ANOTHER masterful hundred from Andrew Jones lit up Avenue Road on Saturday but was not quite enough for Abergavenny to overcome Panteg.

After winning the toss, James Schofield elected to bowl first on a pitch that had seen a lot of rain in the previous two weeks. His bowlers made full use of the conditions, striking early as Joe Hrastelj removed the dangerous Akhter Balouch with the first ball of the third over. Opposition skipper Ian Bird and Carwyn James were watchful as Hrastelj and Dan Cooke continued the good work. Eventually Bird chased a wide one from Cooke and found the safe hands of Will Ford at point. Callum Reid did not last long, playing on to Hrastelj, before two low catches from Schofield accounted for Carwyn James and James Reid, leaving the visitors on 38-5.

Joe Hrastelj bowled his ten overs on the bounce as usual and finished with the excellent figures of 4-17, with five maidens. There followed a period of rebuilding as Dave and Adam Harrison showed their experience and class, weathering the conditions and setting themselves for the long haul.

However, Adam Harrison fell just after drinks, comfortably caught by young debutant Richie Roberts off the bowling of James Hrastelj, who continued where his brother left off.

When Will Ford was finally rewarded for his own good spell with the wicket of James Lewis, Panteg were deep in trouble at 83-7. However, with a flattening pitch and the experienced Dave Harrison still at the wicket, Abergavenny's lack of a fifth bowler told as Chaitanya and Schofield proved expensive.

Panteg would lose no more wickets as Rhys Jones played very well for his own unbeaten fifty as Dave Harrison finished on an extremely composed 80 not out. Panteg finished on 214-7, a score Abergavenny may well have settled for before play, but one that left them with a feeling of an opportunity missed, despite the best efforts of the four main bowlers.

Nevertheless, Andrew Jones and Greg Fury set about the run chase in a calm and professional manner, keeping the runs ticking over, batting well on an ever improving wicket. They took the score to 68 before Fury, who had kept wicket superbly earlier, fell to a catch at mid on for 38.

Gavin Heritage kept Jones company for a time, adding a further 25 before he was caught at cover. Schofield, Roberts, Cooke and Nick Dash all fell for single figure scores, and the innings was in danger of finishing tamely as Chaitanya joined Jones (on 70 not out) with the score on 139-6. He played exactly the right innings, knocking singles and some busy running between the wickets, while Jones accelerated at the other end to keep Abergavenny in with a chance. With two overs to go, Aber needed about 30 to win, but despite their best efforts, the seventh wicket partnership couldn't quite get there, and came up 17 runs short. 

Jones completed a superb hundred, giving a masterclass in building an innings before going through the gears at the end. 

Nevertheless, this was a more encouraging performance from an inexperienced Abergavenny side featuring two debutants, and, although they relied heavily on Jones' hundred in their reply, did not fold as they have done on previous occasions and picked up a good haul of points from the game, on the back of more good work from their bowlers.

With the spectre of relegation all but removed, Aber now travel to Sudbrook and Rogerstone in their final games hoping to round off a difficult season well.