WITH the Sully Cricket Club 1st XI Saturday game being cancelled due to Caerphilly’s withdrawal from the league, several of the team played in the Sunday friendly at Coed Ely to get some practice before this week’s Midweek League cup semi-final against the Hurricanes.

The home team’s decision to ask the Spartans to bat was soon clear, with the top order all back in the pavilion and the score on 34 for three. Morgan and Sam pushed the score to 70 before the latter was bowled for 15 and Morgan soon followed for 18 to leave Spartans at 74 for five.

Two further batsmen came and went for ducks, but Sully huffed and puffed their way to 123 all out thanks to an unbeaten 13 from R Howe and a cavalier 19 from M McVeigh.

In response, Coed Ely looked reasonably comfortable at 50 for two after 16 overs, with Satish taking two for 19 from his eight overs. But the introduction of Morgan and McVeigh turned the game on its head as the former knocked over the middle stump of the next three batsmen and McVeigh had the next victim well caught. With Morgan taking three for 15 from eight overs and McVeigh (1-10), the home side were 79 for six.

The last eight of the allotted 40 overs were split between Sam (1-6) and Chris Lock and they kept the home side in check as the dangerous Jenkins was well caught by Morgan off the bowling of the former. Lock, with two wickets for two runs, took his first Spartans’ wickets and rounded off a 33-run victory as Coed Ely were all out for 90.

SULLY: 123 (McVeigh 19, Morgan 18)

COED ELY: 90 (Morgan 3-15, C Lock 2-2, Satish 2-19)

After the cup semi-final, Sully 1st X1 travel to Cross Keys on Saturday, while the Seconds entertain Mountain Ash at Wenvoe.