LOCAL CRICKET ROUNDUP
FOR a first time this season, heavy rain and strong winds impacted on the club cricket scene, resulting in mass cancellations, writes Tony Poole.
Bridgend Town were due to visit leaders St Fagans in the South Wales Premier League, but it went the same way as many others on the day with the match called off without a ball being bowled.
Town this Saturday host secondplaced Neath, who lost by eight runs on Duckworth Lewis Method last Saturday to Port Talbot Town at The Gnoll in the only top-tier match to be settled.
Maesteg Celtic did start a home game with Dafen in Peter Lynn Solicitors South Wales Association Division One, but it was soon abandoned.
Celtic were on 20-1 off 9.1 overs with star bats Gareth Hopkins (13) and Ian Herbert (6) in possession of the crease.
Maesteg remain top of Division Two after their match at Landore fell by the wayside, and it’s emerged that a mammoth score of 348-5 against Baglan earlier in the month was the best at home on the league circuit.
The 250-run opening stand between football star Jonny Hood (135), son of multi-talented Martin, and Andrew King (110) is also for the record books.
In one of the few games to produce a result on the day, GWR steamed to a 62-run win in Division Four over Kidwelly at Parc Stephens.
The previous week Phil Cadogan made 91 in a 163-run home win over Llandeilo, and he struck an unbeaten 97 against the Cocklemen.
His whirlwind knock contained two sixes, 13 fours off 77 balls with Ian Keen hitting 24 while Liam Lilly was in the pink with figures of 8-3-17-1.
Kidwelly could then only muster 115 from 36.1 overs, and the modest score was down to a final wicket stand of 53 between last man Dean Hollands (27no) and captain Zac Williams (20).
Simon Swinford with 5-0-12-3 possessed the best analysis; Graham Cross delivered 8-1-28-3 while Tom Marshall 8-3-13-2 also laid down the law.
This Saturday Maesteg Celtic travel to Briton Ferry Steel; Maesteg host Swansea Civil Service while Porthcawl Town are away to Tata Steel Seconds and GWR welcome Gowerton Seconds to Southerndown.
In the Thomas Carroll South East Wales League, Vale remain top of Division Three after their home clash with Newport Thirds was called off.
The boys from leafy Corntown now have three matches to hold things together, starting with Ebbw Vale at Eugene Cross Park this Saturday.
Tondu host old rivals Whitchurch Heath in Division Two while in the seventh tier Blaengarw are away to Barry Athletic Seconds.