LOSS SPARKS FEARS OF DROP
A SECOND consecutive defeat by a crushing seven wickets at St Fagans saw Ammanford drop to seventh in the South Wales Premier League.
They are level on points with Bridgend but only nine points ahead of ninth-placed Mumbles with seven games to go.
Inviting Ammanford to bat, St Fagans bowlers made good use of the favourable conditions and the visitors’ wickets fell regularly.
The only half-decent partnership was 40 between Craig Maloney (26) and captain Alun Evans, who was making a welcome return to the team after a knee operation.
He was run out for 25. Ammanford were all out for a miserable 130 in just 36 overs.
St Fagans opening bowler Andrew Gorvin did most of the damage with 4-34.
In contrast, the St Fagans opening pair combined to put on an untroubled century partnership.
Spinner Josef Davies had Glamorgan player Jeremy Lawlor caught for 51, but at 102-1 the game was already done and dusted.
Mitchell Edwards carried his bat for an unbeaten 68 to see the league leaders home at a canter with seven wickets and 19 overs to spare.
St Fagans remain top of the league with Neath in hot pursuit.
Instead of looking to join them at the top, Ammanford now glance uneasily over their shoulders at the three teams below them in the standings. They will need a sharp upturn in form to avoid spending the remainder of the season battling to avoid relegation.
That upturn needs to begin on Saturday when they visit Port Talbot.
Meanwhile, Ammanford Seconds went down by four wickets at home to Swansea Seconds. The hosts were all out for 135, with Rhys Culley making 30 and Owen Davies 25. Edward Bradbury took 4-34.
Opener Rafique Swinscoe made a crucial 67 not out in Swansea’s reply, with Rohit Kumar Singh unbeaten on 22 at the close. Matthew Davies and Matthew Warnes both picked up two wickets.
Ammanford’s third XI took their seventh scalp of the season with an excellent five-wicket victory over GWR Bridgend in division six.
GWR were all out for 199 in their final over, with Kris Williams topscoring with 70.
Llyr Morgan and Tiaan Evans took three wickets each for Ammanford.
A tremendous unbeaten 81 from opener Adam Lyons provided the cement which enabled Ammanford to overtake the GWR total with five overs to spare.
Jac Isaac supported well with 36. The win enabled Ammanford to maintain their position in the top half of the table.