Talybont/Rachels shrugged off their mid-season stutter to beat Fine and Country Conference defending champions Tywyn, thanks in no small part to the Abraham family. 

Talybont/Rachels 1sts (239-9) beat Tywyn (171 all out) by 68 runs.

The fine weather encouraged Vinod Matthew to make first use of the Cae Rhianfa artificial pitch. Ben Harper showed his intents by striking Dave Jenkins for a ferocious six in the very first over, but the pendulum swung immediately as Jaco Oosthuizen had Joseph Thomas caught behind by Dylan Williams in his own opening burst. Jenkins made further inroads by bowling Jestus Jerry to leave the innings tottering at 16-2. Tino Tomy joined Harper, and both played aggressive but sensible innings as the innings was relaunched. Harper helped himself to another six off the spin of Jack Williamson. Oosthuizen was a model of accuracy, however, bowling his eight overs straight through to pick up 1-18. 

The promise of a handsome score was rudely broken in a single over, when the professorial Ed Hughes perfected his angles and had both batsmen caught in the twentieth over, Tino by Oosthuizen for 35 and Harper at slip by Williamson for 40. The next ten overs saw the home side in the ascendance, just 30 odd runs being scored for the loss of three wickets. The dangerous trio of Sagar, Matthew and Vasu were all dismissed cheaply, Hughes picking up a further wicket and Williamson claiming a brace. The catch by Hughes at second slip to dismiss Vasu off Williamson was of the highest order. 

At 119-7 after 28 overs, the end seemed nigh as Joel Abraham strode in to accompany his father Phil. However, the scoring rate picked up immediately, the pair showing familial understanding between the wickets. With the frontline bowlers having completed their quota, the fielding side were exposed to a ferocious assault by the dynamic duo, Abraham senior clearing the boundary on four occasions, and Abraham junior doing so on three. The pair took the score to 200 before Matthew Maslin bowled Phil Abraham for 59, his fifty having been reached with a fabulous six. There was still time for James Conde to bowl Joby and for a brief flourish from Sreenath, a final total of 239 – 9 being the result of a magnificent fightback. Joel Abraham finished unbeaten on 46. Ed Hughes took 3-45, being assisted by Williamson 2-30.  

The Abraham duo then laid down their bats and took up the ball to open the bowling together. Oosthuizen made his own pitch for man of the match by launching the innings in a savage manner, scoring 59 out of the 65 runs scored in the first ten overs. Dave Jenkins was bowled for 13 by Joby, but the match ball was probably the wicket of Oosthuizen, excellently caught at mid-on  by Matthew off Jestus Jerry. Jerry then promptly held a return catch to dismiss John Tolhurst. The prolific Jack Williamson was joined by Nicki Williams and played some typically stylish shots on his way to 34 before becoming Jerry’s third victim with the score on 119. Phillip Abraham had Dylan Williams caught by the ubiquitous Joel at extra cover for 1, and though Nicki Williams and Joel Eynon battled hard to rebuild, they departed in consecutive overs. Tomy first bowled Williams for 23 and then alertly ran out Eynon for 25. The home side’s tail could not repeat the recovery seen earlier in the afternoon, Maslin being caught by Joseph Thomas off Joel Abraham, who was also responsible for bowling James Conde. Tomy had bowled Tom Conde in the meantime.  

The innings finished on 171, Jerry taking 3-32, Tomy 3-21, Joel Abraham 2-37.  

Rachels/Talybont picked up 20 points to their hosts 8, and will hope to continue their resurgence next weekend when they play Commoners at Geufron.