Narberth (180-9) maintained their unblemished record in their pursuit of the Dan Jones Cup in Division 2 after beating closest rivals Pembroke (177ao) by 3 runs at the Lewis Lloyd Ground after being invited to bat.
Opening batsman Louie Davies was in fine form with 78, which included a plethora of boundaries, finding support at the top of the order from his captain Lewis Hough (24), the home side 80-2 and 155-4, inform opening batsman Jamie McCormack (11) and Harry Phillips (19) also contributing as visiting captain Jack Harris tried seven bowlers to curtail the run rate. Spin King Ceri Brace led the way with 3-22, including Hough LBW via the finger of the only standing umpire, Neil Thomas. Ryan Williams (5) was his second scalp, caught by Billy Wood and Elliot Evans (4) his third, caught by Gareth Morgan. Andy Tait, the sixth of those bowlers used took 3-27 from his allocation of 8 overs, which included bowling Phillips, Llew Jones (2) caught & bowled and Mathews Johns (2) caught by wicketkeeper Phil Hay. Opening bowler Billy Wood (2-47) took the first two wickets to fall in the day, Richard Pulman claimed the prize wicket of Davies snicking one into the hands of Hay in his 1-15 analysis.
The visitors found themselves in early trouble after tea as the Millforge Garage sponsored match ball was made to dance, Jones taking out both Harris (10), via the hands of his captain Hough and Evans snaffling fellow opening batsman Archie Hillier-Wood for 5. Seasoned campaigner Richard Howells also took the new cherry and had Gareth Long caught by McCormack before bowling Andrew Hay, both for ducks to leave the visitors 15-4, Howells bowling his allocation taking 2-5, which included one wide and 5 maiden overs. Jones trapped Krunal Patel (4) in front of his poles on 21-5 but Pembroke staged a fightback through their opening bowler Wood and Brace, the pair adding 125 for the sixth wicket before Jones returned to centre stage and removed Woods (58) stumps and bails. Wicketkeeper Hay (2) fell 3 runs later as Davies took the catch off Williams but the Pembroke tail wagged to support Brace at the crease, keeping momentum in the run rate, losing wicketkeeper Hay (2) on 156 when he was caught by Rhodri Dyer off Hough’s bowling, the skipper following this up to end his day with 2-43, as he had Morgan (7) pouched by Davies with the scoreboard on 163. Brace was joined by Pulman with 20 runs needed off the final four overs, Pulman ending 19no as Brace was caught by Davies off Williams for 55 and then Williams (2-46) ended the game with the final ball of the penultimate over, by bowling Sam Davies for 1.
Narberth travel to Llandigigie Fawr to play Llanrhian intent on keeping their 100% win ration with Pembroke welcoming Cresselly II to Treleet.
Cresselly II (261-6) defeated rivals from down the hill, Carew II (259-4) by 4 wickets with five balls of the game remaining, teenager Lewis Mason the star batsman with as he treated the bowling, they were spuds on nearby Home Farm, mashing 3 maximums and 13 boundaries in a 78 ball 107. He shared a third wicket stand of 138 with Senior Welsh international Neale Williams (79; 13x4) after George Waters had removed Dove’s skipper Josh Lewis via the gloves of Hayden Shapcott for a duck.
Teenager Ollie Arthur (13; 3x4) was caught by Scott Richards of former Cresselly bowler, Sam Harts (2-28) and fellow teenager Griff Jenkins was caught and bowled on 75-3 by his uncle Sion Jenkins (1-61), himself another former Dove who moved down the hill to join the Rooks. Former County spinner Ryan Lewis fell for 6, a sole scoring shot as Corey Hall (2-60) removed him thanks to the safe hands of Richards 6 runs after the same combination had dismissed Williams.
With 32 balls remaining Mason was joined by the experienced Stefan Jenkins (8no) who supported his younger colleague to the path of victory until Harts returned to the attack and bowled the magnificent Mason in the thirty ninth over, his replacement Matthew Lewis then taking 7 runs off 3 balls, before striking the winning boundary off the first ball of the final over to win the game on 11no.
Having been invited to bat at the start of the afternoon Shapcott (15; 2x4) and fellow opening batsman Nick Scourfield (34; 1x6; 4x4) patiently added 47 before George Davies caught Shapcott from the bowling of Corey Lewis (1-37), Scourfield caught by Stefan Jenkins off Mason (1-67) having been joined in the second wicket partnership of 28 by senior Welsh international Simon Wood.
Wood remained unbeaten at the end of the innings on 98 (1x6; 13x4;77 balls) adding 151 for the third wicket with Richards (77; 4x6;4x4; 55 balls) before he fell LBW to returning opening bowler Ollie Arthur (1-40). Hard hitting Luke Hicks (9; 2x4) was bowled by Griff Jenkins (1-52) on 237, the equally venerable Gareth Lewis (1no) not making any grounds for an inquiry as Wood and Mr Extras dominated the last over.
Carew will look to return to winning ways when they welcome rock bottom Burton II to the Gerlad Hicks Recreation ground next weekend.
Burton II (51ao) made the short trip to Glebelands to take on close neighbours Johnston (55-1) who defeated them by 9 wickets in the seventh over, thanks to an inspired returning debut from Steven Mills, who took 2-13 with his mixture of swing and seam bowling before striking an unbeaten 31 to win the match alongside the inform Lewis Boswell (24no).
Visiting skipper Wil Ridge (5) was asked to bat by his opposite number, stand in Tigers skipper Keegan Codd who took the new cherry, but his fellow new ball bowler Roshan Aryal (2-10) made the early breakthrough having Ridge caught by Chris Fitzpatrick before man of the match Mills entered the fray and removed top scorer Ioan Roberts bails for 10 (2x4), followed by Tom Reedy LBW for 4 as the former Llangwm skipper bowled 5 maidens in his 8 over allocation.
Liam James bowled 6 maidens and took 2-2, including a patient 9 from veteran number 3 James Scale before he was stumped by Boswell, who also caught Mathew Davies (4) off Aryal. Gary James continued his devilish start to the season with the ball as he took 4-4 and alongside his cousin, Liam they took out the remaining 6 wickets all for ducks, either pilfering the catches themselves or into the safe hands of Boswell, as Mr Extras added 14 to the total of 51.
Johnston make the trek north next week to the Ceredigion border to face Llechryd at the RDM Oval.
The Mathias Construction, G&G Paintworks Car Body Repairs and Monster Motorcycles sponsored St Ishmaels (150-0) won their home fixture against Llechryd by 10 wickets, the visitors, invited to bat by home skipper Jon Pawlett reached 105-3 before falling away to 146-7.
Visiting captain Joe Mansfield opened the innings with a patient 26 (3x4) and former Neyland all-rounder Graham Keen top scored with 37 (7x4). Tom Beard (15; 1x6;1x4), another former Neyland star Jamie Smith (11; 1x6) and Ifan Wyn Jones (11; 2x4) helped build the total. The Mice used the ball sponsored by Tania and Jeffrey in memory of Roy Hill well, maintaining excellent discipline if at times a wayward line to concede 14 wides, sharing the wickets amongst veteran spinner Steve Williams (2-18), opening bowler Brennan Devonald (1-13), vice-captain Lewis Rhead (1-34) and ‘Gallop Poll’ horse owner Andrew Pawlett (2-16) who has his sights firmly set on the Big Prize in the Horse Racing night at his club, on June 7th.
The home side won the game in the thirty-first over as wicketkeeper Peter Bradshaw (71no; 1x6; 13x4) and former Llangwm all-rounder Phil Llewellyn (67; 2x6; 11x4) shared an unbeaten opening partnership to secure their sides third win of the season ahead of their mouth watering fixture next weekend at Hook.
Hook (93-1) bowled well to restrict hosts Llanrhian to 90-8 at Llandigigie Fawr from their 40 overs, before powering to victory in fourteen overs as Geroge James with 49no (3x6; 6x4) in 31 balls added 58 for the match winning second wicket with opening batsman Rhys Phelps (16no; 1x4). Liam Miller was the only batsman dismissed for 26 (6x4; 23 balls) when he was caught by wicketkeeper Richard Reed off Rick Walton (1-20) with the score on 35.
Having been invited to bat Steve Batchelor’s side found runs hard to come by as skipper Aled Phelps (2-13) and Jack Phillips (2-17) seam bowling had the upper hand. Opening bowlers Callum James (1-10) and Brennan Martin (1-14) alongside Owen Phelps (1-17) and Rhys Phelps (1-13) all supported but they were unable to secure all the bowling bonus points, with all the home side wickets taken, by catches. Don Harty top scored with 22 (3x4) adding 37 for the seventh wicket with Fraser Watson who scored a patient unbeaten 20 (1x4), Gareth Davies the only other ‘Cow’ in double figures with 10 (1x4).
Photo
Johnston team photo, welcoming back Steven Mills to the club with a victory over Burton II.
