Staffordshire Development XI were beaten by North Wales in their latest 50-over assignment.
Staffs had started their season with victories over Cheshire 2nd XI and Cumbria in the North of England Cup.
However, they couldn’t make it a hat-trick as North Wales proved to be too strong in today’s encounter at Stafford.
Staffordshire were limited to 219-7 from their 50 overs before Wales won by five wickets.
The county town side’s groundstaff worked tirelessly to ensure there was just a half-hour delay to the start following Monday evening’s torrential downpours.
Staffordshire were invited to bat by their visitors and made a decent-enough start before they lost Callum Hawkins for 21 – with the score on 32 – when he was trapped lbw by Jack Rimmington.
‘Run-out issues’
Gurjot Singh made just four before he was run out – one of three self-inflicted wounds from a Staffs perspective.
Tom Moulton chipped in with 20, but Staffordshire slipped from 113-2 to 124-5.
Moulton was lbw to Harrison Jones, Callum Leese was run out for a duck and Hasan Ahmed was bowled by Will Norman for two.
All the while, Staffs skipper Matthew Morris held the innings together with an impressive half-century.
However, he was the seventh wicket to fall with the score on 166 after making 83. He hit nine fours.
Scott Winnington (29no) and Jacob Degg (22no) then constructed a key partnership to help Staffordshire beyond the 200-mark.
Wales flew out of the blocks in their run chase with Mathew Ryan in a particular hurry.
He blasted 65 off just 57 balls, featuring eight fours and one six, before departing with the score on 93. He was caught by Leese off the bowling of Winnington.
Fellow opener Jones was more sedate, but shared a 79-run stand for the second wicket with William Ryan. That settled the outcome.
Ryan was bowled by Moulton for 46, before Jones fell with the score on 198. He walked off having contributed 56, including two fours and one six.
There was a slight wobble when spinner Matthew Turner bowled Nathanael Scott for 18 and Norman was run out – both with the score on 216.
However, Wales had done enough to secure the win in the 47th over.
Main image: Matthew Morris top-scored with 83 for Staffordshire Development XI in their defeat by North Wales. Picture: Alfie Shenton
