Narberth (257-4) have opened up a 23 point lead at the top of Division 2 in pursuit of the Dan Jones Cup after their convincing 93 runs at Llandigigie Fawr, where they then restricted hosts Llanrhian for 164-8.
The Narberth runs were a combined team effort, opening batsmen Louie Davies (56; 1x6;5x4) and Shay Norcross (22; 5x4) added 57 for the first wicket, Norcross falling to a return catch to opening bowler Jack Jones (1-35). The inform Jamie McCormack struck 70 (1x6; 9x4) as he joined Davies to add 71 for the second wicket, Fraser Watson claiming the catch of his namesake, Gwynant Watson (1-34). There was little respite for the Cows, captain Lewis Hough bowled for 23 (1x6;2x4) by Ninjutsu Prabath (1-43) on 192-3. McCormack was also bowled by Simon Butler (1-65) as he and wicketkeeper Kyle Williams (60no; 4x5; 5x6) took the score to 212-4, the final total of 257-4 aided by 14 extras.
The post tea reply started well for the hosts, through opening batman Russell Watkins (51;1x6;5x4 ) and his partner Chris Cousins 33 (1x63x4) who added 82, alongside Jack Jones (24; 2x4) who came in first wicket down. Change bowler Lewis Jones (3-27) made the breakthrough in the seventeenth over on when he had both opening batsman caught at the wicket by Williams, Mathew Johns catching the number three after opening bowler Llew Jones (1-32) was given another go with the match ball sponsored by Ian Hough. Fraser Watson was the only other batsman in double figures with an unbeaten 15, spinner Johns taking 3-30, Hough (1-1) to curtail the response which ended on 164-8, the final total aided by 21 extras.
Nearest challengers Pembroke (206-8) lost ground as they surrendered their unbeaten home record at Treleet to Cresselly II (222-8) by 14 runs. Teenagers Griff Jenkins and last weeks centurion, Lewis Mason both scored 51 to lead the charge, the even more youthful Ollie Arthur striking three boundaries in his 16 before he was the first wicket to fall on 20 caught by Gareth Morgan off the bowling of seamer Billy Wood (1-47). Veteran Neal Williams (18; 1x4) was happy to bat alongside Mason before he was caught by Lewis Butler off Morgan with the score on 61, Mason caught with the score on 95, by Andy Tait off Ceri Brace for the first wicket of the spinners 4-44 return. Mason had nine boundaries in his half century. George Davies (21; 3x4) and Jenkins rapidly took the score to 157-4 before Davies was stumped by Phil Hay off Brace, the same combination removing Jenkins on 171-5, the youngster's innings including a maximum and seven boundaries off 31 balls. Veteran Ryan Lewis (5) became Braces final wicket when he was bowled. The Doves tail wagged, with captain Stefan Jenkins unbeaten on 13, Iori Thomas run out for 11 (2x4) and Matthew Lewis contributing 22 (1x6; 2x4) from 14 balls for a tea time total of 222-88.
The Pembroke response has a solid start as captain Jack Harris warmed up for his County game tomorrow at Ammanford against the South Wales Cricket Association with a run a ball 25 (5x4) before he was caught and bowled by opening bowler Arthur (2-46) with the score on 32. Archie Hiller-Wood fell for 18 (4x4) to Arthur on 51-2, Gareth Long (24; 1x6; 3x4) the third wicket to fall on 73, Griff Jenkins holding the catch off Mason (2-30), Jenkins (2-37) then taking a return catch off his own bowling to remove Brace (8; 1x4) sixteen runs later.
Tait joined Hay (19; 2x4) to take the score to 124-5 before the wicketkeeper lost his bails to Mason, Tait finding another ally in Wood (13; 2x4) to add 27 for the sixth wicket, Iwan Thomas (2-39) bowling Wood. Krunal Patel (19; 1x4) was caught by Williams off Jenkins on 187-7 and Tait's run a ball 51 (6x4) was ended when Mason held the catch for Thomas second wicket. Morgan was unbeaten on 15 (1x6) from 7 balls and Butler 3no, with 9 extras when time was called.
St Ishmaels (94-3) have leapfrogged into the second promotion place with a 7 wicket win over fellow promotion hopefuls Hook (93ao), the Mice indebted to a fine all round bowling and fielding performance, led by veteran spinner Steve Williams (5-24). He was backed up by left arm slow bowler Andy Pawlett with 3-25, with a single wicket apiece for skipper Jon Pawlett (1-18) and Tomos Williams (1-`6). Rhys Phelps opened the innings and top scored with a patient 32 (4x4), before he was the eight wicket to fall on 61, the Hook total raised thanks to a final wicket partnership of 32 between last man Brennan Martin (20; 1x6; 2x40 and an unbeaten 11 from Callum James (1x6).
Phil Llewellyn returned to one of his former clubs to continue his good form as he opened the innings and was unbeaten on 65, with thirteen boundaries to his name from 54 balls faced. Brennan Devonald hit a six and a four in his 14 and skipper Pawlett a brace of boundaries in his unbeaten 10 when victory was achieved, Llewellyn striking three consecutive boundaries to secure the points for the Mice. Owen Phelps (2-22) and Martin (1-21) the wicket takers for the miner's village.
Johnston (116-2) secured their second consecutive victory with an 8 wicket success at the RDM Oval, hosts Llechryd dismissed for 115, seamer Keegan Codd (3-21) assisted by opening bowler Steven Mills (2-21), Liam James (2-18) and Garry James (2-19). Home captain Joe Mansfield top scored with 20 (3x4), double figure scores coming from John Curran (11; 1x6), Jac Davies (13; 2x4), a patient 15 from Florian Cartwright , Joe Dow (18; 3x4) and last man A Drewry-Davies, the wicketkeeper unbeaten on 18 (2x4). The Tigers performance in the field saw them concede just 7 extras and account for 7 wickets all bowled, with over five overs of the allocated 40 remaining.
Lee Summons (28; 3x4) was dismissed on 63 and his fellow opening batsman, wicketkeeper Lewis Boswell (40; 6x4) on 81, former Llangwm skipper Mills leading the victory charge in the eighteenth over as he was unbeaten on 40 from 21 balls, with a maximum and eight boundaries to his name, veteran Chris Fitzpatrick unbeaten on 4 striking the winning boundary. The home wicket takers were Curran (1-22) and Cartwright (1-24).
The Gerlad Hicks Recreation ground witnessed bottom of the table Burton II bundled out for 60, having been 34-2, veteran left arm slow bowler Barry Evans bowling 5 maidens in his 8 over spell to take 4-9, three bowled and one caught by Hayden Shapcott, all but two Burton batsman coming to terms with the change bowler's deception, to reach double figures. Opening batsman Iori Roberts (14) and Jack John (13; 2x4) were the two, change bowler Sam Harts plying his seamers from the Garden End to support Evans, his eight over spell saw him take 3-12 as the Rooks impressive performance in the field saw them concede 21 runs between the tenth and twenty sixth over. Opening bowler Joel Read (1-16) made the early breakthrough in the fourth over and teenager Corey Hall took the final wicket for a 1-1 analysis, Nial Griffiths unbeaten on 9 (1x4) when the innings ended in the thirty first over.
Hall opened the Rooks innings, falling to Jack Bevan (1-38) for 12 (1x4) in the seventh over, veteran Ian Sefton unbeaten on 21 (3x4) and Luke Hicks alongside the opening batsman to score the winning boundary in the twelfth over, his 24 not out including a maximum and a brace of boundaries.
Photo
Cresselly II pictured before their victory over Pembroke at Treleet
