THOMAS, CARROLL SOUTH WALES PREMIER LEAGUE DIVISION TWO
ST FAGANS 251-8 TONDU 220
TONDU inserted their hosts and contained them well and at 82-4, the innings was in the balance.
But a cracking 72 not out with a six and seven fours by number seveb natsman Rhodri Evans swung the pendulum back to the Saints and they closed on 251-8 off their 50 overs.
Other contributions came from Adam Keane with 39, Chris Lawlor, brother of Bridgend Town’s allocated player Jeremy, got 31 and Gareth Rees 20 and Tondu gisted them 36 extras. The Tondu bowling was: Brian Thomas 8-1-39-1, Elliot Rees 10-0-50-0,
Paul Grabham 10-2-401, David Matthews 9-0-442, Jon Bussey 10-0-56-1 and James Hardwick 3-017-1.
Tondu started badly with Ross Evans and Craig Townsend back in the pavilion with only five runs on the board. Owen Davies and Jamie Williamson then shared a third wicket partnership of 104 befroe Williamson went for 38 quickly followed by James Leppard. Daveies and Jon Bussey added 40 before Davies was out for a fine 83 with 13 fours off 84 balls. Bussey went for it with a six and seven fours on a quick 55 but lacked support and when he was out, the innings soon folded for 220 off 45.3 overs.
The St Fagans bowling was:
Andrew Leering 8-212-0, Owain Hopkins 9.30-37-4, Gareth Weatherall 9-0-63-2, Elliott Saunders 2-0-17-0 and Chris Kellard 10-0-45-4.
week after trying to contend with a wicket of variable bounce at Llantwit Major in an uneven contest that resulted in a seven wicket defeat.
Following back-to-back victories, that took them to second spot, Paul Mason’s men were never in the hunt in this seaside derby leaving the hosts to leapfrog them into runners up spot.
Inserted, the Seasiders were in trouble from the start and slumped to 38-7 with Steve Jenkins the only early batsman to reach double figures, with 15. Mason took the view that attack was the best answer to the unfriendly conditions and he blasted four boundaries in a quick-fire innings of 24 not out. Assisted by 9 not out from Steffan Flood, the pair advanced the score into the seventies before the innings terminated after 29.3 overs for 77.
Opening bowlers David Cheal and Sam Pickford relished the conditions finishing with 3-16 and 2-12 while Kieran Davies joined the wicket-fest with 3-24, his figures suffering from Mason’s brief onslaught.
The visitors lost an early wicket to Marc Thompson but recovered to 32-2, Pickford lashing five fours in his attacking innings of 24. Off spinner Nick Morgan was the wicket taker and he then added to his tally dismissing Andrew Williams for 10, well caught by a Flood, with the score on 52-3.
EBBW VALE SECONDS ................ 272-5 VALE SECONDS ..... 268-2
VALE Seconds were taught a lesson by their Ebbw Vale counterparts during this run fest at Eugene Cross Park, writes Tony Poole.
Given the compact state of the ground and lightening outfield, you are never guaranteed victory even after scoring 268-2.
Table-topping Vale were surprisingly inserted, and they made the Steelmen pay with a superb opening stand of 155 from stumper Gareth Andrews and Mark Francis.
Andrews, who was particularly strong through the on-side, perished to a run out for 72 (12 fours).
But Francis, who was elegant all around the wicket, easily made it to treble figures, scoring a classic 126 no (two sixes, 18 fours).
The only other wicket to fall came with the score on 268, and it was Sean Rowland who was dismissed for 29.
But for a second time this season, Francis registered a ton in a Vale defeat.
Steelmen opening bat Shane Jones made the same kind of impact as Francis, cracking a matchwinning 131 not out (three sixes, 11 boundaries).
Though Rowland got Vale back on the radar, getting agricultural hitter Morgan Boulter (32), it was Tom Lazarus (8-0-613) who brought them back from the dead.
He got danger man and captain Jamie Nancarrow for 15 while Gary Davies and Ieuan Taylor-Jones went for low scores.
But Dai Gavin then took the game away from Vale with a rapid 68, and the Steelmen moved on to a winning 272-5 with nine deliveries in hand.
This Saturday, Vale Seconds host their Monmouth counterparts with bar facilities available all day.