ABERGAVENNY 1st XI slipped to a second home South Wales Premier 2 loss of the season as seasiders Penarth secured a 22-run victory, reports PAUL SUSSEX.
The hosts won the toss and inserted Penarth, with Aber's tried and trusted opening attack of David Clarke and Owen Harris eagerly setting about their task.
An early Clarke breakthrough reduced Penarth to 7-1 in the third over before Ryan Avery replaced him, following which the Harris brothers combined to remove Tashaffi Shams (29-2) in the 10th over, Joe taking the catch off Owen's bowling.
Pawan Nisansala replaced Harris who took 1-12 off six overs before rain interrupted play for just over an hour, before Penarth moved on from 54-2 to 70-2 at half way, with the third wicket pair of Greg Cross and Ben Wellington completing a 50-run partnership.
They stretched that to 100 as Cross approached a century which he reached with a six off Sam Clarke, before passing the 150-run mark.
Dan Skipwith finally broke the partnership in the 40th over when Joe Harris stumped Cross for 126.
And Penarth then brought the 200 up before Sam Clarke took his first wicket after an unusually torrid time, the innings finishing on 218-4 from 42 overs.
The covers were were put back on before a revised score meant Aber needed 189 off 31 overs.
They reached 48-1 after 10 overs, but Dan Skipwith became the second wicket to fall, bowled for 25, and it became 89-3 with Tom Pipe bowled for five.
The rate was now over eight an over, but with Ryan Avery approaching his half century and young Jack Ryan it was still possible, with 89 needed from the last 10 overs.
But Avery holed out for 65 in the 24th over (125-4), which became 138-5 when Sam Clarke was bowled for nine.
Forty four were needed from four overs, but three wickets fell in the 28th over (148-8) and they were all out for 166 in 30 overs, Adeeb Ilyas the main tormentor with 6-21-4.
The loss saw Ynystawe overhaul them at the top by a point..
But the 2nds won away to Penarth 3rds, with Steve Brown bamboozling them with his left arm mystery spin to take 6-16, as the hosts collapsed from 150-4 to 165 all out.
James Hrastelj, Matthew Knight and Lloyd Sharp also chipped in with a wicket each.
With Will Eccles scoring 47, they then reached 166-4 in 33 overs to go top of South East Wales 6, an unbroken fifth-wicket partnership from Nathan Holley (32) and bowling hero Brown (19) seeing them home after useful contributions from Ellis Jones (19) and Edward Woolcott (13).
The 3rds missed out by 21 runs away to Blackwood Town 2nds in SEW 10 though.
Town raced to 65-1 but Aber applied the brakes with Manuraj Raju and Chai Sanapala bowling 13 overs for 40 runs and two wickets for the former, leaving the hosts on 117-5, which became 155-7 at the close.
Marc Morgan also took two wickets, alongside single wickets for Andy Timpson and Shunryu Sheehan.
Abergavenny reached 32-0 in reply before slumping to 58-5, and although Tom Krige scored 25, Will Jones 41, and Morgan 25, they were all out for 134.
Evan Jones fired 54 for the 4ths as they secured a 50-run home win over Friends Union.
They welcomed back skipper Barry French, but batting first were 142 all out in 35 overs.
Joe Fairbank also made 17, Ioan Parry 13, Adam Eccles 14, Jonty Heffaran 10 and Owain Bradley nine not out.
But they skittled Friends out for 92 in 31 overs, having reduced them to 9-4, with Naveeshan Jayaraj taking 3-8 and Joe Fairbank 2-12 before Owain Bradley with 3-15 and Mark Withey 1-17 polished off the tail.
On Saturday the 1sts visit Chepstow, the 2nds host Croesyceiliog 2nds, the 3rds host Penarth 4ths, and the 4ths play Ponthir 3rds away.