LAMPETER completed an impressive first half of the Fine & Country WWCCC championship season with a tense victory over Talybont 2nds, in a fluctuating game, writes Arif Saad.

Talybont captain Vinod Matthew won the toss and elected to bat first on the artificial surface which has yielded plenty of runs so far this season.

Lampeter, much depleted with 15 players not available this week, had turned to the depth provided by the J&E Woodworks Midweek League and drafted in two players from Aberaeron to get an XI out.

Simon Mitchell provided pace and tested the techniques of openers Vinod Matthew and Ben Harper but it was Elgan Evans who profited from the pressure created.

Ben Harper, strong through the off side, perished to his favourite shot as a flying edge was well caught at fly slip by Jamie Davies.

Vinod Matthew was hard to shift but Evans and Mitchell kept probing and applying pressure, Matthew and Joel Abraham unable to break the shackles as runs dried up.

Evans eventually got the breakthrough as Matthew was adjudged LBW for 19 and Elgan struck again with the first ball of his next over to bowl Joshi for a golden duck.

With the team at 61/3 in the 14th over things were looking perilous for Talybont.

Evans finished with 3/47 with Mitchell wicketless but only going for 28 from his eight.

Huw Chambers was an assured presence at four and together with Joel Abraham set a foundation for Talybont.

For 12 overs the pair played low risk and picked off singles and the occasional boundary.

At 25 overs Talybont were on 114 but, crucially, had wickets in hand for a late charge.

Chambers began to open up and drives over mid off and midwicket joined his trademark dabs and guides.

Joel meanwhile was more free with his scoring and went past 50 in a crucial 98 run partnership.

Bedwyr Davies bowled with no luck in his spell of eight over 0/31 and was well supported by debutant Wesley Roban 0/31 from 7.

With the middle overs completed and Lampeter turning to less regular bowlers, the game kicked into life again.

The batsmen knew they had to attack to make a competitive total and chances began to come in the field.

Doug Whittaker picked up two key scalps in an over as Joel Abraham top edged his first delivery of the 33rd to give Saad an easy catch - a fine 71 for the Talybont player - and then Chambers (26) walked after a fine tickle down leg to give the keeper another dismissal.

With 7 overs remaining, Phil Abraham was the ideal batter for Talybont to try to accelerate.

He took on the fielders with 5 fours and 3 sixes in a rapid 48.

Around him, Rhodri Lloyd Williams became Doug’s third victim to a stumping and young Gethin Thomas on his full debut picked up two wickets - Jacob Matthew caught and bowled and Nimal Nixon bowled.

Doug finished 3/35 and Geth 2/28 as Phil was run out off the last ball - Jamie Davies with the throw to leave Talybont on 232/9.

A well paced acceleration had left Talybont with a defendable total but Lampeter were confident with a batting order deep with striking ability.

Elgan Evans and Arif Saad opened and Saad pushed on to double figures before a swipe across the line to Jacob Matthew saw him bowled for 11.

Simon Mitchell was promoted to three, with Lampeter looking to set a platform for the middle order, however an injudicious drive on the up saw Joel Abraham just hold on as he collided with Joseph Thomas.

The unfortunate incident ended Joshi’s participation, as Sumesh took to the field as injury replacement.

Ceri Thomas and Iestyn Evans, both off night shifts, both fell to their fourth deliveries, bowled for 1. Arun getting Ceri, chopped on for 1 from his first delivery and Nimal getting Iestyn for 1 with his first delivery too.

With the score at 52/4 Elgan was searching for a partner to stick in with him and Jamie Davies was able to do so, putting the fielders on the back foot with his attacking approach.

Unfortunately for Lampeter, Elgan then departed- having stroked a lovely boundary he attempted the same again to the next delivery but didn’t move his feet and was bowled by Nimal for a much needed 35.

Jamie was looking in good form as he peppered the three straight fielders, taking singles and occasionally piercing the gaps for fours.

Osian Jones preferred to work off his legs and was building a useful partnership with Jamie as the pair crossed 100 only for the quick left arm off breaks from Arun to defeat him on 13.

This brought Wesley Roban to the middle - a young St Vincent native, recently moved to Lampeter and playing his first game of weekend cricket in Wales.

Wes took his time to settle in, playing second fiddle to Jamie’s lead.

As the overs progressed, the pair had reduced the amount required to under a hundred but with the Lampeter six down, Talybont were still in the driving seat.

This became even more apparent when Jamie finally mistimed one, and popped the ball up for Nimal to hold a simple catch and give Arun his third victim.

Jamie’s 45 was crucial to keeping Lampeter in the game but with 90 still required and just three wickets in hand, victory looked a long way off for Lampeter now.

One factor in their favour was that Bedwyr Davies had dropped down the order, having aggravated a foot injury in bowling his eight overs, and was by no means a number 9 bat.

Together with Wes, he played intelligently, ensuring that the run rate required did not get out of reach but taking few risks. Wes was the more attacking of the pair but both punished anything over pitched or on their legs.

As the overs progressed, Lampeter first passed 160 to secure four batting points and then, crucially, managed to take 20 runs from Vinod Matthew’s only over to leap to 182/7 in the 27th.

With that one over, Wes and Beds only needed to score at 3 an over and wickets were the only way for Talybont to get back into a game in which they had held the upper hand for so long.

Vinod turned to Phil and Joel Abraham, familiar foes from Lampeter having faced them on several occasions since their return to league cricket.

Both bowlers threatened, Davies leaving one from Phil which missed the stumps by millimetres, but it was to no avail as Lampeter entered the 34th requiring only 15.

Wes had taken his time to get settled and watched as Jamie dominated the bowlers, but he came to the forefront in the final overs of the chase, hitting powerfully over the top for 3 sixes and 5 fours.

In the 34th, Bedwyr picked up Phil off his legs and over the leg side boundary to start the over and after a single, 2 wides and 5 more runs from Davies, the scores were level with a ball to go and Wes on 45.

The big West Indian casually strolled down to the last ball and lifted it high over long on for a towering six to finish the game and bring up his half century.

Lampeter came out on top in the end but it was a game in which Talybont had been on top for large stretches and it was the lower middle order for Lampeter who rescued the day - Jamie Davies 45, Bedwyr Davies 44* and Wesley Roban 51* with Beds and Wes putting on 95 runs unbeaten to win the match.

Lampeter go top of the league with four wins from their first six games but with teams below - particularly Aberaeron with 4 wins from 4 and other teams with matches in hand- it will be a competitive second half of the Championship