Llandrindod Wells signed off their Marches Cricket League second division season by beating Marden by seven wickets with Mark Evans again starring.
Spa skipper Martin Hurst had no hesitation inviting the visitors to bat on a damp wicket. Quickie Steve Fuller (2-15) struck early on and the hosts drove home their advantage.
Stuart James then grabbed a couple of wickets to leave the visitors reeling on 33-4 before marvel Mark Evans took centre stage. Already with 35 wickets to his name, Evans set about increasing his tally to match his age. In only his second over, a delivery slid past Pete Gale’s bat only to be met by gloveman Robin Edwards who, whipping off the bails stumped the visitors’ danger man for just two.
And so began yet another success story for Evans as he ripped through the lower order in next to no time, with little or no resistance shown by a deflated Marden. Evans’s fifth five-wicket haul of the season ensured the Spa were chasing just a meagre 41 to chase for victory.
Some lusty blows from young-guns James and Fuller laid the foundations before Edwards hit the winning runs with only 5.3 overs bowled.
“It’s always nice to finish on a high, and the boys have played some really good cricket this year,” beamed Hurst.
“There’s too many highlights for me, but Mark (Evans) has struck a rich vein of form, and if we hadn’t lost so many fixtures to rain, I’m sure he’d have reached a half century of wickets in the league.”
Llandrindod end the season in fourth spot.