FOR the third consecutive week, Talybont-on-Usk CC lost the toss and were duly inserted, with the away side, Herefordians, reasoning that the wet outfield would make runs harder to come by.

Dan Bowen (20) and Craig Robinson (134) made a solid start against good bowling by Will Stephens and Jason fletcher before Bowen was bowled with the score at 36.

Martin Hurst (17) put on a useful 58 run partnership with Robinson before being caught, and with Richard James (3) getting bowled at 108 for three off 29 overs, the Bont’s vision of maximum batting points and a total of 200 seemed way off target.

However cometh the hour and cometh the man. That man being Huw Griffiths (53 not out). The big-hitting all-rounder helped Robinson to blast the Herefordian bowlers out of sight with big sixes from both batsmen being hit to all parts of the ground.

The pair added a 145 run unbroken partnership in just 11 overs, with Robinson hitting 10 fours and 11 sixes, and Griffiths hitting two fours and five sixes.

Robinson bagged his second consecutive century, and Griffiths got his second 50 with a big six off the last bowl of the innings.

On bowling, and with the rain always threatening, the Bont got an early breakthrough with Lewis Deacon (2-24-10) bowling A. Sahal and veteran Keith Hartey.

Huw Griffiths (1-28-10) then had A. Thomas (23) well caught by Tommy Kenchington.

Only Will Stephens (30) and former Herefordshire county player Christain Teneira (32) put up any resistance before Victor Phillips (4-42-8) made his long-awaited league debut and got Stephens caught behind by Dan Bowen.

Phillips, in tandem with Carl Lewis (3-24-7), then demolished the Herefordians’ innings, to leave them all out in the 35th over and add yet another win to the Bont’s quest for the Fourth Division Championship.