PREMIER LEAGUE THOMAS, CARROLL SOUTH WALES
BRIDGEND TOWN .... 140 PONTARDDULAIS .141-4
ANOTHER week and another six-wicket defeat for Bridgend Town with Pontarddulais winning for only a second time in Newbridge Fields, writes Tony Poole.
The weekend before Bridgend suffered a postponement at Ynysygerwn, but previous to that they lost by similar six-wickets at home to title-chasing Cardiff.
But this defeat against Bont was more damaging, as they aren’t anywhere as good as the men from the capital.
Without the likes of Sam Wood and Jeremy Lawlor to give backbone to the batting, Town struggled after Bont skipper Gary Arrowsmith won a vital toss.
If the shoe had been on the other foot, Town captain Tom Baker would in all probability have given Bont first use of the crease.
As it was Town were put in and it soon became 31-4 with Sam Pearce, Chris Bushell, captain Baker and Troy Smith all back in the hutch for low scores.
Former Mumbles paceman Dan Lewis-Williams did the initial damage, closing with figures of 103-23-3.
However, a decent stand then developed between Thomas Cogbill, who top scored with 46 (four boundaries off 66 balls in 78 minutes), and ex-Glamorgan quickie Alex Jones.
They added a solid 61 for the fifth wicket before Jones departed for 22 to Carl Roberts.
And that was just about it despite Nicky Davies (18) and Jack Davies (19) providing a spot of wag in the tail.
Two run outs, involving Tom Dalton and last man Tomos Jones, aggravated the situation, as the Baker boys failed to rise to the occasion and were dismissed for just 140 off 48 overs.
Other decent bowling came from new-ball man Dafydd Davies with 103-27-2, and ever-reliable Shaun Harris 8-2-17-2.
Town needed early wickets to spread panic and when they got the prize scalp of Arrowsmith for just two, it looked as if the West Walians might struggle.
But former Gloucestershire wicketkeeper Cameron Herring and LewisWilliams soon settled in - and gradually they took the sting out of the Town challenge.
They figured in a matchwinning partnership of 88 before Lewis-Williams fell to Dalton for 36, and 89-1 soon became 109-4.
In the past, Bont have been associated with battling collapses and given they had only won once at the ground – triumphing by three wickets back in 2012 – another was a definite possibility.
But Town failed to hook Herring, who went on to contribute a flagship 63 not out, containing a six and seven fours off 94 balls in 129 minutes.
Matt Aubrey also steadied a rocking Bont boat with an undefeated 18, and victory was wrapped up in only the 38th over on 141-4.
Alex Jones, who sent down 10-1-24-2, was the standout Bridgend bowler while young Dalton weighed in with 3-0-13-2.
But this latest setback sent Town down to a worrying sixth spot going into Saturday’s Pink Day encounter with Mumbles in Newbridge Fields.
It goes without saying that Town need to stop the rot against the Seasiders, who this summer have displayed similar kind of form to Bridgend.
Meanwhile, reigning champions Newport took the top-of-the-table clash with leaders Cardiff at Spytty Park, scoring 226-5 in reply to 225-5.
Latest league placings after eight of the stipulated 18 rounds of fixtures read: Cardiff 123, Newport 117, Port Talbot Town 105, Pontarddulais 99, Mumbles 96, Bridgend Town 94, Neath 80, Penarth 69, Ammanford 65 and Ynysygerwn 64. only wicket-keeper Iwan Bunston took up the challenge.
He contributed an unbeaten 23 and aided by extras yielding a top score of 35, they took tea on the back of a 142 total.
Adam Jardine, son of former Aberavon centre John, was top man with the ball, sending down 100-27-3, and he received admirable support from both Damian Williams 10-2-29-2 and Joe Crocker 9.4-0-43-3.
Bridgend needed early wickets to sow the seeds of doubt – and soon got one when Jack Donovan perished for just five.
But that was to be their only success, as Dan Melindo (55) and Paul Donovan (53) figured in an unbroken stand worth 133 runs.
They took Tata over the finishing line on 143-1 in the 39th over, but some decent Town bowling emerged from the debris.
While Dan Donnelly was lone wicket-taker with 4-0-30-1, Richard Cogbill kept the runs down in 102-14-0, as did Matt Donnelly via 10-1-23-0. Tondu counterparts Bryn Road. at