THE 2016 league season got off to the worst possible start for Dinas Powys Cricket Club, as all three sides lost, despite being in good shape at the half-way points.

The 1st XI began their attack on promotion in the newly formed South East Wales Cricket League Division 3 hosting Machen at Parc Bryn-y-Don. Skipper Nathan Piddock lost the toss, and opposite number Gareth Harris decided that his side would bat first on what looked like a very good early season wicket.

Dinas started slowly with the ball, with veteran opening bowler Stephen “Busty” Bussell unfortunately copping most of the Machen onslaught to go for 23 from his two opening overs.

With Machen on 25 off four overs captain Piddock brought himself in to the attack searching for some control, and took three wickets in his first three overs, finishing his nine over spell with his first five-fer of the season, taking 5/17, and leaving Machen in trouble at 91/5 at their half-way point.

Further wickets from the returning Dani Zaman (2/22), Asad Rizvi (1/16) and Matt Bloxham (1/24) helped to restrict Machen further to 115/8 before the last two wickets cost what were a crucial 47 runs to help Machen to a total of 162 all out from 40.5 overs.

The covers did their work during an hour of heavy rain and darkness, after which Dinas set about changing Machen’s 162 and got just what they needed as seasoned opening batsmen “Flash” Gordon Hannah (27) and new recruit Joe Beames raced to an opening stand of 36 in just 3.2 overs.

However Beames soon vanished for 12, quickly followed by Asad Rizvi the very next ball, well caught at first slip. Piddock couldn’t do much to prevent the onslaught and was caught behind the following over for four.

The collapse continued as Dinas started to fold like a pack of cards, and at 83/7 the game seemed all but done. However, Dinas didn’t give up the fight, as two good partnerships between Lewis Clarke (24) and firstly Matt Bloxham (9) got Dinas past the 100 mark, and then last wicket pairing of Clarke and Ali (21) put on a further 40 runs to get Dinas to within 18 when Ali was unfortunately caught at gully after a top edge on to his head had fell safely into the Machen captain’s hand. A tough day for the Dinas outfit, who must now regroup quickly if they are to push for promotion this term.

The 2nds travelled to Malpas with a much changed XI from the previous season but with high hopes of starting the season in a positive manner. Stand in skipper Jason Harries lost the toss and was asked to bat on a good looking track despite some overnight rain.

Openers Di Mauro and Wingren dug in against some decent bowling before wickets began to fall. Di Mauro, Harries and Wilton all fell cheaply before Wingren and new addition to the club, Kyle Hughes, set about building a partnership.

The pair put on 77 before Hughes fell for a well made 32. Wingren departed for 42 soon after and thanks to some lower order hitting from Singh (39), Dinas were bowled out for 192 in the 42nd over.

After a superb tea the villagers set about defending the total. Sadly, early season rustiness proved costly with some wayward bowling seeing Malpas reach 101-1 by the 15th over. After a timely rain interruption and the decision to take the pace of the ball Dinas pulled themselves back into the game.

Vowles (2-47) Lloyd (1-23) and Coughtrey (2-13) almost delivered an unlikely victory but for a well made 93 not out from Malpas opener Simmonds. Malpas reached the target in the 42nd over for the loss of seven wickets.

On The Common, the 3rds suffered a bitterly disappointing defeat at the hands of Hopkinstown 2nd XI. The visitors surprisingly opted to bat on a typically green, early-season track and the opening pairing proved particularly stubborn until young Nathan Waite finally made the breakthrough for Dinas courtesy of a great catch from stand-in skipper Red Todd-Bennett.

It was Waite who was to cause most of the damage (4-27) alongside Geoff Colley who for one of his three wickets belied his numerous injury complaints by throwing himself to the ground to take a fantastic caught and bowled chance. The 10-man Hopkinstown were struggling on 112-8 but Dinas let slip a couple of excellent chances to claim the final wicket giving away a further 50 runs in the process meaning they would be chasing an inflated target of 162 after tea.

A heavy downpour saw the match delayed and the pitch deteriorate but Dinas were in an excellent position at 105-2 with the returning Simon Westphal (25) and impressive debutant Ben James (27) at the crease. But once they had both departed, the Dinas domino effect hit as it has so many times in the past.

There was not even the prospect of a Geoff Colley miracle as he too, like most of the middle order was unable to trouble the scorers. It was left down to Gareth Hodges and Waite to see Dinas through but they were unable to do so as the home side fell a disappointing 14 short of their target.

Spirits in the club were lifted the following day when the Sunday XI beat close rivals Barry Wanderers at Hayes Point. The villagers scored 240/5 with Asad Rsivi hitting a maiden ton for the club (103), with support from Di Mauro 30, Piddock 24, Colley 24 and Thomas 24. In reply, the Wanderers were bowled out for just 82 (Vowles 3/2, Colley 2/1, Ali 2/20).

Next Saturday

1st XI away at Llantwit Fadre

2nd XI home v Cardiff Gymkhana (Parc Bryn y Don)

3rd XI away v Sully Spartans