Comprehensively beaten in a crunch South Wales Cricket Association Division One clash at Merthyr Tydfil left Llandysul in the relegation mire just two points ahead of second from bottom Merthyr.

It is now five defeats on the bounce for the Tir Dref cricketers who host sixth-placed Aberdare on Saturday when Andrew Edwards and colleagues will attempt to complete a double, having beaten their rivals in south Wales by 20 runs in May.

After winning the toss at Hills Plymouth the visitors elected to bat but found it tough going against accurate bowling and quality ground fielding as they lost three wickets for 15 runs.

Skipper Edwards at number five staged a bit of a recovery in scoring 30 and was given some support by Steffan Jones but they were bowled out for a modest total of 103 in 32 overs.

Rhys Lewis (3 for 14) and Mathew Davies (3 for 15) did the main damage for Merthyr while Andrew Lewis and Chris Birch picked up two wickets apiece.

The home side went for the runs from the word go as George Murphy (11) and Andrew Foley (30) opened with a stand of 25 before the former fell.

Rhys Boswell also wielded the willow effectively, the number three batsman stroking five fours and hoisting three sixes in an innings of 44 and with Blaine Harries unbeaten on 18 the south Walians powered to victory in 13.5 overs.

It is a vastly different scenario for Llandysul 2nds who sit proudly on top of Division Six after a tie against fellow championship contenders and visitors GWR Bridgend at Tir Dref.

Winning the toss and electing to bat GWR made swift progress with opener Geraint Davies scoring freely and hitting 12 boundaries in an innings of 70.

He was supported by Kris Williams (34) at first wicket down who got six boundaries and the visitors posted 162-8 in 40 overs.

Best of the home bowlers was Bleddyn Morgan who snapped six wickets for 23 runs in eight overs.

In reply the Teifisiders struggled against the bowling of Kevin Williams who took five wickets while conceding just six runs.

Llandysul were indebted to skipper Daniel Thomas at number four who hit 14 boundaries in a superb innings of 87 and the innings closed on 162 in 34.3 overs making it a tie.