HAMPERED by the loss of Australian all-rounder Dan Skipwith with a broken hand and with David Clarke barely fit to play, it was a case of after the Lord Mayor's Show in West Wales for Abergavenny 1st XI, reports PAUL SUSSEX.

After the sparkle and champagne of the previous week’s victory that secured promotion to South Wales Premier One the previous week, there was the down-to-earth thud of dull flat beer as they were bowled out for 107 in just 31 overs at Clydach, undone in the main by 'quickie' Salman Mirza with five wickets for 20 runs, all bowled.

The writing was on the wall after seven deliveries when Andrew Jones was adjudged lbw without scoring.

Abergavenny were then reduced to 33-5 in the 13th over, the only batter really coming to terms with the attack and the conditions being Ryan Avery, who carried his bat for 43 not out when the innings came to a close.

Jack Ryan with 10 and David Clarke with 21, who put on 38 for the seventh wicket with Avery, were the only other batters to reach double figures.

Clydach had little difficulty in reaching the target for the loss of just three wickets in the 27th over, Pawan Nisansala, Lloyd Sharp and Lewys Wilkes-McCarthy each taking a wicket.

Leading batter for the season was Ryan Avery with 605 runs at 3.81, while top bowler was David Clarke with 28 wickets at 15.36.

Avery was also leading fielder with nine catches and a run out, while best wicket keeper/fielder were jointly Jack Ryan with 12 catches and a run out and Joe Harris with nine catches, three stumpings and a run out.

South East Wales 6 champions Abergavenny 2nds finished their season off with yet another resounding victory at home to Panteg 2nds.

Batting first after winning the toss they accumulated 268-7 in their 40 overs, Ellis Jones firing 56, Toby Smith 50, Greg Fury 38 and James Hrastelj 35 not out.

In reply Panteg were all out for 198 in the 35th over, Matthew Knight taking four wickets, and Hrastelj and Steve Brown two apiece.

The 3rd XI lost a very close game at home to Pontymister & Cross Keys 2nds by just three runs.

The visitors batted first and scored 251 all out in 38 overs, Andy Timpson taking 3-26, and Manuraj Raju, Evan Jones and James Morris two wickets apiece.

In reply, Jones fired 59, skipper Stuart Eccles 28, Manuraj 26 not out, Will Jones 25, and James Morris 24, but they fell agonisingly short of the target, reaching 248-7 in 40 overs to finish fourth in SEW 10.

The 4ths went out on a high though with a magnificent victory away to Blackwood 3rd XI, thanks largely to a fabulous second-wicket partnership of 161 between Joe Fairbank who scored 93 and Dylan Bradley who hit 51, leaving them first and second in the batters list for the season.

The visitors reached 196-5 in 40 overs and then skittled Blackwood out for 130 in 36.1 overs, Aber finishing fifth in SEW 12E.