Blackwood cricket club continue their excellent form with their fifth consecutive win away to Abergavenny on Saturday June 22.
Blackwood, missing skipper Richard Matthews who is currently serving a two match ban, were led by Glamorgan and Monmouthshire Cricket League Player of the Month (for May) Dan Cyril Wilkinson.
The stand-in skipper won the toss and decided that Blackwood would be better suited to bowling in damp conditions – a justified decision as Abergavenny lost their first five wickets for just 33 runs inside the opening ten overs.
Dan and the in-form Bobby Matthews made full use of the conditions, mixing their lengths and movement as Heritage and Schofield were caught out, and Parfitt, Holley and Roberts all bowled.
Abergavenny began fighting back with Dan Cooke and Ali Buhkari adding 34 runs. Cooke survived a legitimate stumping appeal but was then bowled by the seasoned Neil Reardon off the next delivery. Gillani joined Bukhari and took the score to 124, before Wilkinson returned to attack and bowled Gilliani for 23.
Ex-Blackwood player Will Ford and Matthew Knight frustrated Blackwood with a partnership of 33 for the final wicket, allowing Abergavenny to finish on 196 all out off of 40 overs.
Abergavenny needed early wickets to put pressure on Blackwood, but the away team made a solid start. The game was poised as Abergavenny had Blackwood stuttering at 64 – and when Wilkinson was eventually caught on the boundary off Ford, and newbie Roberts bowled, Abergavenny were given a glimmer of hope. However, the new batsman Rhodri Evans extinguished hopes of an Abergavenny victory, taking Blackwood to victory with four overs to spare.
Blackwood host Pentyrch at the Highfields ground this Saturday in the League, and in this kind of form, Blackwood will be confident of extending their winning run to six games.