Washout leaves top teams facing scramble for crown
CRICKET
come the first club to successfully defend the title.
Leaders Newport are looking rock solid, and continue to head former Western League rivals Cardiff by five points.
There’s then a huge gap of 25 points to Port Talbot Town with Bridgend Town a further point in arrears.
Crunch time if the weather plays ball might well unfold in early August when Cardiff host Newport.
The following weekend Bridgend Town go to Newport and on August 20, Cardiff head for Newbridge Fields.
These games are now regarded as key in what the weather has reduced to a short sprint for the 2016 Premier League crown. And while nothing is set in tablets of stone at the top, Ynysygerwn are looking vulnerable at the bottom.
The Neath village side has become isolated, and currently trail ninthplaced Swansea by a massive 26 points.
Ynys are miffed at a suspension ruling that has seen two of their players – Sam Davies and Gareth Grant – sit on the sidelines.
They feel that cancelled games should count against these suspensions, but the league rules clearly state only matches played can be struck off bans.
These are two big players for Ynys, who were founder members of the Premier League when it began in 2010, and without them they already look to have one foot in the second tier.
The latest Premier League placings after 12 rounds of matches reads: Newport 174, Cardiff 169, Port Talbot Town 144, Bridgend Town 143, Pontarddulais 123, Ammanford 117, Mumbles 115, Neath 114, Swansea 110, Ynysygerwn 84.
But while top-flight players twiddled their thumbs last Saturday, the battle continues to rage in a bid to reach the top echelon. And three matches in the brighter East went ahead in Division Two that had a bearing on the promotion race.
Table-topping Penarth beat visiting Carmarthen Wanderers by 118 runs, posting 283-5 off 50 overs and removing the West Walians for just 165.
Ali Bukkhari had a field day, hitting an unbeaten 116 and then sending down 8-3-13-4, while a name long associated with the Penarth club, Skone, delivered 9-3-26-3 through Richard Skone.
Panteg kept the pressure on Penarth in getting much the better of a drawn game with Clydach at Panteg House. St Fagans maintained an interest in the title chase in scoring 273-3 at home to Aberdare with the Cynon Valley side making a fist of it via 216-3.
The season is building up into a possible exciting crescendo with Penarth hosting Panteg on the final day (August 27).
But the game also failed to go ahead at Bryn Road where Tondu were due to host promotion-seeking Ynystawe.
It left Penarth on 175 points, Panteg have 173 while St Fagans (156) and Ynystawe (143) have ground to make up.
At the bottom, you can perm one club from three - between Aberdare, Clydach and Pentyrch - to remain in Division Two.
In the feeder leagues, Tata Steel are odds on favourites to lift the Dan Radcliffe Cup in the South Wales Association, and make an immediate return to Premier League Two.
But in the new juggernaut South East Wales League, things are less predictable with Newport Fugitives top while Croesyceiliog and Pontypridd are on their tail.
Last year’s final Glamorgan & Monmouthshire champions Chepstow are fourth while the traditionally strong Usk club only occupy seventh spot.
There was also disappointment at Second XI level with the big East Division derby match at Newbridge Field between Bridgend Town and Tondu yet another wet weather victim.
But spare a thought for Tondu Seconds, this was the fifth game out of 12 for them to have cancelled during this soggy summer.
Just one game went ahead, and it was once more in the sunny East with title-chasing Newport Seconds carding a 109-run victory over Penarth Seconds at Spytty.
This took them much closer to Cardiff Seconds with Bridgend Town Seconds now a distant third.
This Saturday’s Second XI East fixtures involve Bridgend Town away to Penarth while Tondu entertain Miskin Manor.
Latest Second XI East placings read: Cardiff 182, Newport 174, Bridgend Town 155, Miskin Manor 129, Panteg 128, Penarth 128, Tondu 118, St Fagans 105, Pentyrch 86, Aberdare 66.