Aussies could have learned midweek! (From Penarth Times)

Aussies could have learned midweek!

STILL reeling from the humiliating defeat the previous week, Barry Wanderers made the trip east up the M4 to the delightful setting of Caerleon, to face top-of-the-league Isca Crows.

Unfortunately the wicket was far from delightful! Acting skipper Barnes lost the toss and was asked to bat on a disappointing wicket which was wet, slow and grassy.

It wasn't long before the wickets started to tumble, as last week and soon the score was 69 for 7, with only Ed Sherriff showing any resistance on 21 not out.

With a minor late rally from Jimmy Hassett, with 18 and Sherriff showing great patience and sensibility for 52 not out, the innings closed at 125 all out - hardly the target the skipper wanted.

After tea, the bowling mirrored the batting, with only Jones successful (1 for 57) and Denning bowling well.

Isca won the game by 9 wickets with 15 overs to spare - another comprehensive defeat for the low-on-confidence Wanderers.

With an important double header this weekend against Pencoed and Brynmawr, certain acts must be pulled together - quickly!

There was some good news on Sunday, with a closely fought, 32-run win over a good Porth side. With skipper Fenton winning his first toss in memory, he chose to bat (rather than be ostracised by his team who couldn't face the heat!) on a wicket which kept uncharacteristically slow.

Dave Smith (21 and back from injury) and Andrew Ferguson (38) put on a solid 34, with Paul George contributing 13 at number 3. Tony Swannick and Stuart Jones scored 19, the latter with one of the biggest straight sixes seen at Hayes Point, and with Anthony Barrett scoring an excellent 22 the score was ticking along nicely. Thanks to a late cameo by number 11 Ben Collins with an aggressive 17, the innings finished on 194 off 40 overs.

After tea - superbly presented by Linda and Gladys - Collins and Fenton kept the scoring down with some tight bowling.

The latter was first to get a wicket, with Paul George catching Davies for 3. Collins wasn't to miss out - he got Edwards, caught a few overs later.

With Dan Peacey bowling a good variation and picking up two further wickets, the game was finely balanced at 121 for 6.

However, with one of the Porth players off injured and with Stuart Jones enjoying a new lease of life from the Car Park end, he blew the opposition apart, taking 4 for 31.

Andrew Ferguson, having taken two fantastic catches earlier on, took the last wicket with a beauty that rolled across the floor, bowling the hapless skipper for 46.

More good news follows with the good form shown in the midweek league. The last two games have seen the Wanderers thump their opposition.

Firstly against a disappointingly poor RAFA side, Wanderers batted first and Paul George batted right through the innings with 56 not out.

Johnson scored 20, and that plus 37 extras enabled the score to be 137 off 20 overs - a good score on a large pitch.

What was to follow was an excellent bowling and fielding performance that the Australians should have watched! RAFA were blown away for just 18.

Grant Cole, bowling superbly, took 5 for 6 off 2 overs and Hassett took 3 for 2 from his 4 overs, with Fenton taking the other one. Wanderers won by 117 runs.

The following week saw another huge victory, with the Mayflower (old Fonty-gary) popping down to Hayes Point.

Opting to bat, the decision looked a good one when the visitors raced to 53 for 3 off 9 overs.

This was followed by a collapse, with them all out for just 72. Stuart Jones was again on fire, with 4 for 4 off nearly 4.

In reply, Wanderers lost just one wicket, losing Tim Sanders for 1.

Paul George (25 no), along with Peter Coleman (22 no) scored the remainder of the runs - Wanderers comfortable winners by nine wickets.

All this week's games were sponsored by Stockton Brickwork, of Barry.