SOUTH WALES PREMIER
CARDIFF’S defence of the South Wales Premier Cricket League title is all but over after a seven-wicket defeat to Neath at Forest Farm – their sixth loss of the season.
The hosts were put in to bat where they posted 199-8 from their 50 overs.
Tom Barry scored 82 to give Cardiff a fighting chance of victory. But Steffan Roberts scored 80 for Neath, while Lorenzo Machado made 61 as they knocked off the runs in 31.2 overs.
The defeat leaves the champions 73 points off the top with seven games left to play.
Meanwhile, a century from Glamorgan batsman Nick Selman inspired leaders Newport to an eight-wicket victory at bottom side Ynysygerwn.
Opener Selman struck 14 fours and one six in an unbeaten knock of 113 to help steer Newport to a successful chase and a 10th victory of the season.
Earlie,r hosts Ynysygerwn were bowled out for 264. Yuvraj Odedra smacked five fours and eight massive sixes in his 110 off 85 balls, while Harry Powell took three wickets for Newport.
Selman and Joseph Voke (57) got the visitors off to a solid start in reply by putting on 123 for the first wicket with Selman and Callum Taylor – who finished on 54 not out – seeing Newport to victory.
Aneurin Norman’s 70 not out helped seal a five-wicket win for Mumbles over Bridgend Town as they successfully chased down the 205 they had been set for victory.
Cameron Herring’s 138 inspired Pontarddulais to a 59-run win at Port Talbot Town, while Ammanford claimed a 73-run win at home against St Fagans.
Clydach are the new leaders in division two after they crushed Panteg by 191 runs. They take over from Ynystawe who lost at Tata Steel, their second defeat in succession.
After winning the toss at Waverley Park, Clydach immediately set about putting a big total on the scoreboard.
Jason Davies made 91 and fellow opener Sam Davies smashed 130 – the pair putting on 198 for the first wicket – before 51 not out from Jonathan Hubschmid helped Clydach to 322-3.
Chris White made 53, but Panteg were all out for 131 in reply.
Jamie Lewis took 3-29 with Hubschmid, Jack Todd and Sam Davies also among the wickets.
Ynystawe went down by nine wickets at Tata. Opener Morgan Hodges top-scored with 74 as Ynystawe made 173-9 off 50 overs. David Jones and Cameron Bamford both took three wickets.
Tata cruised to victory with almost 10 overs to spare with Rohan Herbert’s 61 not out and an unbeaten 68 from skipper Matthew Jones seeing them home.
Swansea, who had been bottom of the pile before last weekend’s stunning win over Ynystawe, continued their resurgence with a thumping 172-run win at Malpas.
Harry Arthur (60) and Adnan Ghori (50) were in the runs as Swansea made 248, a total that proved to be more than enough as they skittled Malpas out for just 76 in reply.
Abbas Ashraf took 4-20 and Aamir Ikram helped himself to 3-20.
Elsewhere, a five-wicket haul from John Berry set Newport Fugitives on their way to a six-wicket win at Llanelli.
Berry took 5-39 as the hosts were all out for 105, before 35 not out from captain Nathan Millichip guided his side to their target.
Penarth were 27-run winners at Carmarthen Wanderers.
Scott Matthews top-scored for Penarth in their 219-8 before the Wanderers were all out for 192 in reply, despite 92 not out from Stephen Inward.
NEWBRIDGE lost ground in the race for the Division One title as they tied with newly promoted Cardiff Gymkhana at Llandaff Fields in the Thomas Carroll South East Wales Cricket League.
Gymkhana were all out on 177 after winning the toss and electing to bat.
Mohammad Salman hit 42 and Ranpreet Grover notched 37 while Christopher Hartland took 4-47.
In reply, Travis Morgan (43) and Ryan Watkins (40) put last year’s runners-up on the cusp of victory but Gymkhana managed to bowl them out 177, with less than an over to go, to ensure the game ended in a tie.
Usman Jaura claimed 3-46 while Salman, Faraz Asif and Shahid Khan all took two wickets.
Leaders Miskin Manor took advantage of the tie to open up a 27-point lead with a five-wicket victory over Pontypridd at Glyn Park.
Pontypridd lost the toss and were inserted but managed to post 192 before they were skittled out.
Ali Saeed struck 42 while Gregor McKain hit 30 but bowling duo Nathan Robinson and Chris Owen stole