NEWLY-CROWNED Rachel’s West Wales Cricket Conference champions Aberystwyth Firsts finished off their league campaign with a 128-run victory over hosts Aberaeron on Sunday.

Having won the toss, Aberystwyth skipper Pat Daniel elected to bat first, hoping to make the most of the surfeit of batting options that were available to him.

Aberystwyth’s final total was built around a fine innings of 82 by opener Andy Price, and a late-innings half century by Sion Lathwood (50) - scored off only 15 balls and featuring 5 sixes and 3 fours.

Earlier, openers Anthony Burrell and Price had put on 49 together, before Burrell (12) edged behind to keeper John Fice, off the bowling of Hywel Rees (9 overs, 1 for 46), who had replaced Paul Hughes (9 overs 1 for 62) from the seaside end.

Price and number three batsman Mel Jones continued to punish anything off-line, adding 83 runs for the second wicket, before Jones was lured forward by Sion Lewis (9 overs, 2 for 54) and was stumped by Fice for a well-made knock of 43.

Price’s wicket was the next to fall, when caught by Euryl Rees off Jacob Jenkinson (9 overs, 2 for 40), although further contributions by Nat Burrell (24) and Zaid Khan (12) kept the scoreboard ticking along.

The former was well-caught by Sam Jenkinson off Lewis and the latter caught by Hywel Rees at long-on off Jenkinson.

Lathwood’s late blitz, pushed the visitors’ score beyond the 250 mark, during which time he was ably assisted by Johnny Cordey (5 not out) as quick running between the wickets accompanied the clean boundary hitting. Lathwood eventually perished in the final over, when he was caught by Chris Strange off Paul Hughes.

Aberystwyth finished their innings with a total of 256 for 6.

When it came to the Aberaeron reply, the visitors’ opening bowlers Graham Bird (9 overs 1 for 12 with 2 maidens) and Zaid Khan (6 overs 2 for 42) were able to contain the early scoring rate. Khan made the first breakthrough, having John Fice (4) caught by ‘keeper Sam Margrave-Jones.

Fellow opener Alex Pitchford was the next to fall, when bowled by Khan for 14.

The dangerous middle-order pairing of Hywel Rees and Chris Strange had the potential to take the game to the visitors, however, Rees (5) was bowled by Bird before they could get into their stride.

Strange (21) was beginning to find his rhythm, however he was then bowled by a delivery from Lathwood (3 overs 1 for 6 with 1 maiden) that kept a little low.

Five of the final six wickets were claimed by Daniel (6 overs 5 for 27 with 1 maiden), including a fine hat-trick that accounted for Euryl Rees (13), caught by Mel Jones, and then Jacob Jenkinson and Louis Fice.

Some lusty, late-order hitting by Sion Lewis (17) and Morgan Llewelyn (19) delayed the end of the game, before the innings was bought to a close on 128 all out, when Iestyn Evans (5.5. overs 1 for 31) bowled Lewis.