SOUTH WALES PREMIER LEAGUE:
CARDIFF ...................165 BRIDGEND TOWN 282-8
GLAMORGAN all-rounder Ruaidhri Smith shepherded Bridgend Town to a comfortable 117-run victory over reigning champions Cardiff at the Diamond Ground, writes Tony Poole.
And in the process the 23-year-old Scottish international, who hit a sizzling 151, got the highest score by a Bridgend Town player in the Premier League. It bettered the undefeated 143 that Will Bragg of Glamorgan made at Port Talbot Town back on July 28, 2012.
It was also the fifth best score in Premier League history, and he became only the sixth player to reach 150. However, the Town all-time league record still belongs to Grant Humphries who contributed an unbeaten 235 against Pontymister on May 28, 2005.
It didn’t end there for Smith because in a manof-the-match display, he also sent down 9.1-1-50-3 and took a blinding slip catch to dismiss Cardiff opener and wicket-keeper Steffan Jones for 30.
Town captain Tom Baker won the toss and elected to have a bat, but ex-Kidderminster man James Kinder (13) and Chris Bushell (8) soon trooped back to the pavilion.
Worse followed when captain Baker went for a duck while Staplegrove (Taunton) import Ben Howe perished for one.
That left Town on a perilous 38-4, and the stage was clear for Smith and Porthcawl Town footballer Thomas Cogbill to launch a recovery act.
They steadied a rocking boat in fine style via a fifth-wicket stand that was worth a match-winning 140 runs.
Young Cogbill hit a six and five boundaries in an excellent half-century before being run out by Cardiff captain Greg Holmes.
But Smith was then joined out in the middle by former Glamorgan team-mate Alex Jones – and they duly piled on the misery for the home attack.
Incredibly, Smith failed to clear the ropes during his 151, but the innings did contain a massive 26 fours off just 120 balls.
Jones ended up unbeaten on 31 (three fours), and it led to the total racing on to 282-8 off a full 50 overs.
Top wicket-taker was Osama Subham with 101-53-3 while fellow newball man Tom Barry (104-29-1) proved difficult to get away. Alex Jones then made early inroads with 8-1-27-3, but it was the introduction of Bronwydd teenage pace man Tomos Jones that really signalled the end of the road for the champions.
Jones, who is getting stronger and more lethal by the week, this time around took 5-1-20-3, and the only late Cardiff threat came from Prem Sisodiya (17) and big-hitting Alun Thomas.
But when Tom Dalton (8-0-38-1) got Thomas for a top score of 42 the end was in sight, and Cardiff were eventually sent back in the 37th over for 165.
Wins over Neath, Mumbles and Cardiff and a loss to St Fagans have left Town third in the table.
After four rounds of fixtures positions read: Newport 63 points, St Fagans 62, Bridgend Town 57, Neath 57, Pontarddulais 42, Ynysygerwn 39, Cardiff 35, Ammanford 20, Port Talbot Town 20 and Mumbles 12.
This Saturday Bridgend Town welcome Port Talbot Town to Newbridge Fields with wickets again pitched at 12.30pm.
But Bridgend Town Seconds lost for a fourth successive time, going down this time by 111 runs against Cardiff in Newbridge Fields.
Cardiff posted 239-7 while Bridgend were removed for 128 in the 40th over to remain Second XI (East) cellar dwellers.