Archive - Wednesday, 23 June 2004


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High hopes for the future

SUDBROOK player-coach Mark O'Leary is confident his young side won't be fazed by Saturday's gutting one-run defeat against Premiership front runners Sully, warning: "We've got one heck of a team in the making."

The Deepweir side lost in the final over despite posting a reasonable target of 233/9 on the scoreboard and the relentless bowling of Damian Forder who took five Sully wickets for just 45 runs.

Somehow though the Premiership title-chasers rode the Sudbrook storm and clawed their way over the line with no more wickets to spare to win by the single run. Despite the numbing defeat O'Leary promised his men would bounce back.

"It was a cruel result, but that's cricket. We pushed them all the way and that's something we can take great pride from.

"I don't think we could have done anymore out there. I was happy with our score and I though we matched their star names in every facet of the game.

"This is a young side we have. Nine of the players are just 17. For them to push a side like Sully in the way they did shows plenty of promise.

"In the changing rooms afterwards everyone still felt upbeat. They knew they had done a good job and we were the better side. Over the next few years this side will get better and better.

"To be honest it didn't really feel as if we had lost because we had played so well. We won't mull over the result because we know we are a good side," said O'Leary.

Seventeen-year-old Kel Stephens is the kind of young player O'Leary is so proud of. He impressed in Saturday's defeat hitting a carefully-groomed 68 for Sudbrook and showing plenty of promise for the future.

A defeat is a defeat though no matter how close and O'Leary will be keen for his men to turn over Usk when they face their Monmouthshire rivals this Saturday.

"We are batting and bowling well. I would like to see more players scoring centuries, but that's only a minor criticism. When we play Usk we'll be full of confidence," he said.

Saturday's match starts at Usk at 1pm.