Wash-out doesn't hit Sudbrook (From Free Press Series)

Wash-out doesn't hit Sudbrook

SUDBROOK player-coach Mark O'Leary reckons his side will cope well if this year's South Wales Premiership season is hit hard by the weather.

The Deepweir side's game against Chepstow on Saturday was cancelled after a spell of heavy showers, but Sudbrook did play away at Croesyceiliog in the Welsh Cup on Sunday, winning by nearly 80 runs.

And it's Sudbrook's consistent run of cup games that O'Leary believes will stand them in good stead if the Premiership fixture list becomes a stop-start affair.

"Having games cancelled like on Saturday is a big disappointment," said O'Leary. "We were really looking forward to getting out there, but now with the weather looking ominous again we're in a position of not really knowing if we'll play this weekend and that does effect our consistency - like it will every other side in the division.

"What is keeping our momentum going is the cup games. They tend to go ahead even on a wet wicket and that means we can keep our bowlers and batters fresh and stop players from going to rusty."

Sudbrook have won silverware in every one of their last four seasons. Yet despite hungering more cup success this year, O'Leary insisted the Premiership is their ultimate goal.

"If we can finish inside the top five I will be over the moon. If we can go one step better and make it in the top four.that will be even better.

Our aim has to be to reach one of those targets and we have to concentrate on that. If we can do well in the cup competitions as well then that would be a bonus," said O'Leary.

The Sudbrook chief will take plenty of heart from his side's display against Croesyceiliog in the Welsh Cup on Sunday.

After building up a health score of 199 thanks to fine innings from Ross Lewis (70) and Rob Voke (68) Sudbrook's arsenal of bowlers made light work of their opponents with an immaculate display.

Four wickets from spinner Chris Phillips and a brace each for seamers Robert Simmonds and John Lewis condemned Croesyceiliog to 120 as Sudbrook moved into round two of the competition.

"It was a very pleasing victory. We have done a decent job and I'll be looking for a similar display against Panteg in the League this weekend.

"They've got two top class players in Adam and David Harrison (both Glamorgan representatives) and will pose a big threat. We are used to playing Glamorgan players though and won't be fazed," promised O'Leary.

Saturday's match bats of at Panteg at 1pm, while on Sunday Sudbrook face a trip to Bath in the second round of the National Knockout Cup. That game starts at 2pm.