) dug in to get the innings back on track when it looked as if making the start of the 5.30pm Saturday Night Football on the box was becoming a distinct possibility.

More rallying from Lowe and Hodges in the lower order was in vain with Dinas finishing up on 141-9 exactly halfway to their target. Special mention must go to youngsters Rhys Lloyd and Waite, who mature beyond their years, saw out the final overs to ensure Dinas were not all out gaining them two extra bonus points despite losing the match.

The Sunday XI took on the Welsh Asians on the Common. Lewis Clarke's charges were in trouble at 44-5 until the skipper and Nathan Piddock put on 127 runs for the fifth wicket as Dinas ended on 191-6. The visitors got the runs for five down in the 31st over. Pick of the bowlers was Lloyd DiMauro with 3/38 from his wily off spin, with Rhys Lloyd and Piddock pickup up a wicket apiece.

The club would like to thank Howard Potter of Potter & Co for his continued support of the club.

Fixtures for the week ahead

Saturday:

1st XI away v Whitchurch Heath 1pm

2nd XI home v Whitchurch Heath 12.30pm

3rd XI away v Cynon Valley 1pm

Sunday: Social v Furry Chequebooks, Common 2pm

Wednesday: Midweek v Cowbridge, Common 6pm