FOR the second time in three games Aber were defeated in a match determined to a large extent by the toss - the only difference this time was that skipper James Schofield won the toss and chose to bat first after gambling that the pitch would not get better.
Despite this misjudgment, Aber still pushed Pentyrch mighty close and were still favourites to win when they reduced the home side to 72-7 chasing 139 to win.
The game started well for Aber as the in form Greg Fury continued from where he left off against Penarth and dispatched the opening bowlers around the park as he and Schofield advanced the first wicket partnership to 43 in quick time, before Schofield fell for 10 in the seventh over.
Fury made a rapid 44 and Ryan Watkins made 15 before Pentrych introduced spin into the attack.
They made full use of a capricious pitch of unpredictable bounce and spin and put a straightjacket on the Aber innings.
Gavin Heritage and Mike Baillon resisted well for 20 overs but understandably found runs hard to come by, and once they were dismissed the innings subsided with only Craig Barnsley reaching double figures as Aber were dismissed for 138.
However, despite defending a low total, Aber came out fired up believing they could cause Pentyrch problems on a still difficult wicket.
Outstanding new ball bowling from Watkins and Jon Denning left Pentyrch on 22-3 in the tenth over before spin was introduced into the attack. With fielders clustered round the bat, Baillon posed an immediate threat and eventually picked up his first wicket, aided by an outstanding catch by Heritage under the helmet at leg slip.
Baillon picked up a further wicket and Andy Timpson continued his good season in snaring two more wickets, leaving the home team on 72-7.
At this point Aber were on top and had high hopes of a superb win. Unfortunately, the pitch was just starting to flatten out, and posed few alarms for the remainder of the game, and despite Aber rotating the bowlers round, Coates and Smith saw Pentyrch home, scoring the remaining 67 runs comfortably.
Next week, Aber face league leaders Sudbrook.
ON Sunday the Beavers travelled to the picturesque Lugwardine school ground, won the toss and promptly took the home bowling attack apart to score a massive 367 for seven.
The Holley brothers got the innings started, with Nathan getting off to a flyer with three quick boundaries.
Lewis however struggled on the artificial track, and was soon caught at slip for just nine. This brought skipper Mark Winstanley to the crease, who after a couple of quiet overs, then went on the offensive, starting with four consecutive four's off Duggan.
Nathan Holley continued to build a steady score before mis-judging a ball which nipped back, and was bowled for 36.
Colin Knight joined Winstanley, and for the next 15 overs, they tore into the bowling. Winstanley reached his century in the 24th over with a four and two sixes, and then continued to pummel the bowling, reaching 150 with yet another six.
Winstanley went for 166 in the 35th over, after an innings of nineteen fours and nine sixes. Knight reached his half century with a couple of sixes, before he fell for 59. Ellis Jones came in and carried on the attack, and smashed a rapid 59 n.o. with nine fours and two sixes, supported by Garin Price with 10 n.o.
In reply, B&L got off to a slow start as Paul Havard and Garin Price bowled a tidy opening 12 overs.
However, it was the introduction of Owain Bradley that saw the first breakthroughs, picking up two wickets in his first over. This started a mini collapse as Bradley picked up another wicket with one for Colin Knight, but the highlight was a direct hit run out by Martin Price while falling over.
Skipper Winstanley then brought on Jordan Banfield and Matt Botting and after a quiet period another three wickets fell, one for Banfield and two for Botting.
B&L attempted to bring some respectability to the score, but struggled to make any headway, and it was left to Lewis Holley to wrap up the tail with two wickets for zero runs in his 1.5 overs.
This was a crushing 204 run victory, on the back of the 183 run victory from the previous week home to Bosbury. Next week the Beavers host the Badgers from Brockhampton at Crickhowell.