Tata snatch victory after a tight battle

GOWERTON opened their Peter Lynn-sponsored South Wales Cricket Association division one programme with a nine-run defeat at Tata Steel.

The visitors looked favourites to return with the spoils when they required 60 with eight wickets in hand, but the introduction of Matthew Saker saw Gowerton slip from a comfortable 82-2 to 88-6.

The tail, marshalled by Tom Parkin (17no) inched towards the target but the run out of Tom Clarke with 11 balls left saw Gowerton fall short.

Batting first, Tata got off to a good start and were 26-0 when rain in the seventh over halted play for nearly two hours and reduced the game to one of 35 overs a side.

After the resumption, Tata slipped to 47-3, with Will Collinson (2-20) and Callum Eakins (2-24) both bowling with pace, but Martin Lewis with 41 steadied the ship and saw the hosts close on 142- 7. Clarke with 2-31 was Gowerton’s next most successful bowler.

Gowerton looked untroubled in the first half of their reply, with Matthew Mason (30) looking assured, but his dismissal triggered their demise, with Saker (3-23), David Jones (3-26) and Matthew Jones (2-36) shining.

Also in division one, Skewen had a good win at Bronwydd. Openers David Jenkins (25) and Dean Kriescher (30) gave the visitors a solid start, and Daniel Rees carried on the good work with 10 fours in his 72.

After that the bowlers had the upper hand and Skewen were all out for 183 in 49.3 overs.

Josh Rencken took 3-21, with Tom Gleeson, Matthew Bagshaw and James Cale taking two wickets each.

But Bronwydd’s reply was soon in trouble and never recovered as only James Dickson (17no) reached double figures and they tumbled to 69 all out in 25 overs. Steve James (5-18) did most of the damage. The closest game of the day came in division two where Briton Ferry Steel won by one run at Margam.

Steel got off to a good start thanks to openers Jason Hughes (55) and Jamie Griffiths (28), but the subsequent batsmen struggled and they were all out for 180. John Wellington took 4-42. Chasing 181 in 35 overs, opener Liam Lewis powered to 83, but despite an unbeaten 39 from Gareth Baker, Margam were left stranded on 179 after 35 overs. Jay Webb took 2-31 and Craig Evans 2-25. Swansea Civil Service pipped visitors Aberdare by two wickets in another rain-affected game. The Cynon Valley side were all out for 110, Scott Barrow (3-21), Ben Novis (3-32) and Daniel Hardman (3-15) all successful.

But then Civil Service had only skipper Novis (32) and Steve Porter (39) in double figures, but extras of 13 proved decisive as they edged to 111-8.

Pontardawe got their division four campaign off to a fine start with a 63-run home win against Great Western Railway. Rhodri Davies (63), Huw Jenkins (59no) and Chris Keen (57no) blasted the hosts to a formidable 214-2 off a rain-shortened 35 overs.

Geraint Davies (56no) and Phil Cadogan (41) did their best for GWR, but they closed on 151-2.