Talybont/Rachels 1 (286 all out) beat Talybont/Rachels 2 (270-9) by 16 runs

Fine & Country West Wales Cricket Club Conference

HAVING won the toss, first team captain Vinod Matthew had no hesitation in batting, but must have had doubts when second team opening bowler Milton John got some extra bounce to surprise Joshi Thomas, the batsman unable to get his glove out of the way and Jestus Jerry making a difficult slip catch look easy, writes Huw Chambers.

Graison John joined Ben Harper, and both looked at ease on the artificial pitch, though Milton John and Anup Menon kept the scoring rate down.

The change bowling produced an acceleration, though, and Harper’s drives and John’s powerful pulling started to give the fielders food for thought.

The pair had put on 122 when John tried to drive Anish Kuriakose immediately after drinks and was bowled.

This brought in the in-form Mohit Mathur, and he immediately started to pierce the infield with ease, his languid elegance belying power with a tremendous six over midwicket.

He struck ten 4s and one 6 in a stay of less than 10 overs to get to 53, but left-arm spinner Arun Ravikumar surprised Mathur with a quicker delivery to spear middle stump.

With Harper cleverly working the gaps and Phillip Abraham now taking up the attack, the 200 was reached in the 30th over as the onslaught continued.

However, Menon shrewdly brought back Milton John, who promptly rewarded his captain’s faith by bowling Harper for an excellent 73 and Abraham for an entertaining 43.

A slight collapse then ensued, Antony sensationally running out Matthew at the bowler’s end with a throw from the opposite crease, and then dismissing Rhodri Lloyd-Williams in a more conventional fashion with a catch behind the stumps.

The cavalier Bava Vasu came in next, and promptly hit two huge straight drives to relaunch the innings.

In trying for a third, however, he could only watch in horror as Sagur brought off a stinging catch in his follow through.

The shot of the day belonged to Ijaz Mohamed, a straight drive of his nearly troubling the graves in the nearby cemetery.

He was caught by Rebin Rajan off John in attempting a similar feat, and in the last over Antony repeated his earlier quick thinking in helping the bowler run out Anant.

This brought the innings to a close on a towering 286. Milton John was the pick of the bowlers with 4-38, and Sagar picked up a brace for 30.

By the time the reserves started their reply, thunder was to be heard all around, but Jerry and Sagar showed fear of neither storm nor bowling as they attacked immediately.

With the bowling being slightly wayward, the 50 was reached as early as the 6th over, and Jerry was very harsh on anything short on the offside.

Sagur had made his way to 28 when he was pinned in front by the persistent Anant for 28.

Matthew now introduced his spearhead Bava, and he immediately bowled Jino Joseph to establish control for the senior side.

Anish Kuriakose stayed with Jerry to calm the innings, and Jerry struck three controlled 6s to take the score to 121 in the 19th over, almost a repeat of the first innings.

Matthew took a risk in introducing his own wrist-spin, and his variety trapped Jerry for 61, an impressive knock indeed off 84 balls.

He promptly had Kuriakose caught by Jobi for 15.

Menon and Sumesh Antony had a tall order, but continued to build until Menon was bowled by Jobi for 15.

Antony then unleashed a series of searing cuts which would intimidate any fielder, ensuring that maximum batting points were reached easily with ten overs left.

No thought was given to resting on laurels.

With Mudit Bohra also in fine form, the win was still on, and Matthew turned to the wily Phillip Abraham to close the game out.

He had Antony caught at Long-on by Bava for 54 with the score on 210, but the game stayed alive as Bohra and Huw Chambers continued to press, Bohra was run-out by an excellent throw by Thomas for 19, and the last over saw 20 needed for a win.

Chambers hit Abraham to the midwicket boundary off the first ball to kindle hopes of an unlikely victory, but he edged the next ball to Lloyd-Williams to dampen spirits.

Milton John was well caught off Anant two balls later, Arun and Rebin seeing off the last two balls to salvage honour.

Talybont/Rachels 1sts took 19 points, the 2nds 10 points in a memorable contest.