Bridgend pull clear of relegation place
BRIDGEND TOWN ... 30-0 NEWPORT ............... 187-7
THIS Newbridge Fields contest was bubbling up nicely until rain intervened, and it was abandoned, writes Tony Poole.
With Town on 30-0 off 10 overs chasing a target of 188, rain began to fall and the players headed for the pavilion never to return.
Another 10 overs were required for the Duckworth Lewis lottery to produce a lucky dip, and ultimately both sides exited the game with eight points.
But for champions Newport it was another body blow in their bid to retain the title.
Table-topping Cardiff got in a full game down west in Ammanford, securing a winning draw in the process, and now head Pontarddulais by a massive 29 points with Newport a further four points adrift.
And unless something dramatic unfolds during the four remaining rounds of fixtures, then the men from the capital seem destined to win the Premier League for a third time.
As for Bridgend, the eight-point haul sent them 40 points clear of Penarth – and the lone relegation spot.
Things are beginning to look desperate for the newly promoted Seasiders, who lost on Duckworth Lewis at Port Talbot Town by eight runs, and are now 22 points behind ninth-placed Ynysygerwn.
Bridgend captain Tom Baker won the toss and with rain widely forecast in early evening, it was a no-brainer in requesting the title-holders to bat.
And Alex Jones was glad all over when he bowled former Glamorgan colleague Mark Wallace for a duck.
Michael Clayden and captain Mark Norris then battened down the hatches until Clayden nicked one to wicketkeeper Baker off the bowling of Alex Jones (10-0-36-2) for just six runs.
One of the major stands then developed between Imran Hassan and night-watchman Norris.
The score moved on to 82 before Hassan (38) was bowled by Glamorgan Academy man Jeremy Lawlor (9-0-32-1).
The king of spin Nicky Davies was now beginning to tie one end down and the introduction of Colin Ingram crowd catcher Jack Davies saw him get the key wicket of Wales Minor Counties batsman Joe Voke (19).
However, Norris was still at the crease, pushing the ball around for singles or the occasional two, before a rush of blood saw Baker stump him for 51 (one four from 115 balls) off the bowling of spin magician Nicky Davies (10-0-31-1).
That made it 153-5 and during the closing overs Wales Minor Counties all-rounder Callum Taylor attempted to put bat to ball.
To a degree he succeeded, closing with an unbeaten 23, but at the other end Zalmai Ahmadzai (17) departed to Sam Pearce (9-1-32-1) and Mohammad Rizvi (17) was run out by Nicky Davies.
And with the sundries column yielding a productive 26, (including 15 wides and three no balls for three extra overs) Newport got it up to 187-7 off a full 50 overs.
As Glamorgan batsman Lawlor is badly in need of a big score, he opened with Nicky Davies and they played things sensibly.
But with the Cecil Griffiths scoreboard displaying 30 without loss – Davies 18 and Lawlor eight – rain stopped play, and it was curtains for the day.
Next up for Bridgend, following four successive home fixtures, is table-topping Cardiff at Forest Farm on Saturday.
Bridgend have just one more home game this season – Ynysygerwn on Saturday week – and they wind things up with away games against titlechasing Pontarddulais and Mumbles on the final day.
Latest Premier League placings after 14 of 18 stipulated matches reads: Cardiff 215 points, Pontarddulais 186, Newport 182, Port Talbot Town 172, Neath 167, Mumbles 157, Bridgend Town 139, Ammanford 125, Ynysygerwn 121 and Penarth 99.