Drefach III (74) lost to Aberystwyth (306-4) by 232 runs

South Wales Cricket Association, Division 9 WestAN outstanding performance from young Bryn Williams ensured that Aberystwyth CC maintained their perfect start to the season in SWCA Division 9 West.

After wins against Carmarthen Wanderers and Pontyberem, Aberystwyth travelled to Drefach full of confidence, but knowing that a couple of leading bowlers from the previous weeks’ victories were unavailable.

Skipper Jim Vaughan won his third toss of the season and once again opted to bat first.

Opening pair Adam Shaw and Ceri John needed to show patience against some accurate bowling from Hari Thomas and Gareth James in the initial exchanges before John cut loose with an array of attacking strokes.

Shaw was also harsh on anything loose and the pair cruised to an opening stand of 110 in 15 overs before Shaw was brilliantly caught by Roy James at short midwicket off the bowling of Cian Williams for 40.

That wicket brought Iwan Roberts to the crease and he and John continued to accelerate the scoring rate before John fell just short of a century for a splendid 94.

Excellent leg spin bowling from young Jacob James accounted for Roberts (37) but the Aberystwyth middle order continued to press on, passing 200 and maximum batting points in the 27th over.

Iestyn Roberts produced an array of stylish strokes in his innings of 19, but it was Steffan Roberts who launched the decisive attack in the latter part of the innings, striking eleven 4s and two sixes in an unbeaten 75* as Aber posted 306-4 off their 40 overs.

In reply, 13-year-old Bryn Williams got Aber off to the best possible start, angling a pacy delivery through to shatter the stumps of Drefach’s opening batsman off the very first ball of the innings.

The swing and seam movement of Williams combined perfectly with 14-year-old Pranav Krishna’s leg spin and the pair wrecked Drefach’s top order as the hosts crumpled to 9 for 6, with 5 of the top 6 batters failing to trouble the scorers.

Thereafter, the Drefach lower order, marshalled by Hari Thomas (30*), Roy James and Gareth James, effected something of a recovery, but that amounted to a delaying of the inevitable as Drefach were finally dismissed for 74 in 25 overs, leaving Aberystwyth victorious by the comprehensive margin of 232 runs.

Pranav Krishna finished with an excellent 2-24 off 8 overs, but the undeniable star of the show was Bryn Williams who ended with superb figures of 8 overs, 1 maiden, and 6 wickets for just 17 runs, deservedly taking possession of the match ball as the souvenir of a landmark achievement.

Aberystwyth now find themselves 31 points clear at the top of the table with a game in hand over their nearest challengers, Gowerton 4th XI, and it is to Gowerton that Aberystwyth travel next weekend, hoping to advance their promotion campaign as the season approaches its midway point.