By Mick Fisher

SULLY Centurions made the short journey to Barry Island to face local rivals Barry Athletic and came off second best.

Following overnight and early morning rain it was definitely an advantage to win the toss, which Barry did and invited Centurions to bat.

The accurate bowling of John Gee (1-16) and Ruchuru (0-13) frustrated the Sully openers and Dan Chaulk and Gethin Hicks departed quickly to leave the score at 37-2 off 18 overs.

The score had reached 52 when David Goodway was caught behind off the bowling of Vikkas for 25. Jake Griffett, who had hit a big 6 in the previous over, was bowled by Nuwan for 8 with the score still on 52.

Things got even worse when Shae Ellis was involved in a disastrous run out to leave the score on 75-5.

However, the 6th wicket partnership of Rhett Jones and Luke Tillbrook added some urgency to the batting and they enjoyed a stand of 52 before Tillbrook fell to Haswell for an entertaining 29, which included two 6s.

Lloyd Bruce joined Jones and they pushed the score along to 150 when Jones was dismissed by Haswell for 42.

With the score on 153, another run out led to the demise of the unfortunate Tom Davies. With Lloyd Bruce ending on 19 not out, the innings closed on a disappointing 158 for 9.

The opening partnership of Morgan and Van Der Vyver got Barry off to a flying start, putting on 98 for the first wicket, when Van Der Vyver was caught off the bowling of Bruce for a well-made 55.

Nathan Baker joined Morgan and helped the score along to 121 before Morgan was bowled by Jake Griffett for 52.

This prompted a bit of a fight back by Centurions, with Baker (16) falling to a remarkable one-handed catch by Goodway off the bowling of Maqsood with the score on 128.

Only 8 more runs had been added before Nuwan was adjudged LBW to Maqsood for 8. Vikkas was the fifth to fall, falling to a Dan Chaulk catch off the bowling of Ricki Griffet for 5, with the score on 145.

But that was the last wicket to fall as Richary (10) and Hopkins (9) saw Athletic home in the 40th over.

Barry Athletic 159-5 Sully Centurions 158-9

The 2nd XI won an entertaining match at Burnham Avenue against league leaders Whitchurch Heath.

Batting first, Centurions lost the early wicket of Dan Merchant with ten runs on the board, but Jason Hicks (25) and Gaurav Chaturverdi (18) took the score along to 50 before Hicks fell to Bruce.

Only 3 more runs had been added when Gaurav was run out, bringing Iwan Thomas and Ben Spear together.

This pair then proceeded to dispatch the ball to all parts of the ground as they shared a remarkable fourth wicket partnership of 201.

Thomas's 103 was his first century for the club and included seventeen boundaries. Ben Spear, who hit eight 4s and two 6s was 88 not out as Centurions ended on 256 for 4.

Whitchurch had a disastrous start, losing 3 wickets by the time 20 runs had been scored.

However, the visitors began to fight back, with Webb holding the innings together with a fine display of batting.

He had reached 111 when Dan Merchant bowled him in the 37th over, with the score on 173.

The ninth wicket went down when Bruce was run out by Spear for 3.

Harish (2-32) and Nick Jones (2-38) were the most successful of the Sully Bowlers, with Vasant (1-24) Gaurav (1-26) and Merchant (1-25) the other wicket takers

Sully Centurions II 256-4 Whitchurch Heath III 188 all out

Centurions would like to thank Admiral Group for their match ball sponsorship.

This week the first XI are at home to Monkswood and the seconds travel to St Fagans.