A LOW-SCORING 'Fine and Country' tussle went the way of the home team, with the ball dominating the bat, writes Huw Chambers.

Aber captain Peter Loxdale won the toss, and must have felt vindicated when Sagur and Lahuru were both sent back with 12 on the board, victims of Anirudh Krishna.

Gradually, however, the balance shifted as Jestus Jerry and Sreenaj took the attack to the opposition, neither letting the bowlers settle and both showing a good array of strokes.

They cleared the boundary on more than one occasion, with Jestus striking Graham Saunders over long-off, and Sreeraj replicating the feat with a blow over deep midwicket.

At the halfway point, a formidable total beckoned from 123-2, but left-arm spinner Dan Ponting had other ideas, having Jestus nimbly stumped by Ben Willis for 60 and then trapping Sreeraj LBW for 51.

Nigel Salmon seized the opening, and proceeded to run through the batting by virtue of his trusted cutters.

In less than three overs, he snapped up four wickets as the innings collapsed pitifully to 149 all out, with Harvey Knights picking up a wicket as well.

Vinod Mathew bravely defied the bowlers and a hand injury for 13, but he was snared by Aadvik Khare.

Salmon's return of 4-10 and Ponting's miserly spell of 2-14 had put the game within Aber's grasp.

Mathew unleashed Devadas as his own opening bowling gambit, and the gamble paid out handsomely.

Rhys Jones, Adadvik Khare and Ben Willis were quickly despatched, the first to a catch by Anish Kuriakose, the latter two to booming inswingers.

The accurate Anish also made his mark as a bowler, having Dan Ponting and Peter Loxdale caught by Sreeraj and Devadas respectively.

With these two fine batsmen barely being in double figures when dismissed, Rachels/Talybont were now in the ascendancy.

Stand-in keeper Jacob Mathew's handy glovework helped keep up the pressure.

Cricket wisdom dictates that a leg-spinner can banish the tail quickly, and Jestus Jerry now took up his second role of the day, claiming four quick wickets, including a return catch.

As the Aber innings came to a close, Anish Kuriakose took a splendid diving catch off Nimal Nixon to remove Jack Allen for 14. Jestus took 4-21, Anish 2-19 and Devadas 3-29 in a disciplined bowling performance by Talybont/Rachels.

Fixtures: Saturday, 12 July - Talybont II v Aberaeron. Sunday, 13 July - AberystwythvTalybont Rachels; Lampeter v Tywyn & District