Wadlan’s assault sees Swansea into semis
AMMANFORD were bundled out of the South Wales Cricket Association Peter Lynn & Partners Knockout Cup at the quarter-final stage by an adventurous Swansea side who rode their luck to win by 31 runs.
Visitors Swansea won the toss and decided to bat on a wicket which had been severely tested by the weather. As it was, play was delayed by nearly two hours for a 3.15pm start.
Swansea got off to a fine start, helped by some dropped catches, as opener Brad Wadlan hit 60 off just 36 balls including four sixes and four fours. Steffan Roberts (31) and Conor Miles (17) provided good support.
The home team managed to peg back the run fest, and Swansea completed their 20 overs on 147-6. Owen Davies and Matthew Fisher each bagged a couple of wickets.
In contrast, Ammanford’s response got off to a catastrophic start and after eight overs they were 49-4.
The ever-reliable Matthew Fisher (41) and wicketkeeper Matthew Slade (28no) provided some resistance, but Ammanford were never really in the contest and closed on 116-7, some way short of their target.
Pontarddulais’s fine run in the competition continued as they saw off Llangennech by seven wickets.
The Llanelli side were restricted to 101-6 from their 20 overs, Hedd-wyn Jones top-scoring with 19.
William Jones took 2-20, with Ellis Lowe, Iestyn Rees, Dafydd Davies and Tomos Fowler also among the wickets.
In-form Cameron Herring led the way in Bont’s reply, his 42 coming off just 28 balls and including six fours and a six. Jack Butler was 25 not out as the hosts reached their target with more than three overs to spare.
Michael Jones, Simon Clement and Owain Phillips took the wickets to fall.
Gorseinon are also through after they edged a thrilling clash with Neath by seven wickets with just two balls to spare.
The Gnoll side recovered from a shaky start and looked to have posted a winning score of 165-4. Scott Matthews (63) and Gregory Thomas (61no) shared a fine stand of 83 for the fourth wicket.
Gorseinon looked in desperate trouble when they were reduced to 33-3. But an unbroken stand of 135 between Chris Morgan (73no) and Abdullah Rahimi (56no) carried them to victory. Both batsmen blasted five sixes as the runs came thick and fast.
In the other quarter-final, Clydach (180-6) beat Aberdare (106-9) by 74 runs.
In the Peter Lynn & Partners Intermediate Cup, meanwhile, Dafen 2nds advanced to the semi-finals with a comfortable win against Gowerton 2nds on Sunday.
Dafen had been drawn at home, but with the poor weather meaning their ground was unlikely to be fit, the teams agreed to switch the game to Gowerton’s Victoria Road ground.
Dafen’s captain Josh Simmons, recently transferred from Gorseinon, won the toss and elected to field. The hosts’ openers Rhys Hughes and Sam Martin started steadily, but both were dismissed in quick succession by Kai
Rees (1-15) and Rhys Marchant (1-20), leaving Gowerton stumbling at 15-2 in the fourth over.
The third-wicket partnership of Ben Whitehouse and captain Adam Bond re-established the innings and at 47-2 after nine overs the hosts had a firm foundation. However, the introduction of Simmons (2-11) halted their progress. He dismissed Whitehouse (7) first ball and then the hard-hitting Lee Cobley (8). The hosts were 60-4 after 12 overs.
Bond was run out for a well-constructed 30. Peter Griffiths (14no) marshalled the tail but Oliver Evans (3-10) ensured that Gowerton were unable to accelerate and they closed on 92-8 from their 20 overs.
Evans opened the reply with Simmons, and Simmons showed his intent from the start, hitting his first ball for six. He hit four further sixes before being dismissed attempting to hit another to bring up his 50.
He fell, stumped by Lee Cobley off 14-year-old James Cable, for 47 scored from 42 balls.
At the other end, Evans (18) was more circumspect before Cable (2-11) also accounted for him.
Another teenager, David Gasson (1-34), dismissed Steffan Phillips caught and bowled for six, but Kai Rees (9no) saw the visitors home with nearly five overs left.
Dafen have been drawn to host Pontarddulais 3rds in the semi-final on Sunday.
Mumbles A also progressed to the last four with victory over visitors Pontardawe 1sts.
Pontardawe made 96-7 in their 20 overs, skipper Mark Jones, Raj Vakil and Kieran Ace joint top-scoring with 18 each, Ace not out. Sam Harris (3-13 off 3) was the best of the bowlers, backed up by Rhys Davies (1-14), Alex Davies (1-18) and George Lloyd (1-6).
Mumbles’s third team then judged their reply to perfection, reaching 101-4 in 19 overs thanks to 28 not out from Stuart Seaton and 18 not out by George Lloyd. Jason Rourke took 2-16.
In the other quarter-finals, Llangennech 2nds (97-8) lost at home to Pontarddulais 2nds (98-1) by nine wickets.
Opener Scott Lloyd (32) and No. 7 Bav Patel (31) gave Llan hope but Oliver Rogers (3-7), Jack Rees (2-15) and Matthew Williams (2-12) kept the brakes on.
Then openers Williams (38no) and Alex Stewart (29) guided Bont home in 19.3 overs.
And in the final last-eight tie, Gorseinon 3rds won a thriller by one wicket at home to Ammanford 3rds.
Ammanford made 78-9 in their 20 overs, John Mann, Rhys Barlow and Scott Rees taking two wickets each.
Gorseinon then slumped to 6-5 but Rob Richards (15) and Sean Murphy (16no) saw them edge to 79-9 in 16.3 overs.
Tiaan Evans (2-6), Llyr Morgan (2-7) and Iestyn Jones (2-17) deserved to be on the winning side.
On Saturday, Gowerton’s 1st XI game at Morriston fell victim to the weather but their second XI were able to welcome Morriston to Victoria Road.
Captain Rhodri Owens won the toss and elected to bat, a decision that he profited from personally as he compiled an aggressive 125 in an innings that contained 19 fours and a six.
He shared an opening partnership of 74 with teenager Louis Davies (24) and then a partnership of 138 with 14-year-old Ben Croydon (36no).
The hosts’ innings closed at 227-2, with Andy Norton (1-36) and Ashwin Sibi (1-36) Morriston’s successful bowlers.
The visitors struggled in reply against the pace of Ethan Harris (3-11) and 13-year-old Jack Hoskins (0-1 from 4 overs).
Rhodri Phillips (2-18) and Tom Parkin (2-14) maintained the early pressure and at the mid-point of the innings the visitors were struggling at 48-6 with only Chris Forshaw (11) reaching double figures.
Andy Norton (29) batted well with the tail but the introduction of young James Cable (2-9) brought the innings to an early close with their total on 82.