Leake's record (From Barry And District News)

Leake's record

BARRY Athletic buoyed by three wins out of four in previous games were to put their good form to the sternest test as they travelled to league leaders Pontymister.

The game like every other game in the East Wales League did not finish but the 84 overs possible, showed Barry have the talent in both batting and bowling that should have them challenging for the title not fighting against relegation.

Steve Jones won the toss and elected to bat and what followed over the next 50 overs broke not just the club records, awaiting verification, but probably broke league records as well.

Demon Leake and Lee Morgan opened the batting and the Ponty bowling had to wait until the final ball of the innings, before they claimed their only wicket as the "Cardiff cousins" amassed an amazing 266 run stand. They started cautiously and Leake was dropped on six in the slips and good fortune followed when he was bowled of a no ball but after that neither batsmen gave a chance.

With the warm but heavy conditions building, the Ponty bowlers toiled. Morgan was resolute and the perfect foil for Leake who punished every bad ball bowled at him as his 50 came in the 23rd over before reaching three figures as he took the home side attack apart.

Still not content he reached 150 although so exhausted he could hardly lift his bat to acknowledge the applause from his team mates.

Lee Morgan was also unmoveable as he finished with a superb 78 no but Leake's 154 - a club record for the league - was only slightly marred by his dismissal off the final ball of the innings which contained 18 boundaries and set the Ponty side a target of 267.

Pontymister, though, are a superb batting side as Asif Butt and Paul Weekes took the bowling apart early on scoring at 8 runs plus an over. Although Barry were on the receiving end it was an innings of pure class from Butt as he raced to 50 in the 11th over.

The introduction of spin though changed the game as Butt went for one big shot too many, falling to the off spin of Ben Hooper, caught at long on by Usswald.

Stephen Jones then changed to off spin and suddenly found his fortunes changed as he picked up three wickets in six overs and Ponty were 130 for 4.

Clouds were now gathering, thunder was rumbling all round the ground but still Ponty went for their shots with 50 runs in six overs showing their intentions.

But with the sky so dark the umpires took the players off with literally a minute to spare as the heavens opened, lighting forked everywhere and what looked like being a superb finish was spoiled as Ponty were stopped on 182 for 4 in the 35th over and a memorable day for the Barry side especially Leake and Morgan ended abruptly.

Barry entertain Cefn Forest this weekend hoping to continue this form and with Leake now on 500 league runs for the season confidence is high at completing the league double over the Gwent side.

Barry Athletic 266-1 (D Leake 154, L Morgan 78 no) Pontymister 182-4 (A Butt 57, P Weekes 54, A Kham 39 no, S R Jones 3-65, B Hooper 1-61).