BARRY Wanderers Sunday Friendly v Barry West End (at the Athletic Ground, Barry Island) THE Wanderers travelled to the Island for their opening Sunday friendly fixture against their old foes Barry West End.

Stand-in skipper for the day Mark Ellis lost the toss and the West End decided to use the balmy April weather to bat.

An opening century stand between Rhys Howells and M.Ewington set the tone for the afternoon although a fine debut spell from Krunal Patel curtailed the runs finishing with figures of 8 overs for 29 runs.

The steady eddy Dave "Moggsy" Morgan who looked to have enjoyed a few too many Peters Pies over the winter also bowled well.

It was left to the evergreen Mike Ashton to take his 1st for the season and send Howells back to the pavilion for a fine 79.

The Wanderers started off slowly in the field with too many runs conceded and not enough pressure being put on the batsmen. Luckily Gadd was caught behind for 12 to a fine catch from Gist and Wilson was run out for 7 attempting a suicide run.

Another debutant Kyle Offer bowled a great spell to put a leash on the runs and he looks a definite prospect for the coming season. What looked like a score of 260 was pegged back to a score of 205 - 4 off the allocated 40 overs.

The Wanderers reply started disastrously with Swannick bowled 2nd ball.

This brought Offer to the wicket and with the pressure on he displayed great technique and patience hitting 37 in a 2nd wicket stand of 77.

Offer does indeed offer much with the bat and ball and an interesting season lies in store for the youngster if he can carry on like this.

Rob Tucker, yet another debutant also played well, hitting some lusty blows in his knock of 21. It was when he went that things went "Pete Tong", in a matter of minutes Ellis, Fenton and Gist were run out in true Monty Python Flying Circus style and this effectively ended the game as George who went on to score 63 ran out of partners.

The Wanderers falling short by 57 runs ending on 141 for 9 off their 40 overs.

Barry West End 201-4 off 40 overs R.Howell 79, M.EWington 69 K.Offer 1-28, B.Colins 1-44 Barry Wanderers 149 - 9 P.George 63, K.Offer 37 N.Lane 4-8, T.Miller 1-18 Barry Wanderers 1st XI v Cross Keys ON a wonderful sunny day at Hayes Point in Sully, the Wanderers 1st team started their pre-season with a flourish, hammering Cross Keys in style.

After winning the toss, the Wanderers started brightly with the bat, openers Anthony Barratt and Gareth Lanagan scoring freely in a 90 stand off just 12 overs.

Barratt batted beautifully before getting caught at square leg for 29 bringing debutant Pasha Nadeem in to continue the fine start.

He played some fine shots before being bowled, which saw skipper Stuart Jones stride out to smash 75 from just 12 overs including 6 sixes.

Lanagan at the other was playing beautifully, with a fine array of shots leading to an unbeaten 97no, with further debutant Ben Irons showing some classy strokes towards the end of the allotted 40 overs.

The Wanderers amassed a huge 288-3, just 13 short of the club record.

New signing Ajazz Khan opened the bowling for Barry and soon had the Cross Keys batsmen hopping about with his blistering pace.

Off just the second ball of the innings, the non-striker went for a hopeful two trying to get off strike, only causing a run-out for his partner from Andrew no 2 to me' Ferguson.

Neil Mantell bowled superbly at the other end, and the target was quickly twindling as Cross Keys laboured to 58-3 off 12 overs, with the opening bowlers claiming a wicket apiece.

Ferguson and Jones bowled economically in the middle of the innings to further increase the required run-rate, but Jimmy Hassett tried his best to help the opposition with 31 coming off his 3 overs.

Khan and Mantell returned to sort things out, and Mantell produced his finest display in a Wanderers shirt to rip the heart out of Cross Keys with 4 wickets in 6 balls, returning figures of 5-34 off his 8 overs.

The final total was 188-8 off the 40 overs, giving the Wanderers a fine 100 run win.

Many thanks to Mr. Auto, Aberdare, for sponsoring the day's matchball.