TWO fantastic batting performances earned a place in Abergavenny CC's record books when Faith Darby and Maria Sheehan became their first women players to score half centuries.

The duo's excellent unbeaten knocks at Avenue Road on Sunday helped secure a nine-wicket win over Panteg in the South Wales Women's Cricket League.

In very warm conditions and with a lightning fast outfield, the Aber attack dismissed the visitors for 151 in the 29th over, Bella Collett taking three wickets for 32 runs off six overs, while Sheehan chipped in with two for just five runs off four overs.

Megan Rowlands also turned the screw with 2-16-6, while Nancy Heffaran took 1-28-6 and Collett secured a run out.

Aber lost an early wicket when skipper Heffaran holed out, but fellow opener Sheehan and third batter Darby then wasted no time putting the Panteg attack on the back foot, blasting runs to all parts of the ground before Sheehan reached her 50, including three fours, in the 17th over with the winning line in sight, before finishing on 57 not out.

Darby followed suit in the 19th over having blasted seven fours in her 90-minute 51-run knock, as the duo reached 153-1 next over to secure a maximum 20 points to move up to third in Division One Zone B.

The team were Faith Darby, Ruth Collett, Emily Tyler, Bella Collett, Connie Heffaran, Nancy Heffaran, Lorraine Wadley, Maria Sheehan, Megan Rowlands and Anwen Williams.

The victory followed a narrow one wicket loss the previous week away to Sapphires at Pentyrch.

The visitors batted first and were 129 all out in the 10-aside game, Connie Heffaran top-scoring with 31, backed by skipper Lotte Matthews with 17, Rosie Thomas 16 and Megan Rowlands 12.

Abergavenny then bowled and fielded well with Lorraine Wadley holding three fantastic catches and Rowlands taking 4-27.

Matthews also secured a wicket brace and Nancy Heffaran one, but despite a great effort, Sapphires reached 127-8 in the 21st over to claim the win.

They welcome new players and get together for training on a Friday night at Avenue Road.

Abergavenny U13s beat Cowbridge the same day (Sunday, August 4) in two back-to-back games at home, by nine and eight wickets.

Openers Maria Sheehan and Frank Meredith both scored 50 retired not out as they reached 156-1 off 20 overs before the visitors were restricted to 87-4, Oliver Hobbs taking two wickets and Cohen Purnell and Brinley Meredith one apiece.

In the second game, Aber scored 179-2 off 20 overs, Ted Jackson firing 51 retired not out backed by skipper Eric Pike with 44, Maddie Powell with 20 not out and Beth Jackson 12 not out.

The attack then skittled the Cowbridge batting for 74 in 18.4 overs, Hobbs with three wickets, Sheehan two and one apiece for Powell, Jackson, Beatrice Cundy and Leo Roberts.

On Tuesday (August 6), they also beat Llanarth by 38 runs at home, Sheehan scoring 30 and Cundy 20 in their 106-4 off 20 overs, before restricting the visitors to 68-6, Purnell, Maddie Powell, Nate Powell, Elis Jones and Anwen Williams sharing the wickets and Beth Jackson securing a run out.

This Sunday (August 18) Abergavenny CC’s Women travel to play Monmouth.