It's a mixed bag of results for Centurions (From Barry And District News)

It's a mixed bag of results for Centurions

SULLY Centurions had a mixed weekend.

On Saturday, the 1st XI re-corded a superb victory at Abergavenny, the 2nd XI beat Panteg, the 3rd XI - made up mainly of juniors - were beaten at Panteg, and the Alliance side lost to Maesycymmer.

On Sunday, Centurions suffered an agonising defeat in the Welsh Cup, when, with two balls remaining, Cardiff hit a four to win.

At Abergavenny on Saturday, Centurions batted first and Ryan Sylvester, making his first league appearance of the season, along with Jamie, gave the side an excellent start with 74 runs off the first 14 overs.

Ryan was stumped for an excellent 44 and Jamie, in a much more subdued mood, with Mike O'Shea took the score to 101, when he was caught off Holmes for 19.

O'Shea went 6 runs later for a useful 22, then Lloyd Smith and Mike Newbold took control in an unbeaten stand of 129. Smith was out last ball of the innings for a brilliant 79, and Newbold was n.o. for 41.

Abergavenny were soon in trouble when Brown was bow-led by Andrew Davies for 1.

At 56, Ryan Sylvester struck a vital blow when he bowled Wallace for 25, and Terry Williams had Phillips caught by Smith for 24.

Centurions took full control as Evison caught and bowled Newall for 13, and Terry Williams claimed two more.

The home side were struggling at 88-6. A 30-run partnership between Beacham and Schofield held Centuri-ons up, before Davies bowled Beacham for 13, and the introduction of Mike O'Shea wrap-ped things up as he took three wickets for five runs. Aber-gavenny were all out for 152.

WELSH CUP

On Sunday, Centurions travelled to Cardiff for the second round of the Welsh Cup, a game everyone believed would probably produce the winners of the tournament.

Centurions batted first and Ryan Sylvester made an explosive start with 41 but was bowled by Hibbert.

O'Shea went for 2 and skipper Jamie Sylvester and Lloyd Smith put together a fine 51-run partnership, before Smith got one that lifted and was caught for 25.

Sylvester's superb innings came to an end 7 runs later, and with Centurions aiming for 220 plus, they pressed the self-destruct button. Two run-outs and some not-very-clever batting saw them all out for 192. Very costly indeed.

Cardiff started briskly, with Bridgeman hitting a quick-fire 33, but French went early lbw to Ryan Sylvester for 4 and Bridgeman was caught by Terry Williams off Evison with the score on 50.

Centurions knew the partnership between Kirtley and Weston was vital, taking the score to 127 before Owain Lovering took a fine catch behind the stumps to dismiss Kirtley for 61.

A glimmer of hope ap-peared when Hibbert was caught by Terry Williams off Ryan Sylvester for 16 and Brandon went for 0, but in the last over, Fowler struck a 4 off the fourth ball, to see Cardiff through to the next round, Weston finished on 52 not out.

ALLIANCE

Centurions' Alliance side were away to Maesycwmmer on Saturday. The home side were put in to bat by Dave Sylvester because of the late arrival of skipper Dave Fiddler and at first, it looked like a good decision.

It proved wrong, when some wayward bowling in the second half of the home side's innings proved costly, as they reached 230-5 after 45 overs.

Centurions made a bad start when skipper Dave Fiddler was caught for a duck and wickets fell regularly.

A fine partnership of 68 between Gareth Fiddler 24 and veteran Dave Sylvester, with a superb 45, gave Cen-turions a total of 147 all out.