The final Saturday of the men's South Wales Premier Cricket League season saw all games cancelled/abandoned, but not without a huge drama and talking point which ended up deciding the fate of the league between Newport CC and St. Fagans CC.
With consistent rain on forecast ahead of the title decider between Newport CC and St. Fagans CC at Spytty Park, it ended up becoming a game of fine margins and a fight for bonus points, as the long season came down to a one-point gap between the two clubs. St. Fagans CC, who were only one point behind Newport CC's 284-point tally coming into this game, won the toss and elected to bowl first. The target for the defending champions St. Fagans CC was to take a wicket and get two bonus points on top of the 5 points both teams would get as a result of an abandoned game.
Glamorgan's Zain ul Hassan and Wales National County's Harry Friend opened the batting for Newport CC, while Glamorgan's Andy Gorvin and Wales National County's Ollie Sherwood opened the bowling for St. Fagans CC. The Newport CC batters saw the opening spell off the two experienced St. Fagans CC bowlers, especially Andy Gorvin who bowled with great control and discipline. However, four balls before rain interrupted and ended up cancelling the remainder of the game, St. Fagans CC's Bhavya Doshi took the wicket of Harry Friend, which gave the Cardiff-based club their much-needed two bonus points. Play was called off at around 3:30pm and St. Fagans CC recorded back-to-back league wins, this time by a solitary point over Newport CC, who only recorded one loss all season. The trophy was awarded to St. Fagans CC at Newport CC's new cricket museum in Spytty Park.
Ynystawe CC and Swansea CC were confirmed their relegation to the South Wales Premier Cricket League Premier Division 2, while Penarth CC and Carmarthen Wanderers CC achieved promotion to the top flight.
Over in the North Wales Cricket League's Premier Division, Bangor CC beat Northop CC in the only game that saw a result across both men's premier leagues. The win allowed Bangor CC to overtake Brymbo CC at the top of the league table, with Mochdre CC and St. Asaph CC not far off.
In the South Wales Women's Cricket League Premier Division, The Panthers CC recorded another win, this time against Radyr CC, and remain only 4 points away from another league win in the final matchday next week.
Scores and results from the weekend's premier league cricket:
Men's South Wales Premier Cricket League (Premier Division One)
Cardiff CC 43/1 v Usk CC. Match abandoned.
Newport CC 17/1 v St Fagans CC. Match abandoned.
Men's North Wales Cricket League (Premier Division)
Bangor CC 190 (F Kasner 48, S Parekh 47, J Grimshaw 37, C Williams 31; B Ryan-Beswick 4/32) beat Northop CC 124 (V Peram 43; F Kasner 4/28, R Rehman 3/20) by 66 runs.
Mochdre CC 92/1 (A Davies 49*) beat Bethesda CC 86 (A Campion 4/31) by 9 wickets.
Denbigh CC 146/8 (H Jones 34, G Lyall 33; I de Silva 6/25) v Gwersyllt Park CC. Match abandoned.
Menai Bridge CC 246/6 (A Varma 111*, J Gower 31) v Conwy CC. Match abandoned.
St Asaph CC 164/8 (D Evans 52*, M Ryan 40; J Williams 4/43, C Taylor 3/15) v Brymbo CC. Match abandoned.
South Wales Women’s Cricket League (Premier Division - Hardball)
The Panthers CC 122/2 (I Thomson 52*, E Cox 42*) beat Radyr CC 118 (L Clements 47) by 8 wickets.
Newport CC v Briton Ferry Steel CC - No play as Briton Ferry Steel CC conceded game.