SOUTH WALES PREMIER LEAGUE CRICKET
CLYDACH will be playing South Wales Premier League Division One cricket next season after being crowned Division Two champions following their 59-run victory over Newport Fugitives yesterday.
Opener Sam Davies top scored with 61 while Jonathan Hubschmid also chipped in with a useful 45 as Clydach put 258-8 on the scoreboard batting first.
The Fugitives were then sent back for 199 in reply despite 82 from Alec Holdaway to spark scenes of jubilation for Clydach at Waverley Park.
Jamie Lewis and Hubschmid both collected three wickets apiece.
Nearest challengers Penarth, despite having one match to play next Saturday, cannot now catch Clydach after their title dreams were crushed with a 127-run defeat at Swansea.
Swansea, having been put into bat, posted 168-9 off their allocation, but that proved to be more than enough as Penarth were skittled out for just 41 in reply.
Aamir Ikram took 4-10 while Ben Stein bagged 3-15.
Tata Steel have been relegated from the Premier League after a six-wicket home defeat by Llanelli in their final match means they will finish bottom of the pile.
They could muster only 88 before being dismissed. Matthew Roberts took three wickets – and that total was always going to be too small to defend.
The win for Llanelli boosted their hopes of survival but, having now completed their fixtures, they now face an anxious wait on the result of Malpas’ game at Swansea next weekend.
Malpas themselves recorded a timely win yesterday – by five wickets at Carmarthen Wanderers.
The Wanderers were all out for 139 having been inserted but Malpas knocked off the runs with 7.2 overs to spare with opener David Martin making a valuable 34.
The other game in Division Two resulted in a 116-run victory for Panteg at Ynystawe.
Meanwhile Division One bottom club Ynysygerwn are the side who will drop into Division Two for next term.
They were beaten comprehensively by 103 runs at Port Talbot Town in their final match.
Anthony Thomas (80no), Daniel Rowe (71) and Barney Huxtable (61) all got runs as Port Talbot reached 260-5 before Ynysygerwn were all out for 157 in reply.
Huxtable took 3-25 while Lewis Jones, Stuart Phelps and Josh Tobin all bagged two wickets apiece.
At the other end of the table the title had already been decided last week but newly-crowned champions Newport wrapped up a successful campaign with a five-wicket win at Mumbles.
Mumbles posted 178-9 after Newport win the toss and opted to bowl first. Dan Lewis-Williams top scored with 65 with Jack Wright, Callum Taylor and Josh Aston all claiming two victims. Newport knocked off the runs with 2.4 overs to spare. Josh Voke (32) and Oliver Ebsworth-Burland got useful runs.
Dethroned champions Cardiff did at least finish their season on a positive note as they beat Ammanford by 51 runs at Forest Farm.
Bridgend Town were sent packing for just 44 on their way to a crushing 10-wicket defeat by Pontarddulais.