LLANDUDNO opened their North Wales Cricket League Premier Division campaign with a narrow 31-run home loss to St Asaph.

The Lions were unable to build on an encouraging performance in the field to begin their season with defeat, and they will be hoping for better fortune in their first away fixture at Gresford on Saturday.

Things did not begin well at the crease for the visitors as Mathew Ryan was dismissed by Danial Evans for just one, with fellow opener Duncan Midgley was trapped lbw by Jack Rimmington after making 14.

Overseas star Nathanael Scott provided some resistance until he was caught off a Matthew Jones strike on 23, with skipper Will Ryan falling cheaply thanks to Tom Thornton on eight.

Summer signing from Prestatyn Danny Williams made a hugely encouraging start to life in the middle for the Saints, but he was crucially caught off a Jones delivery seven runs’ short of his half century.

David Lloyd (10), Jason Foulkes (1) and Danny Ryan (3) all failed to contribute significantly to the score as the away side set a target of 145-9 from their 50 overs.

Thornton was the pick of the home bowlers on 3-42, with Oliver Hughes and Evans taking pair of wickets apiece.

Opening bowler Alex Baker put the new ball to good use with the quick-fire scalps of Jones and Sam Rimmington for two and five respectively, but double-figure scores from Evans (35) and Luke Kenworthy (23) got the Lions back in contention soon after.

They were eventually ousted from the crease by Ryan and Liam Moores, before the former took over proceedings with the wickets of Will Sissons (13), Ethan Hill (1), Matthew Lambe (0) and Thornton on his way to exceptional figures of 5-19 from a nine-over spell.

This proved to be the determining factor in the overall outcome of the game, with the home side mustering 114 all out in reply.