FOLLOWING their defeat to Brecon, Abergavenny First XI are skirting dangerously close to the cold reality of relegation.

Abergavenny inserted Brecon and struck early. Both openers were dismissed with just 22 on the board. They struck again at 66 for three and then took wickets at reasonable intervals up to 142-6. Brecon enjoyed a revival and the seventh wicket remained unbroken at the close with the score on 207-6.

Abergavenny openers put on 30 for the first wicket but then lost Andrew Jones for 21. They had a mini collapse which hit their confidence.

At 166 for six they looked capable of winning with 42 required. But good bowling from Richard Lovering (5 for 51) finished off the last four wickets leaving Abergavenny tantalisingly 12 runs short of their target.

Will Glenn (37), Sam Clarke (33), skipper Geraint Leach (19) and Adam Harrison (37) battled for the win to no avail. This defeat leaves Abergavenny with four games remaining and just an eight point buffer between them and the relegation spot.

Meanwhile the Abergavenny Second X1 are at the other end of the spectrum and remain in with a chance of the league title after their superb win against Monkswood on Saturday.

Inserted to bat, Aber made a really solid start with both openers Gareth Powell (57) and Luke Bowen (40) in good nick.

Lee Fury also chipped in with a useful (30) but it was skipper Steve Brown (91) and wicket keeper Nathan Holley (63 not out) both posting their seasons best scores, who really gave the innings some depth ensuring they soared passed 300 finishing on 314-7.

Monkswood never really looked like threatening the target set despite a determined (68) from their skipper Mark Malson. They finished rather limply on 196-7. Steve Brown adding to his fine (91) with three for 42 from his eight overs. He is enjoying a fine season both as skipper and with the bat and ball - presently second in both batting and bowling stats.

If they win their two remaining games they could potentially finish as champions, either way they have had a really good season

Abergavenny Third X1 secured the Division Eight league title in a so far undefeated season. They bowled Newport Fourth X1 out for 166 in just 36 overs.

In reply they enjoyed a really good innings from the youngster Alex Holmes (43 not out). Having opened the innings, Holmes key support came from Hugh Griffiths (47 not out).

Abergavenny passed their target for the loss of five wickets. In some ways it is a hollow league title due to the number of forfeited fixtures with lots of teams unable to fulfil their commitment.

Crickhowell went into their important league clash with Dales without their skipper and talisman Nick Francis, but they were able to welcome back Joseph Bowker, Paul Cornock and Ioan Lilley, all returning from injury.

The winner of this game would probably secure their first division status with the loser more or less confined to relegation with only one more game left in the season, next week.

The visitors won the toss and elected to bowl first on a wicket that had taken some rain earlier in the week. As it turned out, batting was quite difficult with some variable bounce and some swing from openers Breeze who finished with one for 24 and Gore who picked up three for 35. Wallace (20) and Tew (13) were cautious early on for Crickhowell and Cornock (3) went cheaply before Lilley (34) and Joseph Bowker (24) put together a 50 run partnership for the fourth wicket. Lilley was at his classy best playing each ball on its merits in contrast to Bowker who was more swashbuckling and seeking to score quickly. The two however ran well between the wickets to see the team through to three figures, before Bowker skied one that was gratefully taken in the deep. Kerrison (10) was then unluckily adjudged LBW before Tim Price (27), Jenkins (16) and Ben Bowker (23) gave the innings some real impetus in the lower order.

Crickhowell eventually finished on 190, which was a very good score on a very slow outfield, and was well constructed, with contributions all down the order. Ian Jones (3 for 25) finished with the best bowling figures for Dales with Alfie Stanik also picking up 2 for 27 at the end. Dales, in reply looked vulnerable early on with Joseph Bowker beating the bat time after time.

However, openers Batson (31) and Palmer (29) managed to put on 50 for the first wicket and Crickhowell were starting to get a little bit worried until Bowker eventually got the better of Palmer, trapping him LBW. With Bowker bowled out it was Tim Price who then came on to take career best figures of 7 -15 in just seven overs. He had Batson trapped LBW in his first over and thereafter caused havoc with the Dales batting order taking a wicket in each of his next six overs. He could thank wicketkeeper Wallace for two of the dismissals, as the veteran took a sharp catch standing up and then stumped Jones off a wide down the leg-side. Wallace, who was also the stand-in captain for the day, was having a good all round game and took another catch to give young Dan Bowden a wicket as well. Wallace though, couldn’t upstage Tim Price who gave a superb ‘man of the match performance’ with his seven wickets to add to his 27 runs earlier in the game.

Crickhowell ran out comfortable winners in the end by 69 runs and took 23 points from the game.

Glangrwyney First XI won the toss and batted first against Canon Frome First XI. They got off to a solid start making 105 for two at drinks. Regular wickets after the break hindered the home team’s push for a big score and apart from Barry Sharpe’s 53 and a late flurry from Geoff Holmes who made 34 not out, a total of 200 for seven appeared a good score.

In reply, Frome were patient in their response as Devoy and Ryan Sharpe bowled tidily for 1-25 and 0-23 in their ten overs. The batsmen took a risk-free approach but were still alert to punish the loose ball and at the drinks break they were 70 for one. The scoring picked up after the break and although wickets fell at regular intervals, Child and Hope reduced the target to 50 runs. Even though the asking rate reached seven runs an over, scoring came through proper cricketing shots. When 19 was taken off the 41st over, it seemed that the game was won but continued good cricket from the home team kept them in it. When Hope was kept off strike for the 43rd over only one run was scored. In the final over Frome required five runs to win and with the field up Stephens hit a six to win the game. The result means that Glangrwyney are now second in the table behind Stollers who can win the league next week if they win their last game. However, Glangrwyney travel to bottom team Knighton-on-Teme hoping for results elsewhere will allow them to end the season top of division two.

On Sunday, Glangrwyney Seconds won the toss against Hay-On-Wye and took the bold option of asking the home team to bat first on a sultry afternoon. Haydn Davies and Graham Paton again opened the innings and restricted the home team to three runs an over by the break, both bowling one maiden in their nine overs for 2-29 and one for 26 respectively. However, dropped catches became contagious and four went down early on allowing home team to make hay with Sly and Davies hitting 60 and 75 not out respectively. Jimmy Herrick bowled impressively at times and was good value for his three wickets and 3-51 from his nine overs, even so, Hay’s innings closed on 225 for seven.

After the tea break, Glangrwyney’s ten men had to graft to stay in the game but lost regular wickets from the start to a variety of attacking shots; principally to the leg-arm leggie Josh Warn who took 6-18 in seven overs. Only Simon Hindle’s 22 from number seven got Glangrwyney past 50 but the innings ended in fewer than 26 overs for 65. An unsatisfactory end to the day but Glangrwyney can still end the season on a high note with next week’s last game against Luctonians at home.