Sensational weekend for Sully Centurions!

Centurions returned home, confirming their superiority in top spot with a massive 6 wicket victory.

Then on Sunday they travelled to Gloucestershire to play the much fancied Frocester in the National Knockout Cup round 3 with a place in the Group Final awaiting the winners.

Centurions turned on a magical performance, returning home with a 106 run victory cheered on by another massive Centurions crowd of supporters, certainly outnumbering the home supporters.

On Saturday St Fagans won the toss and elected to bat, a decision they may well have regretted as Centurions bowlers reduced them to 68-5.

The first to go was Mackenzie for 2, and when Davies was introduced into the attack there was a second success when with his first ball he had Beaverstock caught by Smith for 15. Davies then trapped Hopkins lbw for 1.

Evison came on to bowl and in his first over he had Cutinho caught behind by Lovering for 2.

Davies bowled Holliday for 5 and at 68-5 it looked like an early finish, but Maynard, well supported by Rajpal, had other ideas and they added 47 invaluable runs before Jones caught Rajpal off Jamie Sylvester for 29.

Maynard was Centurions only danger as he reached 89 before Smith superbly ran him out with the score on 163.

Slade was bowled by Nicholson for 4, Leeming was lbw to Smith for a defiant 9 and although Provis 16 not out and Edmed 8 not out prevented Centurions getting maximum bowling points, St Fagans total of 211-9 was not going to be a problem if the Sully men batted as well as they bowled, and so it proved.

St Fagans must have thought they were in with a shout as Maynard bowled Goodway for 0 and at 37 Smith was bowled by Hopkins for 25, but skipper Jamie Sylvester and the impressive Reddy had other ideas as they produced a match winning partnership of 157.

Reddy was caught off Hopkins for a superb 81 with the score on 194 then at 204 Sylvester's long innings came to an end, run out for a fine 80 (perhaps a little more speed work needed to keep those ageing legs going).

Evison and Sullivan saw Sully home to a comfortable 6 wicket victory.

St Fagans 211-9. T Maynard 89, P Rajpal 29. A Davies 3-31, I Nicholson 2-44.

Centurions 215-4. R Reddy 81, J Sylvester 80. O Hopkins 2-48.

SUNDAY

On Sunday it was a 9.30am start with the coach full and many more travelling by car as Centurions left for the Gloucestershire countryside with Frocester in the middle of it.

Centurions won the toss and on a wicket showing wear from previous games, had no hesitation in batting first and this was certainly an advantage.

They made a steady start but at 21 Jamie Sylvester received one that popped, off the bowling of former Middlesex bowler Gannon and was caught for 9.

Smith and Goodway took control and produced a magnificent 81 run partnership but at 102 Centurions seemed to press the self destruct button. Goodway was caught off former Gloucester off spinner Traynor for a well earned 27 and 6 runs later Smith, who had batted magnificently for 52, was also caught.

Five wickets then went down for just 49 runs. Ryan Sylvester, returning after a broken toe had kept him out for two weeks, was stumped for 14, Reddy was run out for 10, Davies caught for 6, Evison bowled for 4, Jones caught for 0.

At 157-8 and struggling to set a target that could be defended, enter the two youngest members of the side, Gareth Sullivan and Owain Lovering. These two have come through the ranks to become mature players, and they produced a partnership of 45 for an unbroken 9th wicket with a sensible and responsible 10 overs of batting.

Sullivan 28 not out and Lovering 20 not out gave the side a reasonable total of 202-8 at the end of their 45 overs.

The shock of the collapse and the thought of going out of the Cup had the desired effect on the bowlers as they produced a superb second half of the match.

From the first over of Frocester's innings Centurions looked to be really up for the task.

Davies, so miserly, and Nicholson with awesome pace, soon had the home side in trouble and by the time the score had reached 11, 3 wickets were down, all clean bowled by Nicholson as they just could not handle his pace.

More success came at 19 when Sylvester trapped Evans lbw for 8 and although Traynor and Davies put together a 47 run partnership the visitors were very much on top.

At 66 the impressive Evison took the first of his 3 wickets, Smith catching Davies at long-on for 19. Next to go was Gannon, caught by Reddy off Evison, followed by Ellis for 0, Evison's third victim.

At 73-7 the home side was in disarray, and at 79, Traynor, who provided the only resistance, went for 39, caught by the dark horse of the bowling attack Reddy who then bowled Birch for 0.

Goodway, with one from the Second World War, had Jones caught off a full toss and Centurions were through to the Group Final against Bath away. A coach will be run (see press for details or contact the club), so come along to support the village. It will be much appreciated.

Centurions 202-8. L Smith 52, G Sullivan 28 not out, D Goodway 27, O Lovering 20. A Davies 3-39, N Traynor 2-23.

Frocester 06 all out. N Traynor 39. I Nicholson 3-15, T Evison 3-14, R Reddy 2-13.

SECONDS

Sully lost the toss on a glorious summer day at Burnham Avenue. The visitors capitalised on some early wayward bowling and raced to 70 from 9 overs before a piece of good fortune saw the opposing captain run out from a dropped catch off the bowling of the impressive Lloyd Bruce (3 for 41).

Three further wickets fell quickly as the Sully bowlers found their lines on a superb batting track. A miserly spell from veteran Terry Williams (10 overs for 28) created some pressure on the St Fagan's batsman and another flurry of wickets saw the visitors slide to 145 for 7 from 31 overs.

However, the visitors rebuilt and despite multiple bowling changes the 8th wicket could not be broken until the 44th over, by which time the score had moved on to 208. The tail saw out the remaining 6 overs to finish on 231 for 9.

After tea the home batsmen set off in a positive frame of mind but suffered an early run out as Huw Williams was run out backing up for 2.

A solid partnership of 81 ensued as Matt Thomas and Rhett Jones punished any loose bowling. When Thomas departed for 56, two further wickets fell including that of Jones (37) and Sully slipped to 107 for 4.

However, rebuilding began between Owain Sullivan and Steve Hood as the score progressed serenely to 151 in the 33rd over, before Sullivan was bowled by the impressive off-spin of Brohi and when Donny Sylvester departed first ball, Sully were in trouble again.

Lloyd Bruce joined Hood at the crease and played stubbornly for 13 as they added 36 but when Bruce was bowled Hood soon followed caught for 38 and victory again seem distant as the home side were 189 for 8. A wayward spell of bowling helped Sully put on 19 for the 9th wicket to give hope again but when Adam Gilliatt was bowled, veteran Williams soon followed and Sully slumped to a 22 run defeat and were left to rue the poor opening spell at the start of the day.

Sully 209 all out, St Fagans 231 for 9.

THIRDS

The 3rd XI beat Chepstow by the narrowest of margins in a game that could have been won easily. A great partnership between Ben Spear and Christian Bruce set up the win, but a late collapse meant some nail biting moments before the victory was secured.

Chepstow 166 all out. B Starr 54, L Starr 30, A Freeman 20. B Spear 3-5, R Griffett 3-47, J Wooden 2-38.

Centurions 167-9. C Bruce 67, B Spear 37. Fonfit 3-33.

TEAMS

1st XI v Pentyrch, away, from: J Sylvester, R Sylvester, O Lovering, A Davies, L Smith, D Goodway, I Nicholson, T Evison, G Sullivan, D Eskins, R Jones, R Reddy.

2nd XI v Pentyrch, home: S Hood, O Sullivan, R Clitheroe, T Williams, J Langworth, M Thomas, L Bruce, S Ellis, B Horlock, R Jones, H Williams.

3rd XI v Croesyceiliog, away, leave Sully Inn 12 noon: J Wooden, L Doel, H Miller, N Jones, B Spear, G Tressider, D P Sylvester, S Davies, A Gilliatt, R Griffett.

4th XI v Wenvoe, 12.45pm: M Fisher, E Fiddler, J T Sylvester, N Cudihy, P Harrison, T Davies, L Cudihy, D Morgan, L Bennett, I Bennett, C Bruce, J Edwards.