Panteg crash after sighting a victory (From Free Press Series)

Panteg crash after sighting a victory

PANTEG lost to local rivals Abergavenny on Saturday despite compiling an impressive total of 187 from their 50 overs and taking four early Aber wickets for just 16 runs.

Barney Worrad was the star bat for Panteg as he hit 70 with other notable contributions coming from Ian Bird (33) and Blane Harris (31).

A disastrous start to the Abergavenny innings saw them lose their first six wickets for only 86 runs with Panteg apparently cruising to victory.

But Craig Barnsley (36) and Gavin Heritage (30) hit back for Aber and a last wicket partnership of 55 from Mike Beecham and Kyle Holmes gave them a two-wicket victory as they finished with a total of 188 for 8.

"I was very disappointed," said Panteg captain Ian Bird. "Adam Harrison couldn't bowl and we just can't seem to get the rub of the green at the moment.

"We're picking up points from games but we're not winning.

"To get so close on Saturday, especially considering the team they had out, which featured Mike Powell and Mark Wallace was really hard to take. "They were something like 17 for four and 80 for six so to lose from there is bitterly disappointing.

"We're fielded well in all the games we've played in so far but on Saturday when nine and ten were batting we completely switched off.

"Nobody expected us to win with the side they had out so to get to where we were was fantastic but we didn't kill the game off and in the end I'm disappointed.

"It's a shame we came off second best and to be honest I think we lost it more than they won it," he added.

Panteg face a crucial match against fellow relegation candidates Tondu this Saturday with Bird under no illusions as to the game's importance.

"That's a real relegation scrap now, he said. There's no need for us to be in the position we are and I relate our situation to that of Glamorgan's.

"We won a few games at the start of the season but now we've forgotten how to win.

"Things have got to start going for us or it's going to be a long hard season," he added.