ANYONE turning up to the Park after 4pm on Saturday expecting to see a cricket match would have been severely disappointed.

The game was over.

By late afternoon Ammanford had already lost by seven wickets, but in truth the game was over as a real contest much, much earlier in the day.

It was a tough toss to lose, and Ammanford lost it. Overnight rain had rendered the wicket damp and difficult.

Put in to bat, they were unable to cope with the precarious conditions and capitulated to 94 all out after 34 overs.

Extras was their highest scorer with 20.

Neath spinners Kieran Bull (4-21) and Joe Parkhouse (3-15) were mainly responsible for the annihilation.

Ammanford’s opening bowlers responded well to the challenge, Tom Murphy and Sean Coker getting rid of both the Neath openers with just six on the board.

However, in came Neath’s South African professional Neil Brand.

He was dropped at gulley off Tom Murphy’s bowling having scored just a single.

Had the catch been successful, Neath would have been on seven for three and a target of 94 would have looked a long distance away.

Such are the cruel, crucial junctures of sport.

Brand went on to score an unbeaten 72 from 45 balls, featuring eight fours and five sixes.

Thanks to Brand’s blitz, Neath passed Ammanford’s total inside 16 overs for the loss of three wickets.

Ammanford drop to the bottom of the table, two points behind Ynysygerwn and seven points behind Penarth, whom they welcome to the Park next Saturday.

Penarth are the only team Ammanford managed to beat during the first half of their league programme back in May. They desperately need to repeat the result on Saturday.