PENARTH Cricket Club's 1st XI travelled to Tondu on Saturday hoping to continue their good form from the previous week’s demolition of Aberdare.

On a damp, green wicket, the visitors lost the toss and were put into bat. Tondu captain Richard Reddy was justified in this decision as first Rhys Morgan, then Tom Sidford, Jon Davies and Richard Skone came and went in quick succession, thanks mainly to questionable shot selections.

Captain Nick Morgan came to the crease and along with Jamie Hitchen gave some respectability to the Penarth score. Morgan was then bowled for 33 and Hitchen fell not long after for 32. Penarth could not bat out the remaining overs and they skittled for a disappointing 121.

The home side’s reply started almost as badly as in the first innings. Penarth’s Ali Bukkhari reduced Tondu to 20-4 after he’d taken the wicket of Glamorgan’s Chris Cooke with a fine display of seam bowling. From here on in it was the Richard Reddy show, as he (62 not out) and Jamie Williamson (26 not out) showed their experience and saw their side home with two overs to spare.

There wasn’t much better news back at the Athletic Field where the 2nds were left toiling in the field by Cardiff 2nds, who amassed a daunting 304-2 in their 50 overs with Gwyn Hobbs Jnr and 15-year-old Anush Patel both scoring unbeaten centuries.

Andy Graveson was Penarth’s only shining light with the ball, returning figures of 2-36.

In reply, it was always going to be an uphill battle for the Bears. Unfortunately this was how it proved. Despite an excellent 94 from James Erasmus and 71 from Callum Carson, Penarth finished 88 runs short on 216-6.

Nevertheless, there was much more positive news from the club’s two other sides, the 3rd and 4th XIs. The former travelled to Coedely and returned home with a resounding nine wicket win.

Bowling first, all of the bowlers kindly shared the wickets amongst themselves with the returning Matthew Birch, Mark Frost, Neil Stephens and John Fitzpatrick taking two wickets a-piece to bowl the hosts out for merely 63. Captain Conrad Adams was unbeaten with 31 alongside Ian Summerfield (24 not out) to see the visitors home.

It was a similarly low scoring affair for the 4ths at home to Newbridge 3rds. Fielding first, bowler Nick Viner ripped through the heart of the visitors, taking 5-11.

More miserly bowling from Robert Crimp (3-6) and Andy Prickett (2-1) restricted Newbridge to 82 all out. The winning partnership contained the youngest senior player, 11 year old Steffan Crimp (15 not out) and the oldest player, 71 year old Geoff Thomas (14 not out) batting together to take the home side over the line.

Next week the first team welcome Miskin Manor to the Athletic Field, while the 2nds travel to Tondu. The thirds are also at home to Christchurch CC and the 4ths travel down the road to Dinas Powys.