Dynamic double act set record (From Free Press Series)

Dynamic double act set record

Barney Worrad and Micky Martin set a new club record for the highest score by an opening pair as Panteg put in their best performance of the season to defeat high-flying St Fagons on Saturday.

Openers Worrad and Martin forged a potent partnership that yielded over 200 runs, with Worrad hitting 116 and Martin 100.

That made up the bulk of Panteg's total after 50 overs with the Pontypool side eventually reaching 261 for six.

St Fagons responded with 70 from Tom Maynard - son of Glamorgan bat Matthew - and 48 from Owain Hopkins, ending their innings on 229 for nine.

"We played really well," said Panteg skipper Ian Bird. "We scored 260, which I didn't think was going to be enough.

"We said we wanted a total of 275 or 280 as a minimum as it was a good wicket.

"I would have wanted 280 to 300 if we're being honest. I didn't think that was unattainable.

"Barney Worrad played exceptionally well and he and Micky Martin set a new record for the highest opening partnership for the club.

"In fairness to us, as a team we bowled and fielded magnificently on Saturday.

"There was some fantastic ground fielding, notably from Gareth Cosker. "And considering I decided to retire as an off-spinner last year, I was pleased with four for 56 off 10 overs.

"Adam Harrison also did well taking one for 32 off 10 overs.

"We bowled really well in the middle part of the innings, 20 overs went for only 56 runs.

"They needed 100 from the last 10 overs and Tom Maynard, Matthew's son, played some great shots.

"But John Glover had an over on his comeback and bowled him first ball. "That was game over and the points to us. It was without doubt the best result of the season.

"We'd lost six on the bounce but over the last three games we've really turned the corner.

"I'm not surprised as we've got a really talented side and we've been applying ourselves with both the bat and the ball.

"Everyone's playing for each other, if someone's flailing, someone else has taken responsibility and won the game for us, so I'm very pleased," he added.

Panteg face another stern test on Saturday when they meet another form team, Sudbrook at the Deepweir.

"They're going okay, they're one place above us and we should have beaten them at home at the start of the season when we played them. "We dropped a vital catch that cost us a game we were winning.

"We're looking for revenge against them and will go above them if we beat them.

"I'm confident of how we'll perform as we should be at nearly full strength. "We've never really been at full strength over the last few weeks.

"And it's no coincidence that now we are at full strength, we're performing well," he added.