RUSSELL 'Wiz' Martin really proved the Welsh wizard on Saturday, when his sparkling debut helped his country to a convincing win by 11 men to bat in the annual baseball international against England at Newport's Coronation Park.

The Llanrumney bowler turned top batsman in Wales' first innings with two home runs in scoring 18 of their 70 total.

And then, after Grange Catholics' Michael Sullivan had skittled England for 28 in their first innings, Martin, man of the match in the 2002 B international between the countries, took 7-33 as England followed on with 42.

This meant Wales having to score just one run (the first time it has happened in 79 internationals) to win, substitute Michael Brandt (St Albans) seeing them home with a three from the first ball.

"It was the same old story," said England skipper Paul Hughes afterwards. "We had them at 35-8 in their first innings and their last three players doubled the score.

"We always seem to have them struggling in these matches and let them off the hook. After that it was just poor batting on our part."

Wales' Chris Duffin, winning a Welsh record 17th cap, said: "We were happy with 70 because we thought we'd do well to reach 50 after slumping after a bright start.

"We did not think we'd scored enough to win by as big a margin as we did, but England seldom perform as well in Wales as they do at home."

Wales batted first on winning the toss and got away to a flyer, with top pair Wayne Matthews (Les Croupiers Caerau), later bowled for the first time in his international career, and Peter King (Gower Sports) hitting fours as they reached 19 without loss.

But with any ball hit high to leg holding up in the strong wind and presenting easy catches (three to skipper Hughes close in), they lost several batsmen this way to lose eight men for 16 and slump to 55-8 against Barry Hughes' bowling.

It would have been worse had Gary Fish (Lanrumney), on one, been caught in the deep when Wales were 25-5, for he went on to finish second-highest scorer with 13.

Even so, having crept on to 44-8, it seemed inexplicable that England should take Hughes off, enabling Wales' last three men to double their side's score, skipper David Pugh (Les Croupiers Caerau) with nine making the other main contribution.

England made a steady start in reply, but from 7-0 lost all their men for a further 21 against the pacy Sullivan, five based out on one and two bowled with extras (8) their only contributor above five.

The first five men went down for the addition of just six runs and their last five for the addition of one from 27-6. Second time around they reached 11-0 before losing all their batters for 31, extras (14) again top- scoring, and only Beckside's Robin Kennedy (7) passing five.

It gave Wales their 58th international success, three times as many as England, and means 1970 remains the only time England have won an international in Newport.