Talybont (214 for 6) beat Aberaeron (180) by 30 runs

RACHEL’S Talybont signalled their own title ambitions as they notched up their fifth consecutive win in the West Wales Cricket Club Conference with a convincing 30-run win over top of the table Aberaeron at the Geufron last weekend.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Talybont set a target of 204 for 6, with Phil Abraham leading the way with 62, and then Dave Barrow took four wickets in dismissing Aberaeron for 180 all out.

On another hot day, skipper Sojan Varghese won the toss and openers Joseff Joshi and Ben Harper put on a decent first wicket partnership of 69 runs in 10 overs.

Harper was caught mid-on by Josh Roper off the bowling of Paul Hughes for 24, and then batsman Dave Barrow was dismissed lbw on the next ball from Hughes.

Abraham joined Joshi and enjoyed a good partnership, until Hughes struck again in bowling the opener for 38 runs.

On drinks Rachels were 79 for 3 in 15 overs, and there followed a good partnership of 45 between Vinod Mathew and Philip Abraham for the fourth wicket.

They stayed until the 24th over, when Mathew was clean bowled by Sion Lewis for 28, which brought in hard-hitter Tibin Joseph, who scored 20 runs in 12 balls, before he was bowled by David Grinszpan.

With the score 180, with four overs remaining, Abraham was finally caught by John Fice from bowler Sion Lewis for 62.

Sojan Varghese was 5 not out and Mathew Novak 8 not out after the 30 overs, with Hughes returning figures of 3 for 29 from 7 overs, and Lewis 2 for 38 off 5.

In reply, Aberaeron did not start well as they lost opener David Grinszpan for 5, when bowled by Abraham, and that brought up star batsman Chris Strange.

He patiently played and moved the scoreboard along nicely, but opener John Fice was bowled by Abraham for 26, in a knock that had included 4 boundaries.

Steffan Rees and Strange put 50 runs on the board, but as Strange shifted the gear to increase the run rate, hitting out with 5 fours and 2 big sixes, Joseff Joshi then bowled him for 38 - the second time of this season that Joshi has taken his wicket.

In the same over Alex Pitchford was caught behind by Sojan Varghese, but Steff Rees went on make 47, including 2 fours and two sixes, and Neil Snowdon scored a defiant 32, with 3 fours, before both were bowled out by David Barrow.

Aberaeron, however, struggled to get runs off the accurate bowling of Tibin Joseph (2 for 24) and Barrow (4 for 29) and from 140 for 4, the visiting batsmen could only add another 40 runs before they collapsed to 180 all out in the 29th over.