A BRILLIANT 115 off 100 balls by Ryan Murphy-Sharpe gave Glangrwyney 1sts a fighting chance of chasing down an imposing 297 all out set by top-three hosts Whitchurch Heath 3rds on Saturday.

But ultimately, they fell 36 runs short, all out for 261 with three balls of their 40 overs left.

Mark Waldeck took a superb five wickets for 32 off 5.1 overs for Glan, backed by Vic Phillips with 2-51 and Michael Devoy, Murphy-Sharpe and Tim Jones one apiece.

Murphy-Sharpe then came to the crease with the score on 40-1 after the departure of opener Devoy for eight.

Waldeck soon followed for 20 (56-2), but the arrival of Jones saw a 134-run third-wicket stand, with the latter firing three sixes and eight fours in a swift 65 off 55 balls before holing out (190-3).

Murphy-Sharpe was still there on 66 and batted his way to a ton to keep Glan in the game.

But his departure for a 115 that included eight sixes and seven fours (252-5) really spelt the end of the run chase, as Glan's last five batters could only contribute eight scoring runs.

Glan are three from bottom with a seven-point cushion to the drop zone in South East Wales 8 and two games left.

The 2nds also lost by 90 runs at home to bottom side Barry Wanderers 2nds in SEW 15, reaching 170-6 in their 40 overs in reply to 260-4.

James McIlroy, Jeremy Kerrison and Phil Cox took a wicket apiece alongside a Nick Jones run out.

Opener McIlroy then hit a patient 51 not out off 103 balls, with Andrew Jones picking up the baton with 64 off 71 balls, including 11 fours, and Colin Griffiths 20, and the result leaving Glan third from bottom, but safe.

Glan 1sts visit Miskin Manor 3rds a point above them, in something of a must-win game on Saturday, while the 2nds host Abercarn 2nds.