Batsmen shine as Mumbles close gap

MUMBLES leapt up to fourth in the Swalec Premier League after a 33-run win at home to Newport.

Put into bat at Marespool, Mumbles raced to 249 for the loss of just four wickets.

Opening pair David Brown (80) and Rhodri Evans (44) got the ball rolling before Darren Thomas (29) and Daniel Roberts (42) also made valuable contributions.

The innings finished with Dion Holden and Chris Nelson unbeaten on 36 and two respectively.

Marc Lezar was the best of the Newport bowlers as he took two wickets from six overs, at the expense of 38 runs.

Newport were bowled out for 216 after 47 overs, though looked like falling far shorter of their 249-run target after tumbling to just 4-3 at one stage early on.

The game was kept competitive thanks to a hefty contribution from the visitors' middle order.

All except 12 runs were scored by those batting between fourth and seventh, as Imran Hassan struck 94, Kyle Tudge 43, Marc Lezar 20 and Nathan Millichip 37.

The best offering from Newport's remaining batsmen was tailender Harry Powell's four not out. Rhodri Evans took two wickets at a cost of 26 runs, while Sarthak Sawiani took 2-22.

Mumbles are now just eight points behind third-placed Port Talbot Town, who lost their position at the top of the table after their match at Pontarddulais was rained off.

And they also made ground on Sully Centurions in second after the Cardiff side drew at home to Ynysygerwn.

Having opted to bat, Ynys raced out of the blocks and looked comfortable on 125-2.

That was thanks largely to opener Gareth Rees who hit 74. But the away side were able to put on only 76 for their remaining eight wickets.

Richard Grant (37) was the best of the rest, while the last six made just 20 between them.

Tomos Evison was the standout Sully bowler as he took six wickets from his 9.3 overs at a cost of 37 runs.

In a nail-biting finish, Sully finished just five runs shy of their 202 target.

Their reply got off to a mixed start and the hosts were off the pace at 82-5.

But a knock of 74 from Jamie Sylvester helped Sully to 155-6 and in sight of victory.

In the end, batsmen Gareth Davies and Evison ran out of overs and had to settle for a share of the spoils as they finished on 197-7.

Jon Glover took three wickets, while Nicholas Maggs and Mark Davies both claimed two.

Ammanford suffered a heavy defeat at Bridgend which saw the Newbridge Fields side move within a point of their visitors.

Put into bat, Ammanford reached just 127-8.

That score would have been even smaller but for a creditable 45 from middle-order man Andrew Salter.

The only other contributions of note came opener Matthew Fisher (24) and tailender Mike Reed (24 not out).

Nick Davies did damage with the ball for Bridgend as he claimed 4-30 wickets from seven overs.

Bridgend made short work of reaching their target, breezing to the total for the loss of just two wickets.

Despite the fact Glamorgan man Will Bragg was dismissed for four, the home side never looked in trouble.

Another county player, Ben Wright, made 26, while Bradley Wadlan weighed in with an unbeaten 83, helping Bridgend reach victory in the 21st over.

Alun Evans and Matthew Roberts took the two Bridgend wickets.

In the remaining top-flight game, Cardiff went top of the table after claiming a five-wicket win at home to Usk.