RYDAL Penrhos finally got their 2023 Colwyn Bay and District Midweek Cricket League season underway with a home fixture against Ysgol Pen Y Bryn on a gloriously sunny evening at New Field.

Skipper Jon Davies won the toss and elected to bat.

Veteran Chris Spillane promptly took three Rydal Penrhos wickets in his four overs.

James French batted steadily before retiring after scoring 53 valuable runs.

Owen Rhodes held on to a fantastic catch off Darren Dentith's bowling to remove PYB parent Neil Coverley for only one run, but excellent batting from Will Opie (38 not out) and Rob Stewart (42 not out) saw the home team reach 161-5 off their 20 overs.

Ysgol Pen Y Bryn soon lost opener Dave Atkinson for nine runs to the bowling of the Reverend Beamish but this brought Mike McDonagh to join Arthur Jones at the crease.

The pair promptly pulverised the Rydal Penrhos bowling hitting 18 boundaries between them - Jones retiring on 51 and McDonagh on 54.

Ben Coxon (11 not out) and Tom Roberts (25 not out) saw the 2021 champions home off 15.2 overs to secure a rare victory over their school rivals.

In the other game, Grape to Grass won a tight encounter with Lex.

Openers Jamie Grimshaw (56*) and Luke Rega (21) took them to 49 runs, but a devastating spell from Harry Spillane (4-21) ripped out the Lex middle order, but the tail managed to dig in and help Grimsahw get the total to a below par 97-7.

Grape To Grass opener Baz Mistry made a steady 27, but regular wickets at the other end saw them reduced to 51-3 after 10 overs as a tight finish looked on the cards.

However, man of the match Harry Spillane then hit a fluent unbeaten 52 to see his team home in the 18th over with 5 wickets to spare.