South East Wales Cricket League

Division 1

Sudbrook 1sts 346-7 beat Blackwood Town 1sts (76 all out) by 270 runs

TWO magnificent centuries and a dazzling display of bowling brought Sudbrook a fine victory at Mill Lane on Saturday, writes Bob Cypher.

Matt Kinchin, opening for the home side in the absence of Ross Lewis, lost two low-scoring partners before being joined by Scott O’Leary when the score was 34-2.

When Kinchin departed after celebrating his century, the score had moved on to 222-3, the pair having worked to make a 188-run stand.

Blackwood’s skipper Andrew Clark tried everything to halt the charge, rotating his bowling attack in an attempt to unsettle the pair.

But his efforts were in vain as both players sprayed shots to all parts of the ground, Kinchin hitting 14 boundaries and one maximum while O’Leary smacked 18 boundaries and two maximums.

Kinchin was hoping to hit his second six when he hoisted the ball towards cow corner but only succeeded in giving Owain Cooper a simple catch just inside the boundary.

O’Leary was on 85 with the score at 296-4 at that point and new batsman James Hussey played the support role until his partner reached his century.

Hussey made a useful 22 before he departed with the rare sight of 300 on the board and O’Leary joined him a few minutes later having made 139 - the highest individual score in the league this season.

Matt Burton (19) and Jonathan Lewis (19 not out) saw Sudbrook post a mammoth total.

Cooper was Blackwood’s best bowler with 3-49 but the most telling statistic is that only one bowler recorded a maiden over - testimony to the way Sudbrook went at their opponents from the start.

After tea, Blackwood started their run-chase well with Clark and Andi Price at the crease.

But with Mitchell Slape on holiday, Ryan Hudson had Clark caught behind on 26 by Richard Lund, deputising for Lewis with the gloves, and Dean Wallace recorded the first of a six-wicket haul by having Price caught behind by Lund.

The loss of those two wickets ended the game as a contest as none of the remaining batsmen reached double figures.

Wallace finished with 6-16 and one maiden in 29 deliveries, Hussey took 3-9 and one maiden in 24 deliveries with Hudson taking 1-27 from a six-overs spell.