A MAGNIFICENT 156 not out from skipper Will Glenn and four wickets each for David Clarke and Pawan Nisansala saw Abergavenny to a 32-run victory at home to Mumbles, reports PAUL SUSSEX.

Wicket keeper Joe Harris had to withdraw having dislocated a finger in the warm up, with Marc Morgan coming in to the side and Jack Ryan moving behind the stumps.

Batting first, Abergavenny were soon in trouble at 37-3 having lost Ryan Avery (six), Andrew Jones (14) and Dan Skipwith (0).

Glenn and Tom Pipe were soon closing in on a 50-run partnership though, before Pipe was given lbw for 12, leaving Abergavenny 86-4.

Glenn and Jack Ryan took the score to 115-4 at drinks, which became 128-5 when the latter was stumped for 14.

Glenn was batting well though, and relatively untroubled he found an ally in Owen Harris, putting together a 105-run partnership for the sixth wicket.

Glenn brought up his century with a six in the 35th over, and the duo brought up the 200 in the 44th over before Harris holed out for 41, leaving the hosts on 233-6.

David Clarke scored 10 not out after joining Glenn, who passed 150 in the 49th over as Aber set a very useful target of 281-6.

The main man hardly put a foot wrong in his highest ever score for the club, and readily dispatched anything pitched a little short, his 156 off 143 balls including 19 fours and three sixes.

In reply Mumbles were off to a speedy start to reach 92-0 from 10 overs.

They didn't lose their first wicket until the 19th over (137-1) when Pawan struck and at the halfway stage were still going well at 168-2.

Aneurin Norman made 107 after being dropped on 82, but after a torrid time in his opening spell (0-45), David Clarke had him caught in his second spell, then went one better in the same over leaving Mumbles 186-4.

Skipwith (1-40) then took Mumbles fifth wicket, before Clarke pounced twice more in his very next over (196-7) to return 4-16 second time around.

Mumbles had crumbled, losing six wickets for just 28 runs, but still had 18 overs to score 66 runs.

But Pawan had the final say, taking the last three wickets to dismiss the seasiders for 229 to secure an unlikely victory with nine overs to spare, with figures of 4-35.

Abergavenny moved back into second behind leaders Ynystawe who they face away on Saturday (July 20).

Geraint Leach with a second consecutive five-wicket haul helped the 2nds to a five-wicket win away to Pontypridd 2nds to stay top of South East Wales 6.

The hosts batted first and lost wickets regularly apart from a stand of 35 for the fourth wicket and were all out in the 36th over for 106, Leach finishing with 5-23, backed by Matthew Knight with 3-12 and Shunryu Sheehan with 2-7.

In reply, Abergavenny were 8-2 with both Will Eccles and Alex Holmes going cheaply before Greg Fury with 39 and Olly Jones 22 settled things down.

Nathan Byrne with an unbeaten 26 and skipper Matthew Knight with two not out then saw them home with 12 overs to spare, with Upper Rhondda at home this Saturday up next.

But SEW 10 hosts Great Western Bridgend 1sts proved too strong for Abergavenny 3rds, amassing 225-6 off 40 overs despite Toby Smith taking late wickets in a 4-44 haul, after strikes from Manuraj Raju and Andy Timpson.

In reply, Abergavenny were all out for 161 in the final over, James Morris scoring 32 and Evan Jones 25.

This weekend, they host Cefn Forest & Maesycwmmer.

Meanwhile, the 4ths won a low scoring match at home to Llanarth who were 79 all out.

Naveeshan Jayaraj took 3-12, and there were two wickets each for Owain Bradley and Ed Pike and a wicket apiece for Joe Fairbank and Dan Gethings. 

It wasn’t plain sailing for Abergavenny in reply, but Satish Rohra (14), Dan Gethings (18) and Ben Pike (19 not out) saw them to 81-7 home from an awkward position of 19-3, in 20 overs.

They travel to face Monmouth 2nds away on Saturday.