On a day of changeable weather in Aberystwyth, Talybont and Aberaeron managed to complete a match in which the bowlers dominated, amongst the showers.
Aberaeron’s opening pair of Alex Pitchford and Steffan Rees both got onto the front foot and launched into drives to pitched up deliveries and three fours in the 4th and 5th over started to get the scoreboard ticking. Having hit Urivish for 4 once, Rees (7) attempted to repeat the shot but managed to pick out Zaid Khan who held the catch.
Pitchford continued to combine solid defence with occasional attacking intent. Phil Abraham produced a beauty to remove Neil Snowdon. A ball that swung late and jagged back in off the seam to hit the top of off stump.
At 36-2, Hywel Rees came out at number 4 to attempt to steady the ship. His partnership with Pitchford was looking promising but a change of ends for first change bowler Zaid Khan, bowling in tandem with Anish Kuriakose, proved to be pivotal.
Anish struck first, to have Pitchford caught driving by Joel Abraham on 28 runs. In Anish’s next over he struck again, Kevin Regan having swept firmly to the boundary for four, was beaten by one that hit the seam and just did enough to beat the bat, bowling him to leave Aberaeron in trouble at 54-4.
Jamie Davies joined Hywel Rees a little earlier than hoped and attempted to hit Aberaeron back into the game. A rapid stand of 22, in which Jamie hit 9, looked like it could have been starting to turn the match back towards Aberaeron however Zed was still bowling with real venom. A brutish lifter from just back of a length got big on Jamie’s attempted pull and a fine top edge was gleefully pouched by Rhodri Lloyd-Williams.
Aberaeron’s hopes of a defendable total largely rested with Hywel Rees now, as the last recognised batsman, however in Zed’s next over another fine edge to a swinging delivery was again held by Lloyd-Williams and Aberaeron were 81-6 and in real trouble.
Three balls later a gorgeous fast in-swinger was too good for Simon Mitchell.
Arif Saad was joined by Ifan Rishko and despite 2 runs from Ivan’s first over was unable to take the strike for Zed’s last over. It proved costly as Khan’s fast in-swingers proved too good for the youngster, bowled by the second delivery. Khan finished with 4-26 in what would prove to be a match winning effort.
Saad (16) tried to get the score up to the hundred mark but the loss of Morgan in Joel’s first over, left him attempting to manage the strike while keeping the scoreboard ticking. An attempted pull to a ball that got big on him skewed off the top edge and Graison held on comfortably at square leg to close out the Aberaeron effort at 99.
The target of 100 to win seemed straightforward however, with a strong bowling attack, Aberaeron retained hopeful of defending it.
Simon Mitchell bowled with good pace to open and Paul Hughes found a niggling length from the off to restrict Talybont to 17 from the first 7 overs of fielding restrictions in a match reduced to 35 overs.
Despite tight bowling, it was wickets that Aberaeron needed and Hywel turned to Steff Rees in an early change to try to remove openers Graison John and Vinod Mathew. He delivered in his second over, a fast lifting delivery into the body of Graison which popped up off the bat and was caught by Ifan Rishko.
Zaid Khan came in at three and Aberaeron were conscious that the free scoring batter could make short work of the chase should he get going. Hughes managed to remove him for only 4 as Zed picked out Hywel Rees at mid off with a well struck drive from the last ball before a 45 minute rain delay.
Steff was bowling an excellent spell at the other end, consistently troubling the batsmen with good pace and late in-swing. In his fifth over he produced a pearler that brushed off Vinod’s pad on the way to splaying the stumps. A valuable 23 from Vinod left Talybont at 49-3, almost half way to their target.
Hywel Rees struck with his second delivery trapping Joel Abraham in front with a ball that swung from leg stump to hit him full in front of middle stump.
Despite the low target, the loss of a couple of wickets increased the tension and Steff ratcheted it up further with another beauty to remove Rhodri. Again it was late movement that did for the batsman, the ball beating the defence and brushing off the pads to clip the outside of the off stump.
At 61-5 there was a sniff for Aberaeron but captain Phil Abraham was a big obstacle in their path to victory. Phil looked assured in defence and keen to take quick singles. It was the pursuit of another of these that did for Ivan George as a combination of Jamie Davies and Kevin Regan stopped a well struck shot and returned the ball to keeper Arif Saad who whipped off the bails to send a diving Ivan back to the pavilion.
Phil and Ivan had advanced the score to 79-6 however with 21 runs required and the pressure building, Talybont were far from feeling comfortable. Urivish decided the best way forward was to attack the off spin of Morgan Ashton.
A six and a couple of twos that stopped short of the rope took Talybont to the brink of victory but Morgan had the last word with the perfect off spinner’s dismissal, the ball coming back in and beating the bat to hit the top of middle stump.
Urivish departed with the score on 97-7 and Phil completed the chase in the next over to take Talybont to 101, a three wicket victory. In a low scoring game, Phil was the pick of the batsmen for Talybont with 26*- no batsman passed 30 from either side, Alex Pitchford top scoring with 28. Steff Rees was the pick of the Aberaeron bowlers with 3-16 from his 7 overs.
Despite the rain delays and a low score from Aberaeron the two teams produced an exciting and enjoyable match played in good spirit. Aberaeron return home for their next fixture, hosting Tywyn the day after their annual six a side cricket festival. The last time they did this Steffan Rees won the match for them with a glorious 100 and they will hope someone else can step up to do the same in his absence this time.
(report by Arif Saad)
Aberystwyth (202-6) beat Tywyn & District (139-6) by 63 runs
TYWYN lost at Aberystwyth in a rain affected game at the Geufron.
Bowling first, Tywyn restricted Aber to 202-6, Gareth Lanagan the main man for the hosts with an unbeaten 65 with good support by Steffan Davies (26), Jim Vaughan (39), and Mel Jones (29no).
For Tywyn, Mel Jones (2-34 from 8), Morgan Yorke (1-43 from 8), Joe Williamson (1-33 from 7), and Jack Williamson (1-48 from 7).
Chasing a revised target of 191 from 34 overs, Tywyn’s reply petered out on 139.
Matthew Maslin at number six was the pick of the batsmen with an unbeaten 32 with Morgan Yorke (20) and Gruff Llewelyn (20) getting into double figures.
Sohaib Syed was in fine form with the ball taking four wickets for 30 runs off his eight overs.
Emlyn Mainwaring (2-24 from 8), Noa Jones (1-29 from 8), Austin Thomas (1-16 from 6) and Ceri John (1-14 from 2).
UWA Commoners (91-1) beat Aberystwyth II (89) by 9 wkts
PUT into bat first Aberystwyth Seconds struggled on a tricky crease and were all out for just 89 runs in 33 overs.
The only contribution of note was by Austin Thomas caught by Nial Nizar on 25 with Toby Wilcockson getting to 11 when hew was bowled by Ollie Somerfield.
Ehtesham Siddiqui (2-8), Arshad Sher (2-17), and Nial Nizar (2-4).
Chris Stamp (60no), Bill Somerfield (27) and Arshad Sher (1no) saw Commoners over the line without fuss in just 15 overs.