Resurgent Talybont Rachels inflicted a heavy defeat on a young Aber side, with an individual club record being broken in the process.

Talybont Rachels (313-8) beat Aberystwyth II (89 all out) by 224 runs, Fine & Country West Wales Conference

Home captain Graham Saunders won the toss, and with a pitch that was bare at one end and green at the other, invited the opposition to bat. His decision brought dividends almost immediately, as left-armer Noa Jones got Ben Harper to play slightly too soon, a leading edge being well taken by Rhys Jones at midwicket.

Noa Jones and Anirudh Krishna provided a contrasting style in their bowling styles, with both beating the bat frequently, Krishna working up a good pace.

Graison John and Vinod Matthew were unperturbed, however, John’s fondness for the pull being again to the fore. Matthew’s forte is the cut, and he targeted the point boundary as well.

The pair put on 81 runs, and John had already hit Peter Loxdale for two boundaries in an over when Loxdale got an inswinger to evade John’s flamboyant drive and scatter the stumps. John had made 54 runs.

Ayush Sharma looked to score quickly as well, and a fine contest ensued between his footwork and young Pravan Krishna’s spinners. The younger Krishna won the contest, his flight deceiving Sharma and bowling him for 14.

With the innings virtually at its mid-point, anchor Matthew was joined by Phil Abraham, who has not been having the best of seasons with the bat. Abraham played himself in, and enjoyed two huge slices of luck, being dropped off a skier, and then seeing Saunders pull off a blinder at point off a no-ball.

He made the most of these reprieves and hit one huge six to square leg. He reached his 50 off 39 balls, but having caught up with Matthew on 57, was surprised by a Luke Grover delivery that bounced, chopping the ball to Nigel Salmon at point.

The score was by now 204, with 10 overs remaining. Zed Khan had shown glimpses of his power the previous week, but he now launched an astonishing attack on the bowling.

Anirudh Krishna had bowled well from the Geufron end in his second spell, but his last over saw Khan score 22 runs off him and then continue his attack the following over against Saunders. Two towering sweeps for six will stay long in the memory.

In the midst of the mayhem, Matthew was run out by Ioan Morris’ quick wits behind the stumps for an excellent 63.

Khan reached his 50 with another six, off the 15th bowl he received – breaking the previous long-standing club record. He hit a further two sixes before Noa Jones bowled him for 66.

Rhodri Lloyd-Williams and Faran Jahangir scored 14 and 15 respectively in putting the 300 up before Saunders got rid of both in the last over, leaving Joel Abraham undefeated. Noa Jones was the pick of the Aber bowlers, taking 2-44, and Saunders also taking two wickets.

The three hours in the field had probably made the huge total even more daunting, and no Aber batsman managed to put pressure on the bowling, though a number of the younger contingent showed good technique and had to be winkled out.

Jack Allen followed a Milton John outswinger and was caught behind by Lloyd-Williams, a similar fate befelling Noa Jones when facing Joel Abraham.

Michelle Watson showed restraint and patience for the first dozen overs, but Milton John had him caught by namesake Graison at midwicket.

Khan showed his dynamism with the ball by bowling strokemaker Loxdale for 11 and Ioan Morris for 6, and Farhan Jahnagir showed his own versatility in running out Saunders and then bowling Salmon.

The Krishna brothers battled to keep out the bowling whilst also picking up a few runs. Anirudh got to 18 before becoming another Farhan victim, and Pravan remained defiant on 16. Khan and Sharma picking up the last two wickets.

Khan was the principal destroyer, his seven overs yielding 3-23, and Milton John and Farhan got two wickets apiece.