North Wales Tour Report

North Wales Tour Report

In an extension to previous years, we began our week on Monday afternoon in sweltering conditions at St Asaph. A new ground for many of us, and unfamiliar conditions but thankfully St Asaph allowed us to bat first in 36 degree heat. The start of tour did not go to plan – 48-7 with a number of key batsmen and a couple of guests already taking shade. Gary Garner (22, before he was rather controversially given lbw by a teammate), James Weston (33) and Josh Bowen did manage to keep the home side out in the field for 39 of the 40 overs, with a slightly more respectable 104 all out on the scoreboard.

With an understandable desire not to keep everybody out there in the sun any longer than necessary, St Asaph sent in their quality batsmen to chase the total down in 23 overs, for the loss of one wicket – a stumping for Nathan Ramsay to make his trip worthwhile.

Bury 104ao (39.2) –  Springer 8, Mitchell 8, N Ramsay^ 0, R Garner 0, Booysen 4, G Garner* 22, Goodman 19, D Morris 0, J Weston 33, J Bowen 4, P Morris 0*

St Asaph 107/1 (22.4) – Goodman 7-2-19-1, Booysen 5-1-28-0, J Bowen 6-0-38-0, Springer 4.2-0-22-0

On Tuesday, it was a more familiar trip to Bangor with a travelling party of 4 joining our week-long squad of 8 (current or semi-retired) players. With one of our travellers needing to leave early, we reluctantly decided to bowl first in again hot conditions, although a breeze made the innings slightly more bearable than Monday. Amir Hayat took the first wicket of the day, before the slow bowling pair of Damario Goodman and Josh Bowen got stuck into the middle order. Opener Beth Hughes passed 50 before being caught by Goodman off the returning Hayat for 59 – Bangor finishing their 40 overs on a slightly manufactured 145-6.

Zain Khan looked at ease for his 24 opening the batting before mistiming one, before James Weston (45) and D’Angelo Springer put on a roughly run-a-ball 81 partnership for the second wicket. Whilst the former fell just short of a 50, dragging on a half-tracker on the final ball before drinks, the latter did pass the landmark for the first time in a Bury shirt, and the first of what turned out to be three in the week, finishing on 59* with Bury taking a comfortable 7 wicket win, before tucking into an ice cream with the clouds clearing leaving everyone exposed to the heat once more.

Bangor 145-6 (40) – Z Khan 6-1-18-0, Hayat 8-0-36-2, J Bowen 8-1-16-1, Goodman 3-2-2-2, D Bowen 5-0-10-0, Mitchell 4-0-21-0, Morris 2-0-9-0, Springer 4-0-16-1

Bury 149-3 (30.2) – Z Khan 24, J Weston 45, Springer 59*, Safi^ 3, J Bowen 15*, DNB: Hayat, Mitchell, D Bowen, Morris, Goodman, Metcalfe*

On Wednesday, it was just our touring party of 8 who made it to Llandudno for our T20 game, and so we were grateful for the 3 guests from the home side. Bowling first in fear of a batting collapse, it was the overseas pair of Goodman and Springer who bowled their 4 each straight through at the beginning of the innings, with just the one wicket for Springer between them. It was then down to strike bowler Dave Bowen to come into the attack and take two wickets, including the Llandudno overseas. Tom Thornton, one of Llandudno’s own in Bury colours for one night only, took a late wicket whilst Weston somehow struck three times at the other end, including a catch for keeper for the night Dom Morris. Llandudno finished their 20 overs on 109-7.

With the bat, the top three of Thornton, Mitchell and Goodman all got a start (by T20 standards, anyway), but a majority of the scoring came from D’Angelo Springer – again passing 50 with 57* - Paul Morris unbeaten on 13* at the other end when the winning runs were hit with an over to spare. A special mention to Llandudno’s young spin bowler Carys, who at 12 years old has a huge future ahead of her, and caused Bury’s batsmen a number of problems. The touring party stayed late into the evening enjoying the facilities in the bar, and we can proudly report Bury were also the winners on the dartboard.

Llandudno 109-7 (20) – Goodman 4-1-23-0, Springer 4-0-11-1, D Bowen 2-0-13-2, J Bowen 2-0-8-0, Gwyn (G) 2-0-39-0, Griffin (G) 2-0-17-0, Weston 2-0-4-3, Thornton (G) 2-0-11-1

Bury 113-4 (19) – Thornton (G) 13, Mitchell 7, Goodman 11, Springer 57*, D Bowen 4, Gwynne 2, P Morris 13*, DNB: D Morris*^, Griffin (G), J Bowen, Weston

As usual, tour was concluded on Thursday at Colwyn Bay. We were bolstered by 6 day-trippers of 1^st and 2^nd team quality, but, batting first, started on the back foot at 33-3, with Colwyn Bay professional, who was playing his first game for the club after only arriving a couple of days prior to the game, Jagjit Singh causing problems with his pace. However, Springer and day-tripper Patrick Potts launched an attack with 122 runs scored for the 4^th wicket in 18 overs and just under an hour. Springer, having passed a half century for the third time in the week, was caught for 72, and then Potts passed 50 before he also fell 5 minutes later – well caught at long on a ball after deep mid wicket dropped a much easier effort. Dom Morris and Damario Goodman then continued the scoring. Morris (53) launching three of his four sixes straight up onto the mound and Goodman (26) putting on a display of drives off the returning Singh. 40 overs were concluded at 267-7.

The young opening Colwyn pair saw off the opening spells from Mohammed Majid and Sam Nolan-Massey, but first change Muhammed Bilal proved effective with 2 wickets. Goodman got the crucial wicket of the pro early on, and then took three more quickly, with Potts taking 2 with his out and out pace at the other end. The score was pushed on from 101-8 with some buffet-style bowling and field placing – 187 on the board when the final wicket fell. As with all of the games in the week, drinks were enjoyed at the end, as well as the routine game of snooker, before everyone made their journey home at the end of an excellent week.

Bury 267-7 (40) – Hassan 12, Akram 4, Nolan-Massey 0, Springer 72, Potts 51, D Morris 53, Goodman 26, Bilal 14*, J Weston 2*, DNB: Mitchell, J Bowen

Colwyn Bay 187ao (35.2) – Majid 5-1-13-0, Nolan-Massey 5-1-14-0, Bilal 5-1-22-2, J Bowen 6.2-1-33-1, Goodman 3-1-14-4, Potts 3-2-5-2, J Weston 3-0-33-1

A huge thank you to the four clubs who were very accommodating and generous, and to everyone who represented the club and were a credit to it. Tour will be back next year with details to be confirmed in the coming months, where we hope more people can join us!

(Note: For a wittier tour commentary, visit @buryscores on Twitter)