Sudbrook demolish Panteg (From Free Press Series)

Sudbrook demolish Panteg

TRIUMPHANT Sudbrook player-coach Mark O'Leary has challenged his side to remain unbeaten in their eight remaining Premiership games after demolishing Panteg on Saturday in unequivocal style.

The Torfaen side was left battered and bruised by a far superior Sudbrook outfit who in O'Leary's words was playing its best cricket of the season so far.

"This was definitely our most impressive result of the season," beamed O'Leary. "We just totally out-played them in every facet of the game - bowling, fielding and batting. They had no answers.

"From our point of view this result can spearhead the rest of our season. We have set a standard that we have to aim to attain in every game we play now.

"Confidence is on a high and that's massively important to a side. We you have confidence luck tends to go your way as well and at the moment we're on fire."

O'Leary has every reason to be in such an upbeat mood. He hit his first century of the season against Panteg following on from his half century the week before marking a long-awaited return to form with the bat.

"I'm feeling at ease at the moment with the bat and definitely feel like I've turned corner," said O'Leary after hitting 121 not out against Panteg in his side's impressive 303 for five innings.

In reply their opponents were totally humiliated at the crease being bowled out for a messily 74 - Panteg's lowest score of the season so far.

"We need to repeat this performance week-in week-out now. The challenge for this side now is to win as many of our remaining games as we can. There's no reason why we can't win them all, we have to believe that.

"I said at the start of the season that with the young side we had I was looking to finish in the top five. If we can string together the kind of results I'm looking for there's no reason why we can't make it in the top four. I truly believe that," said O'Leary.

The challenge begins this Saturday away at Newport and O'Leary admits it won't be a stroll in the park for his men. They'll be tough, but we can beat them," he said.

Sudbrook are into the semi finals of the Sunday Lord's Cup after beating Penarth by seventy runs. Ross Lewis and 17-year-old Lewis Morgan both scored memorable centuries. The club are reigning champions of the trophy.

Meanwhile first team youngster Mike Shaw, 17, has been invited to train with the Glamorgan Academy. "I think he could go a long way," said O'Leary.