ABERGAVENNY CC 1st XI won a hard-fought home match with Dafen Welfare on Saturday to stay top of South Wales Premier 2, reports PAUL SUSSEX.

Before the game both teams stood in a moment's silence in a tribute to Croesyceilog CC's Bruce Collier, a wonderful cricket man who recently passed away.

Abergavenny won the toss and put Dafen in, and it didn’t look a good decision at the halfway point when drinks were taken with Dafen on 110-1.

Aber pride themselves on their fielding, but had an off day with four catches put down and the ground fielding below their normal high standard.

They fought back and took three wickets with the score on 136 though to get back into the game with 13 overs remaining, Sam Clarke with two and Dan Skipwith one.

But the momentum remained with Dafen as they added over 100 more runs to finish on 243-7.

Skipper Clarke bowled well to take 2-23 from 10 overs, but the other bowlers struggled.

In reply Abergavenny's top order struggled to get going. Andrew Jones found timing difficult but hung in there to score 26 as others departed regularly, with his wicket leaving them 89-5 in the 23rd over.

Clarke steadied the ship with a well made 33 (146-6), leaving just under 100 to win from 15 overs with just four wickets left.

The Harris brothers – Joe and Owen – then lit up Avenue Road with an 88-run seventh-wicket partnership broken only with the run out of Owen for 50 (234-7) with three overs remaining.

And Joe Harris with a career-best 69 not out for Abergavenny then saw them home for a brilliant if unlikely three-wicket victory, 18 points ensuring Abergavenny remain top, with Port Talbot Town away on Saturday (June 8) next.

The 2nd XI were involved for the second week running in a nail biter, but came out on top this time.

Setting hosts Sudbrook 2nds a target of 211 to win, Abergavenny bowled them out with the penultimate ball of the game for 207 just four runs short of the target.

There were runs for Greg Fury (30), Ellis Jones (50), Edward Woolcott (51). Steve Brown (39) and Geraint Leach (13 not out), with a 90-run partnership for the fourth wicket between Jones and Woolcott the highlight.

Sudbrook made a good fist of it and took it to the wire, but Steve Brown with 3-32, Lloyd Sharp 2-34, skipper Matthew Knight 1-31 and Ryan Pugh 3-49 ensured the victory.

The 3rds travelled to play Newport 4ths in a table-top clash, and lived to regret inserting their hosts, who scored 312-6 off 40 overs.

The Abergavenny bowlers were taken to the sword, in particular by Hassan Khan Snr with a magnificent 169.

Mauraj Raju with 2-51 was the best of the bowlers with a wicket each for Chai Sanapala and Alex Holmes.

Abergavenny fell 114 runs short reaching 198-8 to surrender top spot to their opponents, with good knocks from James Morris (48), Chai Sanapala (33), Alex Holmes (44), Stuart Eccles (32), Archie Eccles (14) and Will Jones (13 not out).

Abergavenny 4ths had a crushing home victory over nine-man Abercarn 2nds though, bowling them out for 61 and knocking off the runs without losing a wicket.

Ryan Williams scored 44 and Joe Fairbank 17, with the latter returning outstanding bowling figures of 4-1, Dylan Bradley 2-11 and a wicket each for Imran Ahmadzai and Muhammad Usama Ali.

But on Sunday, Abergavenny lost a nail biter in the first round of the T20 KO Cup at Penarth.

Batting first after winning the toss, Aber made 142-3 with runs for Dan Skipwith (32), Tom Pipe (62 not out), and Sam Clarke (28 not out).

But Penarth won in the final over by reaching 143-5, Lewys Wilkes-McCarthy taking 2-23 and Sam Clarke 3-26.

Other games this Saturday include – Abergavenny 2nds v Newport Fugitives 2nds, Abergavenny 3rds v Creigau 2nds, Crumlin 2nds v Abergavenny 4ths.