South Wales Premier League Cricket Ammanford (207-7) lost to Swansea (211-8) by two wickets Ammanford failed to detach themselves from the relegation zone at the Park on Saturday as they lost by two wickets to Swansea, the only side below them in the Premier League.

Losing the toss, Ammanford were put in to bat, but got off to a steady start as Rhydian Harris and Andrew Salter compiled an opening stand of 65 in 17 overs.

When Harris fell for 32, Salter was joined by his skipper Alun Evans, and these two added a further 64 before Salter (71) became the first of three stumping victims when he looked set for a big ton.

At 140 for two, Ammanford looked good for a winning total but nobody in the middle order was able to stay with Evans, and the home side collapsed to 180 for six.

The dismissal of Evans, caught at mid-wicket for 49, signalled the end of Ammanford’s hopes for a big score, and they finished rather lamely on 207 for seven, around 40 runs of short of what they needed and indeed should have achieved.

Swansea’s opening pair of Dwayne Bachelor and Glamorgan’s Nick James got the visitors off to a flyer, smashing 61 from the first nine overs.

Bachelor (38) left the scene with the score on 112, and though the spinning trio of Salter, Fisher and Roberts slowed things down considerably, the damage had been done by that early blitz.

When James (84) was finally stumped by Gareth Slade off the bowling of Salter (3-26), Swansea stood at 160 for four, and needed just four an over from the remaining dozen to secure victory.

Despite losing a further four wickets, they managed this with three overs to spare, rubbing salt in the wound of Ammanford’s scoring shortfall.

Despite the defeat, Ammanford remain six points ahead of Swansea at the bottom, whilst Port Talbot and Bridgend are well within striking distance above them.

Next week, Ammanford are away to Pontarddulais as the Premier League goes into its second half. Bont are the only team Ammanford managed to beat in a disappointing first half which they are eminently capable of turning round.