ABERYSTWYTH returned to action with an away game against Llandeilo 2nd XI on Saturday.

Having clinched the Division 9 title at Landore a fortnight ago, Aberystwyth could have been forgiven a degree of confidence going into the fixture, with Llandeilo sitting just one place off the bottom of the table.

After winning the toss, skipper Iwan Roberts elected to bat first, but the home side confounded any expectations of a one-sided contest with a superb series of bowling performances.

Max Munday, in particular, was in destructive form early on, ripping through the visitors’ top order and returning the excellent figures of 4-26 from 8 overs.

Mundy was brilliantly supported by Gemma Pugh who took 2 top order wickets to leave Aberystwyth reeling on 44-6 in the 15th over.

Aber’s strength in depth with the bat has been a feature of their success this season, but what followed was still one of the most remarkable batting recoveries in the recent history of the club.

Batting at no. 8, Iwan Roberts proceeded to play the definition of a captain’s innings, counter-attacking with ferocity and striking 12 fours and 5 sixes in a quite brilliant innings of 106 off just 77 balls faced.

Roberts was ably supported by his younger batting partner, Ted Jones, who played with great maturity and skill in his own innings of 41.

The pair’s strand of exactly 150 is believed to be a club record for the 7th wicket and, from a position of crisis,

Aberystwyth obtained maximum batting points, finishing on 201-8 off their allotted 40 overs.

That total was always likely to be beyond Llandeilo’s reach and so it proved as Dave Wilcockson produced a sensational opening spell, taking 4 wickets for just 8 runs in 8 overs.

Aadi Khare also chipped in with an early wicket as the home side found themselves struggling to 41-5.

The second half of the innings was marked by a brilliant spell from the youngest member of the team, Wil Jones.

Totally unfazed by the responsibility of coming on as first change bowler in just his second senior league appearance, Wil took three wickets (including two in three balls at one point) for just 18 runs to ensure that there was no prospect of Llandeilo emulating Aberystwyth’s lower order batting fightback.

Despite opener, Hugh Towns, carrying his bat for a brave 48 not out, Llandeilo were all out for 112 in 27 overs, leaving Aberystwyth victorious by 89 runs.

Aber’s final league game of the season sees the team back at the Geufron for a home fixture against Gowerton 3rd XI on Saturday 30 August.