SULLY Cricket Club 2nd X1 played Newport Fugitives for the first time in a cliff hanger of a game on Saturday, eventually winning by three wickets.

After winning the toss and electing to bowl first Morgan soon had both opening batsmen back in the pavilion, one being trapped LBW and the other clean bowled, finishing with figures of nine overs two for 36. But then the wickets dried up as the Fugis took an instant like to the change bowlers rocketing to 161 for two off 27 overs before Guarav took his first wicket for the club, followed quickly by a wicket for Davies with the Fugis now 180 for four off 31.

Sathish with figures of two for 38 off nine overs continued to peg back the opposition scoring but with such a dry flat pitch and fast outfield runs still came at a steady pace and the total from the allotted 40 overs was 225 for seven, a healthy but gettable target if the Spartans applied themselves properly.

Sahill and Atul opened the batting for the Spartans reaching 26 before Atul was bowled for eight.

Anam joined Sahill and together took the score to 67 for two before Anam was out for a quick fire 18. Sahil reached his maiden half century before being bowled and the score was now 110 for four.

Trinath was the only middle order batsmen to make any runs hitting a splendid 37 but when he was also bowled the score was 161 for seven and the Spartans were in trouble as two players were injured with hand and calf problems so in effect this was the last stand.

A Davies and D Morgan had 13 overs to get the 65 runs needed but had to take each ball on its merit, taking no risks as the Fugis line and length bowling gave little away for the Spartans batsmen to punish, but slowly and surely the runs required were coming down and on the first ball of the last over Morgan, remaining unbeaten on 28, hit the two runs needed for victory with the dogged Davies also unbeaten on 20.

Sully CC 226 for seven

Sahil 52

Trinath 37

Morgan 28 not out

Davies 20 not out

Newport Fugitives 225 for seven

Morgan two for 36

Sathish two for 38

No game this Saturday as Pencoed withdrew from the league at the start of the season.

It was a busy midweek for the Spartans with games on Wednesday and Thursday.

On Wednesday the Spartans travelled the short distance to the Island to play Barry West End in another thrilling tight Vale midweek league game played in the best of spirit, with Sully just winning by four runs.

The Spartans batted first with newbie Ram (15) and Trinath (13) pushing the score to 29 before both were out in a short space of time.

Guarau (25) and Pons (15) continued to move the score along against good steady bowling J Thomas (three for 28) and then Vijay (23) hit some hefty blows which took the score at the end of the 20 overs to 120, but with only two runs coming off the last two overs the Spartans thought they were 10 to 15 runs short of a defendable total.

H Dawson (62) was the anchor for the West End as wickets fell at regular intervals with Sudesh (three for 20) and Morgan (two for 23) doing their best to keep the runs down, but it looked like the home team would get across the line until Sathish bowled two overs one for four and Guarau took an excellent catch to remove the stubborn Dawson and the chase was lost.

Sully CC 120 for nine

Guarau 25

Vijay 23

Barry West End 116 for eight

Sudesh three for 20

Morgan two for 23

This week in the Vale league the Spartans play Cowbridge.

On Thursday the Spartans played Cardiff Bay Barbarians in the Cardiff League winning by nine wickets and remaining top of the division.

Electing to bat the CBB were in trouble straight away with Haaris and Khan taking early wickets.

Sohaib and Dishant took further wickets before Sathish (two for six) and Morgan (two for 11) finished off the innings with CBB all out for 71.

In reply the Spartans lost one of the openers clean bowled on the first ball, but after that Vijay 35 not out and Vishal 26 not out finished the game in the eighth over.

CBB 71 all out

Sathish two for six

Morgan two for 11

Sully CC 72 for one

Vijay 35 no

Vishal 26 no

This week in the Cardiff league the Spartans play Cardiff Cameos in a top of the league game.