THOMAS, CARROLL SOUTH WALES ASSOCIATION DIVISION THREE
PORTHCAWL .......... 190-7 MERTHYR ............... 184-7
AN UNBEATEN eighth wicket partnership of 50 between skipper Jack Tuck and Mark Lewis led Porthcawl to a scrappy three wicket victory over a gallant Merthyr side at Locks Lane.
This was expected to be a comfortable afternoon for the Seasiders, with the visitors struggling in the bottom two, but it proved anything but a walk-inthe-park as careless batting from the middle order threatened Porthcawl’s unbeaten record.
Coming to the wicket with the score on 140-7, Tuck thrashed a six, to finish the game, and three fours, while Lewis stood steadfast through the earlier carnage to end with an invaluable 15 not out, as Porthcawl triumphed with five overs to spare. The win takes Porthcawl back into the top two.
Chasing Merthyr’s 1847, openers Mark Dixon and Nick Davies, once again gave the hosts a solid start, putting on 70 for the first wicket before Dixon left a ball, which cut back, to bowl him for 31. His knock contained six boundaries and took his season’s tally to an impressive 326 and an extraordinary average of 163.00.
Rob Jones joined Davies but he recorded a rare failure of just 19 which advanced his run count to 287 at an average of 57.40. From 94-2, the hosts slumped to 128-5, and the fight was on.
Davies, who is also enjoying a rich harvest of runs, eventually perished for 65, with eight ropefinders, taking his season’s total to 334 for an average of 66.80. He has recorded five half centuries to date. It has been one of the most productive run fests by the top three that supporters can recall, for many years.
Will Frost was the only other batsman to reach double figures, with 13. For Merthyr, Jeremy Crocker took 2-26, Jason Casaldi 2-30, both from 10 overs, and Aled Walters 2-21.
Earlier, Porthcawl’s opening attack of Jones and Steve Doherty kept the Merthyr batsmen in check, with Jones, remarkably, bowling his first six overs without conceding a run. From 44-1 after 19 overs the visitors slumped to 66-4 at the 25 over mid-point. Openers Rob Thompson and Tom Songhurst notched 24 and 21 and Scott Walton, trying to up the tempo, fell for 21, with a six and three fours. Jack Rhodes formed the backbone to the innings with a hard hitting 42 which included two maximums and four fours. When the innings looked in danger of fizzling out, Crocker and Casaldi hit back with a fine partnership that enabled their side to finish on a respectable 184-7. Crocker found the ropes six times in his 37 not out while Casaldi finished 21 not out.
Jones ended with excellent figures of 0-18 from 9 overs while Doherty’s 0-32 from 10 overs was equally valuable. Tuck was Porthcawl’s most successful bowler with a season’s best return of 3-31 from his 10 over allocation, which took his wicket haul for the campaign to 12. Wales over 50 international leg spinner Steve Richmond returned an impressive 2-27, also from 10, while Nick Davies pocketed 1-14 and Josh Aubrey 1-46.