TWO magnificent centuries marked Saturday's match between Abergavenny and Newport Fugitives that finally saw the Avenue Road side claim their first league win of the season.

On winning the toss, skipper James Schofield had no hesitation in batting first and openers Will Glenn and Greg Fury set about making the most of the excellent conditions.

Fury, having been dropped second ball scored three sumptuous boundaries before being well caught at backward point for 15. He was frustrated at missing out but looks in excellent form and should score heavily this year.

Gavin Heritage joined Glenn and the pair set about building a substantial partnership. Scoring runs at a gradually increasing rate, the pair put on 109 in 24 overs to take the score to 136, before Heritage fell for a well made 47.

That brought Doug Spencer to the crease and he continued where Heritage had left off in supporting Glenn and helping add a further 91. Glenn eventually went to a superb maiden ton, with several lovely shots all around the wicket, and departed to a richly deserved standing ovation after eventually being run out for 112.

Spencer also looked in good nick but departed soon after for 35, leaving Aber 229-4 with under four overs to go.

After Schofield was involved in a second run out in three games in selling the unfortunate Alex Astley-Jones a horrendous dummy, he and Dan Cooke helped carry the score to 256 before both were dismissed LBW to Aber old boy James Didcote.

The Fugitives got off to an excellent start as Cooke proved profligate with the new ball. However, with Joe Hrastelj continuing his revelatory form with the new ball, and Will Ford looking dangerous and striking twice in his opening overs, Aber reined the innings in and reduced the visitors to 49-3 from 12 overs.

Didcote was building his innings nicely, however, and the game was back in the balance at the first drinks break at 79-3 from 18 overs. However, Ryan 'Midge' Jones struck immediately after the resumption, having Evans expertly stumped down the leg side by Fury.

Another partnership ensued as Schofield rang the bowling changes to little avail. With the innings delicately poised on 150-4 from 35 overs, youngster Matt Knight was introduced into the attack. He struck in his first over, and again in his third to leave Newport Fugitives on 171-6. He continues to settle into the team and will only get better for the experience, and his contribution here cannot be underestimated.

With 10 overs to go, the visitors were still in a decent position but they struggled to beat the defensive fields set by Ryland Wallace, and Jones, Knight and Cooke bowled well to tie up the innings for 214-6 from the allotted overs.

However, Didcote was able to go to his own well deserved century from 134 balls, one that will no doubt have pleased him greatly as he played a full part in enriching the game on his return to Avenue Road. He played several excellent shots and held the innings together well in the middle and late overs.

So a fine win for Aber who will hope to build on this as they travel to Chepstow next week, and despite the loss of Heritage and Astley-Jones, will welcome back Andrew Jones to bolster the top order.

ABERGAVENNY'S second team travelled to Radyr hoping to repeat the success they enjoyed the previous week against Pontypridd.

With a firm pitch and quick outfield skipper Andy Timpson did not hesitate to bat after winning the toss. Despite the early loss of opener Colin Knight, Steve Brown and Nick Kinman gradually took the initiative away from Radyr before Brown played an injudicious shot off Mander and was caught for an impressive 38, all boundaries bar two singles.

Young Lewis Holley joined Kinman and was soon into his stride, hitting the ball well especially on the leg side. The obdurate Kinman was out for 44 immediately after drinks to leave the Beavers on 100 for three from 26 overs.

Will Morris came and went for a spirited 15 and Richie Roberts joined Holley at the crease, these two very much the future of the middle order. Roberts immediately began to strike the ball with great power, despite the loss of Holley for a patient 30.

The evergreen Ryland Wallace joined Roberts and runs accumulated steadily. After blazing the ball at Wallace, striking the aged non striker on the wrist and depriving the youngster of a boundary, Roberts departed for a bright 22.

Devoy joined Wallace and struck a brisk 19 before the innings closed on 204 for eight, probably 20 or 30 runs short of a competitive score.

And so it proved. Mike Devoy and Tom Keane bowled a beautiful opening spell between them yielding just 15 runs from the first 10 overs with Keane's first six overs producing 11 runs as did Devoy's first seven overs.

Skipper Andy Timpson replaced Devoy and struck in his first over, removing Skirrow. Debutant Andy Pratten took over from the accurate Keane and bowled a lively spell before giving way to Will Morris. Meanwhile the captain had removed Williams to bring Morris to the wicket to join the young Vanos.

Abergavenny were well placed at the halfway stage with the opposition struggling on 65 for two.

From that point on Radyr began to take a firm grip on proceedings. Despite Timpson removing Morris, Vanos displayed a good temperament and excellent technique and he and Foster took the game away from Abergavenny, running well between the wickets as the visitor's fielding became ragged.

Keane and Pratten returned to the attack but could not staunch the flow of runs and, despite a chance offered by Vanos off Pratten, both batsmen were undefeated as they passed the Abergavenny total with two overs to spare.

Although this was a disappointing performance there were positives to be taken from the game in the performances of the three youngest members of the side who clearly possess the skills to progress to a higher level.