Teams ready for challenge of new season
CRICKET
THE curtain goes up on the club cricket season on Saturday with Bridgend Town hosting Neath in the Thomas, Carroll South Wales Premier League, writes Tony Poole.
Wicketkeeper Tom Baker is again Town captain while batsman Jeremy Lawlor is their Glamorgan allocated player.
Bridgend will base their team around last season’s squad although playercoach Darren Thomas has gone to Ynysygerwn and quickie Elliot Rees has joined neighbours Tondu.
Their attack will be spearheaded by Oliver Pike, who has already been in fine form for Cardiff MCCU against Glamorgan.
Ex-Glamorgan pace man Alex Jones, king of spin Nick Davies, leggie Sam Pearce, all-rounder Tom Dalton and promis- ing quickie Tomos Jones will also be key men with the ball.
Sam Wood and Sam Pearce are top bats with Jack Davies, Tom Cogbill and Tom Pearce all set for first-team action.
Former Glamorgan pace man Andrew Davies – who captained Bridgend for six successive years – is now team manager and will be more hands on with regard development.
It’s the third consecutive season for Bridgend to open the season against Neath – last year the clubs drew while in 2015 the match was cancelled due to rain.
Tondu open their season in Premier Two at Panteg while six local clubs are in Thomas, Carroll South Wales Association.
The only Division One club, Cowbridge, travel to Bronwydd while Maesteg and Maesteg Celtic oper- ate in Division Two.
Maesteg host Skewen; Maesteg Celtic visit Morriston and in Division Three, GWR have a new base in Southerndown.
The Railmen have relinquished over 30 years of usage at Newbridge Fields in favour of the old Southerndown ground.
They are away to Skewen 2nds, and Porthcawl visit Dafen 2nds.
And in Division Five, Llantwit Major Cavaliers journey to Carmarthenshire to challenge Kidwelly Town.
The Thomas, Carroll South East Wales League doesn’t get underway until Saturday week with third-division Vale at Crumlin and Blaengarw in Division Six at Bridgend Town.
But one club has sadly folded – SEWCL side Pencoed – who for many years successfully operated out of Felindre Road.