SHOTTON 109
RUTHIN 111-3
(Ruthin won 8-2)
RUTHIN will be looking towards local rivals Bala for a huge favour this weekend as the Division Three promotion picture gains its finishing touches.
Although they’ve lost nine matches so far this season, the Memorial Park Fields side are still in with a shout of going up to Division Two.
With one game left to play, fourth-placed Ruthin are eight points adrift of Mynydd Isa in the last promotion spot - and it’s Ruthin against Mynydd Isa on Sunday in what could turn out to be a winner-takes-all meeting.
Third-placed Mold can also figure in the promotion shake-up and they take on Bala on Saturday as the curtain comes down on the 2010 season.
Travelling to Shotton knowing they needed a decent points haul to reiterate their hopes of going up, Ruthin achieved just that on the back of a fine Shay Tudor display with ball in hand.
Opening the bowling, Tudor cut down the home side’s top order on his way to securing stunning figures of 6-39 from 12 overs.
First and second change bowlers Llyr Williams and Owen Hughes combined to keep Shotton’s scoring down later in the innings.
The miserly duo shipped only 1.57 runs per over as they ended up with 1-15 and 2-20 respectively.
A solid batting performance in reply helped Ruthin to claim eight out of a possible 10 points on offer.
They reached a lucky 111-3 inside 30 overs with Steve Bryan-Jones (37), Gwern Llwyd Owain (22) and Owen Hughes (11 not out) the main scorers.