DINAS Cricket Club's 1st team welcomed the visit of Monkshood CC to Bryn Y Don on a damp green wicket.

Having lost the toss Dinas were inserted and had to bat well early on. Gordon Hannah and Jeff Mitchell battled cautiously but sensibly early on and put on an excellent platform of 96 before Mitchell holed out for a watchful 29.

Hannah, fell soon after completing an excellent half century, for 58 as Gareth Trumper took an excellent caught and bowled. Asad Rivzi and Curtis Wingren rebuilt well before Rivzi was out for 23.

Wingren finding it tricky on a wicket with no pace battled hard and appeared to find his stride when Dani Zaman was promoted to number five upped the rate, Zaman clubbing one of his trademark sixes.

Zaman was bowled for 16 trying to take the attack to Monkswood, with the attacking continuing with the recalled Jack Preston scoring a cameo 18 off 11 balls with some inventive stroke play. Wingren buoyed with the attacking nature decided to attack and made a clever anchoring 31 helping Dinas to reach an above par 218-6.

After tea Dinas opened the attack with skipper Clarke and Saj Ali but pace appeared to be the easiest way of scoring and the Monkswood openers scored freely at six an over. Josh Clogg stemmed the tide with two quick LBWs to turn the tide towards Dinas with an excellent line and length.

The introduction of spin proved pivotal on a wicket that was perfect for Dinas' spinning threesome. Rivzi bowled beautifully taking 4/24 off his nine, Dani Zaman 2/31 with two excellent catches from Hannah behind the sticks and Fernando 1/14 who was unlucky not to take more wickets. Clarke coming back at the death bowled the last man to complete a excellent 71 run victory and maximum points.

With Monmouth and Barry Wanderers both losing out to the weather, once again Dinas find themselves back in the hunt for promotion.

The 2nds match at Ponthir was called off early on Saturday morning due to a waterlogged ground.

Dinas Powys 3rd XI travelled to Abercarn hoping to continue their recent good form and cement second place in the league table. With England playing host to Sri Lanka in Cardiff, stand in skipper Red Todd-Bennett was again scouring the pubs of Dinas to ensure he could field 11 players.

Abercarn won the toss and chose to bat despite a showery morning in South Wales. An excellent show from under-15s Nathan Waite and Ryan Mullins plus the consistent bowling of Richard "Johnny English" Bean and Alun "Hal Robson-Badger" Wallace was enough to see Abercarn all out for 137.

Plaudits also go to youngster Jacob Hatcher who recorded best figures 2-6 off his two overs.

After a decent spread at teatime which earned everyone's seal of approval, captain Todd-Bennett sent out late call up Lloyd Di Mauro and James Hiscocks to bat. The pair reached 80 looking totally untroubled until the drinks break brought a downturn in fortune.

Hiscocks was bowled for 33 with Simon Liggins and Roy "The Ploy" Davies soon following leaving Dinas 40 short of the target. However, Di Mauro (71 not out) continued to plug away and with the help of Bean saw the away side to victory by six wickets - an excellent victory from a young and largely inexperienced side.

Next Saturday's matches

Firsts away v Machen CC

Seconds home (Bryn y Don) v Malpas CC - 12.30pm

Third away v Hopkinstown CC