IT was a double whammy of celebrations at Avenue Road on Saturday. Not only were the club celebrating the 75th birthday of long standing ground worker Ray Hamer but the First X1 also totally outplayed Cardiff Gymkhana earlier that day.
Exacting some sweet revenge for a defeat in the capital earlier this season, the Beavers won the toss, inserted Gymkhana, and took an early wicket as Dan Cooke bowled one of the openers for a ‘duck’.
Gymkhana were 51 for two after 17 overs but thanks to some lusty blows by the middle order they pushed their score after 50 overs to 228 for nine.
Dan Cooke with 3-39 and Sam Cooke with 4-63 were the main wicket takers. There was a run out by Ben Davies and one wicket for Geraint Leach.
Abergavenny’s two reliable opening batsmen, Captain Will Glenn (41) and the evergreen Andrew Jones once again set a solid foundation with a 71 run partnership for the first wicket.
The promoted Dan Cooke along with Andrew Jones put on 110 for the second wicket, with Dan Cooke hitting the ball to all parts of Avenue Road for an exciting 74, consisting of nine fours and three sixes.
Jones was the last wicket to fall with the score on 220 having made an excellent 76. This left Morgan Bevans and Gareth Burkitt to see the side home with 13 overs to spare.
The Second X1 travelled to Cardiff and were involved in a nail biting game of cricket. Batting first they put in their best performance for a good few weeks and finished their 45 overs on 239-8, courtesy of Gareth Powell (89), Lee Fury (45), Tom Pipe (9), skipper Steve Brown (13), Chai Sanapala (16), and Craig Whistance (26 not out).
In reply Cardiff Third X1 passed the total with one wicket remaining and just four balls to spare. Sanapala and Wilkes-McCarthy took a wicket each, Andy Timpson and Steve Brown two wickets each and there was a season best from Greg Spencer with 3-39.
Crickhowell were away at Wormelow on Saturday. The home side won the toss and despite their confidence in batting against the bottom side in the league, Crickhowell had them in some trouble at 78-3.
That was as good as it got as they put together some partnerships with three of their batsmen passing fifty.
An Achilles heel for Crickhowell has been the number of extras conceded and this game was no different with 44 extras.
Joe and Ben Bowker and Phil Christie took two wickets each. Nick Francis and Hywel Price both took one.
Veteran Ryland Wallace (34) along with another veteran Nick Kinman (17) gave Crickhowell a solid start putting on 49 for the first wicket. Further good batting from the ever consistent skipper Nick Francis (72) and Paul Cornock (23) ensured Crickhowell were very respectable in their pursuit of the 287 required to win. But alas from 164-6 they collapsed to 204 all out.
Once again Crickhowell exhibited a fighting spirit and given improved availability would prove to be competitive in this Division.
Elsewhere Llanarth were away to Abercarn. See Chronicle website for full report.
Pictured are Abergavenny Third X1- Standing left to right in the back row are R.Townsend, T.Wood, E.Jones, O.Bradley, J. Heffaran, K.Holmes. In the front row left to right are A.Holmes, C.Griffiths, M.Winstanley (Capt) D.Bowen, T.Norton.