Bridgend fall to six-wicket defeat against classy Cardiff
CRICKET
that they possess is formidable with top-five bats Alex Milton, Connor Brown, Kiran Carlson, Yvan Grant and Greg Holmes arguably the best on the circuit.
You’ve got an experienced all-rounder in Alun Thomas and strike bowlers like Tom Barry, Harry Bowles and Mujahid Ilyas.
Given all that, it wasn’t perhaps surprising that Town fell to a heavy sixwicket defeat.
Bridgend captain Tom Baker, who handed the gloves to Sam Wood, won the toss and elected to have a bat during only a second home game of the season.
It looked a decent move when Wood (18) and Sam Pearce (17) moved the score on to 35 before Pearce was dismissed.
But the good news ended there, as 35 without loss soon became 38-3, and suddenly Town were on the back-foot.
Luke Cheshire (7-213-0) and Connor Brown (10-4-16-1) kept the runs down until the introduction of third change bowler Barry accelerated the demise of the Baker boys.
Jeremy Lawlor (20) and Baker (26) added 36 runs for the fourth wicket, but other than that there were only bits and pieces from the remainder of the batters.
The best by far was Nicky Davies, who punched three boundaries in a defiant 25.
At least Bridgend did bat out their overs to get 125-9, and incredibly the innings only contained five boundaries and a lone six from Sam Pearce.
It was Barry who proved the executioner-in-chief, sending down a matchwinning 9-0-27-5, and he received admirable support from both Carlson (80-23-1) and spinner Ilyas (6-1-18-0).
It left Town looking for something special against the strongest batting lineup on the Premier League scene.
But it was never a realistic prospect, as Worcestershire Seconds wicketkeeper Milton – the scorer already of three Premier League tons this season – gradually got his eye in.
The previous day Milton had cracked 88 for Cardiff MCCU and this time around his contribu- tion amounted to 56 (nine fours).
Opening partner Brown, a product of the Pentyrch club who is attached to Glamorgan Academy, weighed in with 31 and was first to go with the score on 72.
Carlson (13) didn’t hang around long and when Milton departed with the score on 108-3, Cardiff had a mini wobble.
The loss of another Cardiff MCCU student in Yvan Grant (1) made it 110-4, and at least Bridgend were now making life difficult for the men from the capital.
But Holmes (7) and Bowles (12) saw them home on 127-4 off 31.3 overs to complete a comfortable six-wicket success.
Pick of the Town attack was fifth-change man Tom Pearce with 3.3-011-2 while his younger brother Sam (5-0-26-1) and new ball man Tomos Jones (6-2-16-1) were the other wicket-takers.
A 20-point haul allowed Cardiff to replace Bridgend at the top, and it will take something exceptional to dislodge them.
So, after six of the 18 stipulated rounds of fixtures, Cardiff lead the way with 106 points from Bridgend Town 86, Newport 82, Pontarddulais 78, Port Talbot Town 78, Mumbles 75, Penarth 60, Neath 52, Ynysygerwn 52 and Ammanford 51.
Next up for Town is a trip to the Neath suburbs on Saturday to challenge Ynysygerwn. surprisingly had his castle disturbed for 21, a subdued Sheppard kept his head down. Aided by Steve Hills (58) they left Wanderers with a mountain to climb, as runs continued to flow like vintage wine.
Sheppy (89) eventually cleared the stage to give the big-hitters time to cut loose, and Gareth Kelland fulfilled the brief courtesy of an unbeaten 24. All this amounted to 238-5.
Dai Parry (30) was the only batsman to hold the Corntown boys up, as Andrews (3-23) and Tommy Lazarus (2-13) prevented Barry returning.
Going into the home match with Monkswood Seconds on Saturday, the top four places read: Vale 83, Crumlin 67, Creigiau 66 and Monkswood 66. Athletic 74 (10), Port Talbot Ynys 82 (12) Aberavon Liberal Club Do’s 60 (2), Tyn-y-Twr 61 (12) Tata Steel 60 (2). Division Four: Bryncoch 82 (12) Cymmer 61 (2), Brynhyfryd 58 (4), Aberkenfig 71 (10), Melyn Borough 53 (4) Cwmavon 62 (10). Division Five: Briton Ferry Town 78 (14) Aberavon Liberal Club Don’ts 57 (0), Cefn Cribwr 64 (4) Pencoed 68 (10), Pencoed 65 (13) Briton Ferry Town 48 (1), Prince of Wales Court Eagles 65 (2) Briton Ferry Steel Combine 72 (12).