Cricketers lose first game but win the friendliesWanderers humbled but don't lose heart (From Barry And District News)

Cricketers lose first game but win the friendliesWanderers humbled but don't lose heart

AFTER a great result the previous week against Newport, relegation threatened Barry Wanderers faced a tough game against Pentwyn, who earlier in the season had humbled them by nearly 180 runs!

Pentwyn maintained the rate of five an over throughout the game to finish on 230 for 7. Colin Rowlands and James Hassett grabbed three wickets apiece.

The Wanderers did themselves few favours and were humbled once more at 87 all out.

The positives were to come from the next two friendly games, against Machen on Sunday and touring side Bagborough on Monday.

Both games were played at Wenvoe.

Skipper Fenton won the toss and elected to bat.

Dave Smith and Anthony Barrett opened the innings and promptly added 85 for the first wicket before the latter went for an excellent 23. Stuart Jones came to the crease and a magnificent stand of 119 was added for the second wicket before Smith departed for an aggressive 83.

Tim Sanders made a late contribution and Jones scored a superb 70 not out.

The innings closed on 239 for 2, the opposition needing a run a ball to win!

With M P Ashton and Ben Collins opening the attack, it was in the fourth over that Collins had Lee caught for 4, and the remaining batsmen failed to get into double figures, bar one!

Mike Ashton was unlucky to have a certain LBW turned down. However, Fussell, the gutsy opener was there right to the last few overs and scored a splendid 105 before Lawrence bowled him.

Stuart Jones and Dan Peacey took 3 for 12 and 2 for 38 respectively and Machen came up 55 runs short of their target.

TWO LEGS

On Monday the Wanderers entertained a useful Bagborough side in the first fixture of the two-leg series, the second to be played in a month when the Wanderers invade Torquay!

Skipper Fenton offered the toss and Bagborough decided to bat on the same track as the day before.

Fenton and Barrett opened the attack but Barrett the pick eventually taking a wicket in his sixth over and finishing with 8-1-15-1.

The opposition were struggling for runs so in an attempt to open the game up Fenton used eight bowlers.

Paul George bowled seven overs for 10 runs, Morgan six for 33, Tim Sanders four for 23 and Coleman three for 16 (taking one wicket).

After 30 overs Bagborough had made just 87 runs. However, they exploded into life and scored 99 runs off their last 10 overs. A useful target of 186 was set.

Paul George and Chris Sanders opened the innings, but found the ball difficult to get away on a generally slow, but true track.

The first wicket went at 58 with the latter scoring 23. Paul Swannick came to the crease and scored a useful 11, as did Stuart Jones, unluckily stumped trying to up the tempo a little.

Paul George was out in the 28th over for a hard-working 30 and the Wands were up against it needing 75 off the last nine overs.

Young Tim Sanders and Andy Fenton were now at the crease, with both batsmen having a barren run of late.What followed was an excellent display of controlled aggression by both batsmen and the winning runs were hit with five balls remaining from the last over. Fenton was 35 not out and Tim Sanders made a super 43 not out. Wanderers won by six wickets.