PONTYMISTER kept up the pressure on Division One leaders Hopkinstown in the Thomas, Carroll Welsh Club Cricket Conference by beating Abercynon.

Tarun Manohar scored a brilliant 122, Kersi Varun made 55 and Santos 50 not out off 22 balls as Pontymister scored 200 runs off 20 overs on their way to 378-8.

Abercynon were never in the hunt and were all out for 141. Craig Mohring scored 42, while Akeel Moh took 6-30 for Pontymister – his second six-wicket haul in successive matches.

Hopkinstown stayed top by winning at Whitchurch Heath and Pentwyn proved too good for Cefn Forest.

Sam Saunders scored a superb 108, Lee Jones got 49, John-Paul Rosser 43 not out and Dragons centre Gareth Maul 39 in the Pentwyn total of 351-9. Ceri Thomas took 4-57 off 10 overs for Forest.

Dean Butler defied Pentwyn with 120 not out but they fell behind the required run rate and ended on 194-7. Rosser took 3-32 off 10 overs for Pentwyn, Saunders had 2-47 off nine and there was a wicket apiece by Jones and Josh Harris.

Pontnewynydd are climbing up the table and just managed to hold off Tredegar to win by 18 runs.

Joseph Matthews got his maiden league century when Pontnewynydd batted first and finished on 101 not out. Support came from Richard Williams (69) and Rhodri Jones (56) which helped them to close on 290-6. Rob Jenkins took 3-59 for Tredegar.

Number-five batsman Mark Davies threatened to win the game for Tredegar with a magnificent 131 not out and Ben Lewis made 47, but their innings closed on 272-5 with Matthews taking 2-14 off 10 tight overs for Pontnewynydd which effectively won the match for his team.

The crunch top-of-the-table battle in Division Two between unbeaten sides Llantwit Major Cavaliers and Llanarth went the way of Llanarth, who dismissed the leaders for 181.

James Snelson made 59, Mark Coldwell 33 and Prashanth Srinivas 25, while Chris Powell took 4-46 off 10 overs for Llanarth, Andy Spencer 3-35 and Will Glenn 2-21.

Andy’s brother Doug then anchored the Llanarth innings with a superb 111 and Mark Baxter made 50 not out as Llanarth won by eight wickets.

Dave Burgess (67 n.o), Jeremy Parsons (47) and Andrew Mills (36) were the main providers as Abercarn closed on 227-5 at home to Bridgend side Great Western. Craig Locke took 2-39 off 10 overs for the Railwaymen.

Clive Rees (60), Kris Tobin (45) and Gerwyn Davies (34) edged Great Western close but their last wicket fell seven runs short of the Abercarn total.

Steve Radford took 3-37 for Abercarn, Mel Martin 2-31 and Connor Hopkins 2-38.

Abertillery made 243-7 at home to Dinas Powys, with Mark Seymour getting 44, John Davies 42, Gareth Trapnell 33 and Matthew Rossiter 28 not out.

Owen Coughtrey took 3-64 off nine overs for Dinas Powys and Dave Duddla 2-35.

Ian Southwell held the Dinas Powys innings together with a battling 65 not out and Andy Ford made 30, but it was nowhere near enough and their innings closed on 160-7.

Trapnell took 3-43 for Abertillery and Pat Gough 2-40.

Cross Keys scored 278-9 at Newport III, with Will Taylor getting 46 and Jonathan Tamlyn 45 not out. Zahir took 3-69 for Newport III and Dave Cook 2-39.

Jordan Bachelor fought hard to make 73 but Newport III were still well short at the end. Tamlyn had 2-25 for Keys.

Division Three table-toppers Barry Wanderers met third-placed Blaina, who went in first and reached 247-7 thanks to Darryl Davies (70) and Alan Barber (54 n.o). James Hassett took 4-42 for the Wanderers.

The leaders only lost one wicket getting the runs, with Gareth Lanagan scoring a fine 110 not out and Dave Thomas 84.

Brynmawr chased down 273-7 to beat Bridgend Town III and Crumlin climbed up the table after accounting for Lisvane III.

Monkswood made 239-8 at Penarth III, with Jamie Weller scoring 60 not out, Mike Watkins 42 and Rhodri Jones 41 as Ahmed Bashir returned 9-2-37-2 for Penarth and Neil Stephens 8-1-38-2.

Penarth III got the runs for the loss of five wickets with Taimoor Ahmed making 57, Umar Butt 54 and Hassan Azam 50.

Matt Malson took 8-1-47-2 for Monkswood and Watkins had 9-2-53-2.

Second-placed Blaengarw reached 283-4 at Pontllanfraith, with Will Struthers scoring 80 not out, Ross Evans 55, Mike Huntley 52, James Hardwick 34 and Paul Merritt 22.

Stuart Lodder (29 n.o), Gareth Thomas (23) and Brian Morris (20) all tried hard but Pontllanfraith were bowled out for 177 with Hardwick taking 2-31 off seven overs for Blaengarw and Huntley 2-38 off nine.

Division Four leaders Radyr III beat Chepstow III and Whitchurch Heath III lost by eight wickets to second-placed Caerphilly & Bedwas.

Wenvoe sprung a surprise by beating Alliance Division One leaders Bedlinog, but Cwmbran Woodlands lost at home to bottom club Tonyrefail & Edmundstown.

St Peters rocked Sudbrook III to win by six wickets, Maesycwmmer beat Vale III and Ton Pentre’s Paul Evans took 4-26 to help dismiss Undy & Magor for 113.

Ton Pentre just managed to get the runs as Ben Webber took 4-28 for Undy & Magor.

Tom Gane made 67 when Blackwood III scored 210-8 against Llanhilleth in the Alliance Division Two, but Llanhilleth got the runs for seven wickets with Steve Jones making 71 and Gane taking 9-2-49-3.

Second-placed Caerleon kept up the pressure on leaders Pontypridd III by beating Malpas III. Pontypridd III easily accounted for Cynon Valley by nine wickets, Tondu III beat St Fagans V by four wickets and Miskin Manor III had a last-ball victory at Porth by three wickets.