THOMAS, CARROLL SOUTH WALES PREMIER LEAGUE

BRIDGEND Town Seconds failed to take the field last Saturday in Second XI (East) owing to the wet state of the wicket at Panteg, writes Tony Poole.

In the same division, the games were also called off at Miskin Manor, Newport Fugitives and St Fagans during another programme badly hit by rain.

The only game to get underway was at Bryn Road with Tondu Seconds getting a plucky draw against joint-leaders Tata Steel.

Put in to bat, the Steelmen leaned heavily on veteran Paul Donovan, and the king of grass responded with a matchsaving 102 that contained seven boundaries.

It was just as well that Donovan came off with the bat, as the remainder of the card was pretty ordinary with Olly Ryan and Kumar Jha both getting 29.

Best bowing for Tondu came via Ryan Owen with 10-2-42-2 with promising newcomer Clive Holmes getting 10-2-31-1 with his allsorts.

The other wicket-takers were big Ben Green, who struck with 7-0-32-1 and Daniel Thomas 7-1-29-1.

But when Tondu went out in search of 215, an early finish was in the offing when the scoreboard displayed 65-6.

However, Green had other ideas and in a colourful contribution of 65 (one six, four boundaries), he put on a face-saving 77 for the seventh wicket with Josh Banks, who was on the money in depositing 19 runs on the scorecard.

And after Banks eventually withdrew, Tondu saw out time on 156-7 with former first-team star Matt Saker sending down 10-3-24-3 and Adam Jardine – son of ex-Aberavon RFC centre John – returning 10-4-21-2.

This Saturday, Tondu Seconds visit Newport Fugitives while Bridgend Town are at Newport.

Latest Second XI (East) positions: Newport 199, Tata Steel 199, Panteg 157, Penarth 155, Cardiff 154, Miskin Manor 142, Tondu 138, Bridgend Town 125, Newport Fugitives 124 and St Fagans 117.