Buoyant Newport will hand a first team début to youngster Jamie Prew tomorrow for their longest journey of the season to Newtown.
The teenager steps in for the unavailable Craig Atherton after impressing for the second string – as Newport look to build on last weekend’s 194-run success over Reman Services.
“Jamie is a middle order right hand batsman and offspin bowler who has been performing consistently well for the seconds this season,” said chairman Bob Williams.
“We have a policy of giving young players first team experience whenever possible and Jamie has earned his chance.”
Meanwhile, strike bowler Rhys Davenport, back from university, returns to the attack in place of the unavailable Nick Watkins
Newport will be looking to gain some momentum in Shropshire Premier League division one after breaking their duck against Reman.
Indian pro Aditya Jain stole the show with a fantastic 179 not out, including 20 fours and five sixes. And he was influential with the ball, too, claiming four wickets.
But it was the all-round team performance that had skipper Pat Davenport purring.
He said: “I just cannot praise everyone in the team enough. There were of course some fine individual performances, but the most pleasing thing was the way the team played for one another. I am delighted to have our first win under our belt but I still feel that our best is yet to come.”
Newport rattled up a massive 319-4 off just 47 overs as the Reman fielding became more and more ragged.
Openers Paul and Rob Furniss put on a bright and breezy 63 for the first wicket before Rob was bowled for 18.
This brought the formidable Aditya to the middle and the visitors rued an early change to send him back to the pavilion.
With Paul Furniss, he took the score to 170 before the opener was dismissed for 53.
Both Craig Atherton and Jonathon Goodwin were dismissed cheaply while the Indian all-rounder revelled in the sunshine, but when Eddie Keenan joined him for the fifth wicket the party really began.
They hoisted the score from 234-4 to the final total of 319 in double quick time, with Aditya hitting six straight successes in the final over as his magnificent knock came to an end with the declaration. It was now all a question of whether the Newport attack could deliver and Nick Watkins got them off to the perfect start grabbing the crucial wicket of Reman skipper Mal Serplett in his first over.
John Wigley (25) and Jamie Wear briefly threatened to thwart the home side’s victory quest, but their departure signalled the beginning of the end.
Davenport, had plenty of runs with which to play and he was rewarded with a fine haul of 4-22 from his 14 overs, while Aditya, brought into the attack later in the innings, rounded off an outstanding all round performance by taking 4-23 from just seven overs.
By Sean Wozencroft
