Early Smith wicket puts champs in cruise control
REIGNING champions St Fagans recorded their second victory of the South Wales Premier Cricket League season with an impressive 10-wicket demolition of Pontarddulais.
The Cardiff side, who won the title in 2019, were in control from the moment Bont opener Alex Thomas was bowled by Glamorgan’s Ruaidhri Smith from the fourth ball of the match.
Will Smale (16) was the only Pontarddulais player to reach double figures as the visitors were all out for 45 in the 26th over.
Smith ended with figures of 2-10, with Owen Morgan taking 3-5.
St Fagans wasted no time in sealing victory, with Thomas Bevan (33 not out) and Callum Nicholls (10 not out) steering them home in 6.1 overs.
Cardiff are alongside St Fagans at the top following their 65-run defeat of Mumbles.
A superb 98 from opener Umar Malik, a knock featuring five sixes and six boundaries, helped Cardiff to 169-7 in their 30 overs. Steffan
Jones added 33, with Jack Straw taking 4-20 for Mumbles.
The Swansea side looked in the hunt at 59-1 but lost their last nine wickets for just 45 runs. Rahul Shah top-scored with an unbeaten 24.
Tegid Phillips and Piran Kent both took two wickets for Cardiff as Mumbles were dismissed for 104.
The closest game of the day saw Newport defeat Neath by four runs.
A blistering 73 from Mujahid Ilyas – his runs came off just 44 balls and contained seven sixes – carried Newport to 188-7. Opener Michael Clayden added 25.
Alexander Simpson and Joseph Kooner-Evans took two wickets for Neath.
Steven Reingold made 50 in reply for the visitors and Lorenzo Machado scored 43, but they fell just short on 184-4.
The games between Ammanford and Swansea and Port Talbot Town and Bridgend Town were both called off after heavy rain on Friday.