SOUTH WALES ASSOCIATION
LLANELLI’S march towards the title in Division One of the South Wales Cricket Association continues after a nine-wicket home win over bottom side Briton Ferry Steel.
Briton Ferry were all out for 81 after losing the toss and being put in before Llanelli cruised to victory which keeps their title charge firmly on track and saw them also bounce back from their defeat by Dafen the week before.
The result would have been even sweeter for Llanelli with the news that nearest challengers Bronwydd had suffered a second straight defeat as they went down by five wickets at Aberdare.
Nathan Spain and Luke Garthwaite both took three wickets apiece as Bronwydd were all out for 102 before an unbeaten 34 from Matthew Veale helped Aberdare to victory.
Dafen backed up their fine victory over leaders Llanelli with a comfortable nine-wicket success at Cowbridge.
It was a batting collapse that did for Cowbridge who, having been 62-0 at one stage, were all out for 95.
NORTH WALES
LEAGUE leaders Bangor avoided a second successive upset with victory at home to Brymbo, producing a superb bowling display to register what was eventually a comfortable 82-run win.
It could have been a different story for Bangor, who slipped to 65-4 before recovering to reach 156 all out.
But any hopes of Brymbo pulling off a surprise upset were soon quashed.
Only captain James Claybrook offered any real resistance, as the visitors were bowled out for just 74.
Gareth Edwards took 5-27, as the hosts cemented their place at the top of the table.
Menai Bridge kept their title hopes alive with a comprehensive 110-run
PEMBROKESHIRE
BOTTOM-OF-THE-TABLE Pembroke slumped to yet another disappointing defeat as an eight-wicket loss away to Haverfordwest saw their winless Pembrokeshire League season continue.
Simon Holliday finished with figures of 4-6 as Pembroke collapsed to just 50 all out, with only Jack Harries’ 23 preventing an even more embarrassing scoreline for the visitors.
And Pembroke did little to trouble the current Division One title holders, who comfortably reached their target for the loss of two wickets.
Current league leaders Carew also secured a resounding win over Kilgetty by seven wickets, after restricting the visitors to 88 all out.
Shaun Whitfield finished with four
WEST WALES
UWA COMMONERS were in top form as they saw off Talybont with a comfortable 100-run victory in the West Wales Conference.
Electing to bat, the Commoners reached 217-5 off their allocation with some fine batting produced by Neil Stent (69), along with Jan Ruzicka, whose 46 was his highest score for the Commoners.
Skipper Ben Wright (38) and opening partner Thomas Merilaht (34) had set the hosts a decent-looking platform but, once they had both departed, the rest of the batting crumbled.
Chris Hudson with 4-17, Philip George 3-14 and Matthew Evans 2-19 took the bowling homours.
Dafen then knocked off the runs required with Evans there at the end on 42 not out.
Gorseinon, meanwhile, were victorious once again as they picked up a five-wicket victory at Gowerton.
And, as a result of all that, Llanelli have moved on to 311 points to open up a 33-point lead over Dafen who have moved up to second with two matches to play – and are on the brink of the title.
Gorseinon are third on 274 points – four behind Dafen – with Aberdare fourth and Bronwydd who have slipped from second to fifth.
Elsewhere in Division One, Llandysul moved out of the bottom two with a seven-wicket victory at Merthyr Tydfil – who they have pulled in as a result. win over Chirk, Gethin Roberts scoring 102 not out as the visitors recovered from an early collapse to secure victory.
Roberts’ first league century for ‘The Bridge’ helped steer them from 39-4 to a total of 225-8 from their 48 overs, with Chirk only able to manage 115 in reply.
Paul Fleming’s 106 earned St Asaph a gripping one-wicket win over Llandudno, who had batsman Danial Evans caught agonisingly on 99.
Elsewhere, Mochdre recorded just their second win of the season, beating Llanrwst by eight wickets in their bottom of the table clash, while there was also a win for Denbigh over Hawarden Park. wickets for Carew, who continue their march towards a seemingly inevitable First Division title.
Second placed Cresselly matched the pacesetters’ result with a sevenwicket win over relegation threatened Johnston, despite a resilient 70 from the visitors’ Dan Sutton.
Johnston’s score of 183 all out rarely looked like it would threaten the home side however, Iwan Izzard topscoring with 67 not out as Cresselly cruised to victory.
There were victories elsewhere for Lawrenny, as Simon Cole’s excellent 97 not out helped them ease any relegation fears with a five-wicket win over Whitland, while Neyland ran out seven-wicket winners over St Ishmael’s.
Talybont struggled against the bowling of seamer Chris Ward (4-28) and spinner Abhischeck (3-40) and were all back for 117, with only Ben Harper showing any resistance with 30.
Aberystwyth seconds had the weekend off as their opposition, bottom-placed Tregaron, were again unable to field a team.