ABERAERON - after losing their opening match - got off the mark in the Girasol Homes West Wales Cricket Conference as the defending champions notched a nine wicket win against Aberystwyth Firsts.

Batting first after winning the toss, the visitors posted a respectable 219 for 3, thanks to an opening stand of 159 between Ted Trewella (68) and Anthony Burrell (90), with contributions by Titus Mathew (16 not out) and Ioan Morris (23 not out) pushing the score passed 200.

After hitting 11 fours and a six, Trewella was finally run out by Chris Strange, who also held a catch to dismiss Burrell, from the bowling of Josh Roper, with 13 fours.

Aberaeron’s opening batting duo John Fice (39 not out) and Dave Grinszpan (88) piled on 132 runs for the first wicket, before Burrell held a catch off Grinszpan from the bowling of Dave Grayson, having struck 15 fours, as well as 2 big sixes.

Strange was the next batsman to come to the crease and he powered his way to a quick-fire 78 not out to secure victory.

A few of his 10 sixes were struck out of the ground, as the home side reached a winning score of 225 for 1 in 21 overs.

• COMMONERS completely overwhelmed the depleted Aberystwyth Seconds’ attack at the Geufron as they amassed a ground record of 446 runs in their allotted 40 overs on Sunday.

Opener Bill Somerfield was trapped lbw off the second delivery of Ted Trewella, but any thoughts of collapse soon disappeared a skipper Rakesh Bhatia (212 not out) showed little mercy to the bowling attack, with 23 fours and 13 sixes on his way to an undefeated double century.

Ravi Mander (101) also scored a century as 315 runs were added for the second wicket, before Mander was dismissed by Alfie Lawson, after 16 fours and six.

Wil Copeland (66) and Arshad Shah (45 not out) kept up the run spree, despite wickets for Lawson, Anthony Evans and Omair Syed, with a caught and bowled.

Aber Seconds’ reply started exactly as that of the Commoners had done, with Trewella departing second ball, caught by Mander from Ian Lawton’s bowling.

Three further Aber wickets fell for 37 runs - including two for Chris Ward (2 for 15) and one for Guy Baron (1 for 15), before Dylan Jenkins joined Aber’s surviving opening batsman, Titus Mathew.

Together, the pair of Year 9 pupils batted steadfastly, resisting all efforts to part them. As confidence increased, so did the number of scoring shots - but resistance was the objective in the face of such a huge target. The pair shared 70 runs, before Jenkins was bowled by Lawton (2 for 23) in the penultimate over for 30 runs.

There was just sufficient time for a couple of good shots from Steffan Davies to move the score into three figures, before the innings finished at 105 for 5, leaving young Titus Matthew on 30 not out, having been on the field for the entire game.

• TALYBONT got the better of previously unbeaten Tywyn at Cae Rhianfa, but only by 19 runs in a match that could well have gone either way in the end.

After losing early wickets, a half century from Phil Abraham (50) and 38 by Vinod Matthew helped Talybont to 201 all out, with the wickets falling to Jamie Tomkins (4 for 20), Jacko Oosthuizen (2 for 34) and Richard Rees (2 for 26), with Dave Jenkins claiming three catches.

The Tywyn reply fell short at 182 all out despite the efforts of James Bradbury-Williams, who was denied a half-century when caught on 49 by Phil Abraham, from the bowling of Joseph Thomas.

Further runs by Dave Jenkins (38) and Jack Mynard (24) got Tywyn close, but Dave Barrow took 3 for 27, Grayson John claimed 2 for 23 and Phil Abraham 2 for 38 as the hosts finished on 182 all out.

• LLECHRYD made it four wins from four in the Pembrokeshire League division two as they again secured another quick finish, this time against Kilgetty.

They shot the visitors out for 113 in 36 overs, with Ross Hardy (40) and Christian Phillips (36) top scoring, with little back up, while Graham Keen notched 3 for 25, Peter Betterley 2 for 29, James Betterley 2 for 4, and John Curran 2 for 15.

The in-form Curran made 32 in his side’s reply but it was James Betterley (48) who top scored last weekend, while Jack Mansfield (25 not out) guided his side over the line in 27.3 overs. For Kilgetty, all-rounder Phillips took 2 for 40.