TALYBONT Rachels 1sts took another step towards the ‘Fine and Country’ conference title with a maximum points win at a parched Geufron.

Sumesh Antony won the toss and stuck with the strategy of taking first knock that has served his team so well this season. The returning Anant Saxena took the attack to the bowling immediately, striking spinner Dan Ponting for a six in the first over.

Saxena was looking ominous on 16, but Nigel Salmon lured him into giving a catch to the dependable hands of Rhys Jones. Ayush Sharma joined Vinod Mathew, and the pair scored freely. Mathew is enjoying his recall to the senior ranks and found the boundary freely with his trademark flowing blade.

Sharma put the previous week’s disappointment behind him, the pair putting on 99 runs before Graham Saunders pulled off a brilliant return catch from Sharma to end a fine knock of 63.

Phil Abraham then continued the aggressive theme, striking a fine six before he and Mathew were dismissed around the 200 mark, Mathew falling to a magnificent leg-side catch by Matt Salter off Rhys Jones for a solid 60, and Abraham holing out for 40 to Ponting off the spin of Jack Allen.

Allen then caught Jestus Jerry off Jones in the 34th over to put a late onslaught in doubt. However, the experience of Graison John at six and the power of Antony at seven shone through, the pair putting on 50 runs in no time at all.

Antony hit two sixes in making 33 before being dismissed by Allen thanks to nifty glovework by Matt Salter, and John remaining unbeaten on 26. Devadas was bowled by Jones in the penultimate over, and Rebin Rajan made 5 not out.

Allen took 3-62 and Jones 2-48.

A remarkable chase looked on when Dan Ponting struck three boundaries off Devadas in the first over, but the dry conditions meant that the spin of Jestus Jerry was shrewdly introduced from the outset. His trademark fuller length delivery caught Peter Loxdale LBW for 11 with the score on 27, and the next ball saw Jack Allen sensationally run out going for a second run to the alert Rebin.

Two further wickets then followed, Salter and Saunders being bowled by Jerry and Devadas respectively.

Ponting had continued to thrive, but shortly after clearing the boundary for his first 6, he was bowled by Saxena. Anthony Burrell struck two boundaries, only to be castled by Robin. Nigel Salmon had bravely taken the attack to the bowlers, but he became the seventh man out for 20 with the score barely 100 as Saxena struck the stumps once again.

Despite a lively riposte by Joel Soosainathan and George Robson, the spinners mopped up the rest of the innings, Antony taking two wickets and ‘Lifeline’ man of the match Vinod Mathew bringing the curtain down in having Rhys Jones stumped for 18. Emlyn Mainwaring remained unbeaten on 8.

Saxena, Jerry and Antony all took two wickets each.

Man of the Match was Vinod Matthew.

The final score: Talybont Rachels 1sts (290 -7) beat Aberystwyth (146 all out) by 144 runs