ON a rain-affected day in the Thomas, Carroll Welsh Club Cricket Conference, Pontymister stunned leaders Hopkinstown in their crunch top-of-the-table battle to go to the top with just two matches remaining.

Batting first, Pontymister scored 241 all out thanks largely to a brilliant 107 by Akeel Ahmed, with Max Lezar adding 36 in support.

Scott Parrish took 5-39 off eight overs for Hopkinstown and Tony Cannon 3-51.

Grant Blacker defied the Pontymister attack for a battling 71 but Hopkinstown were held to 180-9 with Ahmed taking 3-27 off nine overs for Pontymister, Lezar 3-42 off nine and Kesri Varun also 3-42 off nine.

Both Whitchurch Heath and Pentwyn lost their matches so it’s a straight fight now between Pontymister and Hopkinstown for the title.

Tredegar were reduced to 98-9 at Cardiff III with Joe Thompson (26 n.o) the pick of their batting as Matthew Preece took 10-6-17-3 for Cardiff III, Dale Boorman 10-4-26-3 and Darren Hales 10-4-10-2.

Adam Markham-Jones (66 n.o) and Ollie Morgan (25 n.o) then steered Cardiff III to a ten-wicket win that spells relegation for Tredegar.

Pencoed defeated Whitchurch Heath by five runs and the Pontypool local derby at Pentwyn saw Pontnewynydd emerge victors by two runs in a classic which went right down to the wire and was played in the best possible spirit.

Joe Matthews made a magnificent 101 when Pontnewynydd batted first and support came from Martin Rogers (23) and Alex Barry (20) as they finished on 214-9.

Dave Harris had 3-74 off 10 overs for Pentwyn, Lee Jones an excellent 2-22 off 10 and Carwyn Owen 2-23 off three.

Jones then top-scored with 54 when Pentwyn batted, Gavin White made 46, Josh Harris 28 and Owen 20, but in a tense climax they were two runs short at the end.

Rhodri Jones took 3-35 off eight overs for Pontnewynydd, Owen Price 2-47 off 10, Gareth Bustin 1-17 off three, Geraint Jones 1-34 off 10 and Matthews 1-36 off 10.

Leaders Llantwit Major Cavaliers made 253-9 at Newport III in Division Two, with Julian Griffiths scoring 53, James Snelson 51 and Sam Pickford 49 not out.

Tom Carter took 3-37 for Newport III and Dave Lomax 2-35.

Carter then top-scored in the Newport III innings with 53 and Lewis Tovey got 26, but Newport III fell behind the run rate and settled for 176-5.

Griffiths took 2-38 for the Cavaliers and Ben Jenkins 2-19.

The Cavaliers are on the verge of the championship and promotion but the runners-up spot is still up for grabs after second-placed Abertillery lost at Great Western and third-placed Dinas Powys were beaten by St Fagans III.

Taking advantage are Cross Keys, who bowled out visitors Christchurch for 131.

Ashley Coates made 31 as Jack Tamlyn took 4-15 for Keys and James Baker 2-18.

Father and son Mark (63 n.o) and James (28) Baker then led Keys to an eight-wicket win.

Paul Brooks made 38 and Gareth Trapnell 33 not out as Abertillery were dismissed for 169 at Bridgend.

Craig Locke took 4-48 off 10 overs for the Railwaymen, Kris Williams 2-8 off 3.5 overs, Geraint Davies 2-34 off 10 and Kevin Hibbert 2-35 off 10.

Great Western lost some quick wickets to Mark Rossiter (3-26 off 10 overs) but their fifth-wicket pair of Tom Potts (56 n.o) and Kevin Williams (51 n.o) then saw them home by six wickets.

Llanarth have fallen away badly since the halfway mark of the season when they were top of the table but suffered another defeat to visitors Abercarn, who bowled them out for just 90.

Will Glenn managed 35 as Jeremy Parsons took 4-20 for Abercarn and Dave Tidmarsh 3-21.

That was no target for Abercarn, who got the runs for five wickets with Andrew Mills making 30 and Connor Hopkins 21. Craig Whistance took 4-18 for Llanarth.

Crumlin’s promotion hopes took a knock when they lost to second-placed Blaengarw in Division Three.

Mike Huntley made a magnificent 121 when Blaengarw went in first, Nathan Hardwick got 60 and Ross Evans 42 as Blaengarw amassed 300-6. Gethin Patterson took 2-42 for Crumlin.

Lewis Jolley scored 60 when Crumlin replied and Patterson 31, but they were bowled out for 221 with Jeff Evans taking 4-58 for Blaengarw and Huntley 3-69.

Blaina moved back into the shake-up after they won at Lisvane III by eight wickets.Steve Lane scored 39 and Clensil Cox 30 as Lisvane III reached 179-6 with David Wall taking 3-28 off 10 overs for Blaina.

Gareth Despres (68 n.o), Alan Cooper (49) and Lewis Crandon (30) then led Blaina to victory.

Penarth III piled up 312-7 at home to Pontllanfraith with Hassan Azam getting 79, Hassan Rehman 56, Majid Awan 46 and Ahmed Bashir 40. Joe Clarke took 10-1-31-2 for Pontllanfraith.

Jamie Johnson scored 31 and Mike Williams 27 when Pontllanfraith batted but they were bowled out for 152 with Shahid Khan getting 10-5-16-4 for Penarth III.