02-05-2025
Key clashes for Northop, Brymbo and Gwersyllt Park
Next up is a home Premier Division clash with Menai Bridge, as Northop look to bounce back from the disappointment of losing a low-scoring affair at St Asaph.
Brilliant with the ball was Northop's Matthew Mullarkey, who claimed a hat-trick in his five-wicket haul, while the Saints' Dan Evans grabbed eight wickets.
Skipper Bart Ryan-Beswick said: 'It was a fantastic bowling performance. There's nothing else to say. It was a bit of a genius spell. Five-for and a hat-trick.
'You know, it's one of those games we should be winning, but unfortunately we got the jitters.
'Dan, he's a really good cricketer and he's a good bowler. He was at the other end when Matt took a hat-trick. He bowled well.'
Looking ahead to tomorrow's match-up, Ryan-Beswick said: 'Menai Bridge is always a team that's going to turn up.
'They're very consistent in terms of their squad and they are never easy to beat.
'It will be a real tough game. We will have to see how we go.'
Nathan Pierce and Andy Oates will come into the Northop ranks.
There are home comforts at last for Brymbo to look forward to.
Following two away days to begin the campaign, Dan Parry's outfit are preparing for tomorrow's clash with leaders Bangor.
'It was marked as one of the big games at the start of the season,' stressed Parry, who led his team to a three-wicket success at Denbigh last time out.
'They have got Nat Scott and Jamie Grimshaw and they've not gone there to not compete.
'It will be nice to go and play at home. We haven't played at home yet, playing in familiar conditions.
'The big sides always win their home games. We would like to make sure our home is a fortress. That will be key.'
Gwersyllt Park skipper Jamie Griffiths wants his side to start picking up points, but that's proving to be tricky during a testing start to the season.
After losing out to Northop and defending champions Mochdre, Park must now tackle last season's runners-up St Asaph at home tomorrow.
'It's two games into taking a new squad on,' said Griffiths. 'We need to start picking up points very quickly.'
Park have picked up nine points so far, six of them arriving as they pushed Mochdre all the way prior to losing out by just two wickets.
'I think we're doing one side of the game very well and it needs to be two sides of the game,' said Griffiths.
'We just need to start sorting that out very quickly. We understand we have got to put that right.
'We have got to value our wicket a bit better.'
Even at this point of the campaign, there's a crucial contest towards the foot of the standings as basement side Conwy host Bethesda tomorrow.
In the other match-up, Denbigh make the trip to Mochdre.
