Johnston recorded a six wicket victory at the Racecourse on Saturday (May 23) over the oldest cricket club in Wales (1824) Haverfordwest to remain top of the league. They restricted the home team to 113-8, conceding just nine boundaries in the innings, before man of the match Steve Mills guided them to victory on 114-6 with an unbeaten 59 (7x4) alongside skipper Liam Boswell who had elected to field first on winning the toss.
Mills sharpened his claws early with the new ball, the former Carmarthen Wanderers all rounder taking 4-8 from his allotted overs as the home side were reduced to 19-4, Mills taking all the wickets, with two bowled, one LBW and home skipper Johnny White caught at the wicket by Lewis Boswell.
Paul Tough (10; 1x4) and all rounder Jake Merry (45; 6x4) patiently rebuilt the innings before Tough became the first wicket of spinner Chris Fitzpatrick’s 2-15, on 35-5.
Seamers Roshan Aryal (1-19) and Lee Summons (1-23) alongside Gary James (1-6) who took the key wicket of Merry on 101-8 ensured the victors controlled the run scoring of the Town, James Marchant adding a boundary less unbeaten 20.
Mills came to the crease first wicket down after opener Lee Summons (13; 2x4) fell to teenage opening bowler Fin Atyeo (1-18) having added 25 for the first wicket with Lewis Boswell, who struck a brace of boundaries in his 25 before falling to White’s left arm seamers on 77-2. Left arm spinner Simon Williams came into his own as he then kept his side in the battle removing the middle order with 4-20 before Mills was joined by his skipper on 93-6 and the unbeaten 21 run partnership had the Tigers roaring home with ten overs remaining.
Pembroke (235-7) moved into second place after an emphatic 105 run win at Cresselly II, who were dismissed for 130. Visiting captain Ceri Brace (25; 4x4) and former incumbent Jack Harries adding 59 for the second wicket before he became the first of Corey Lewis 2-40. Harries dominated the scorecard hitting three maximums and thirteen boundaries in a 93 ball 102, opening bowler Ollie Arthur bowling him on 215-7. Wil Davies (16; 2x4) and Gareth Long contributed with Harries, Long run out by wicket keeper Neal Williams for 44 having struck five 6’s in his 20 ball stint at the crease. Spinner Mathew Lewis utilised his experience with 2-48, former Narberth bowler Llew Jones (1-29) the other wicket taker for the Doves.
Veteran batsmen Simon Cole (36; 3x4) and opening batsman Williams (21; 1x6; 2x4) showed their undoubted credentials for Cresselly, skipper Josh Lewis striking three boundaries in his 22. The visitors from Treleet who are one of the oldest cricket clubs in Wales (circa: 1830) had spinner Brace coiling his arm taking 4-35 and seamer Bowyn Clark 3-30, George Morgan (1-34) and opening bowler Krunal Patel (1-6,) supported before Jaydon Sutherland (1-7) took the final wicket via the hands of wicketkeeper Luke Butler, who took another three catches including Williams and a stumping of Cole, in the innings.
Llechryd (136-7) remain anchored to the foot of the table after they were defeated at the Castle Malgwyn Ground by visitors Hook (140-9) who won a tense encounter by one wicket. The home sides total was built around the top order of Jordan Harrison 55 (1x6; 5x3) and Ifan Jones (28; 4x4), Dafydd Davies (17; 3x4) and a patient innings of 10 from home captain Joe Mansfield opening the batting after his side had been invited to bat by Aled Pehelps who led the ‘Miners’ by taking 3-27. Mathew Holder (2-28), his son Charlie (1-18) and fellow teenager Oscar Willington (1-30) took wickets to keep the home batsmen in check.
It was Phelps who came to the rescue for his side when he came to the crease on 36-3 alongside teenager Holder (19; 4x4) before the captain fell for a brisk 39 which included eight boundaries. Jacob Lay replaced his skipper and marshalled the victory with a patient but crucial unbeaten 9, Willington (2x4) and number 10 Callum James (1x4) both adding 13.
The home sides attack was led by change bowlers Dafydd Davies (3017) and Dewi Morris (3-50) after opening bowlers Jaap Harris (1-18) and former Neyland new ball bowler Graham Keen (2-36) made early inroads.
The key relegation encounter saw hosts Fishguard (158-8) win the first game to be played this season at their Tregoes ground by 2 wickets over visitors Llangwm (157-8) by 2 wickets. All rounder Callum Jenkins posted 55 alongside his skipper Ewan Griffiths (23) for the ‘Three Salmons’ before Jonathan Clout added 44. For the North County side seamers Ashish Jayes (2-24) and Anthony Cousins (2-36) were the pick of the bowlers. Jayes (24), Ashley Bent (48) and Sion Collella(26) were instrumental in the run chase, former Hook opening bowler Jack Phillips taking 2-224 and spinner Dom Asson (3-14). Llangwm remaining in the relegation zone after a winless start to the season.
A low scoring encounter at Llandigigie Fawr saw Llanrhian (92ao) lose by 10 runs to visitors Pembroke Dock who had been dismissed for 104 after being asked to bat by home captain Simon Bachelor. Veteran Nick Daley opened the batting with a top score of 25 (4x4) before he was run out, the Dockers only other batsmen to reach double digits being Peter Kingdom (12; 2x4) and Richard Scourfield who struck a boundary in his unbeaten 15. Billy Clark was the pick of the ‘Cows’ bowling taking 3-28 alongside Ian Newton (2-14). Veteran Rick Walton (1-23) and Jack Jones (1-16) used the new ball, before Bachelor took 1-12.
Jones then dominated the home sides run chase with an unbeaten on 66, the talented first wicket down batsman arrived at the crease in the first over and saw none of his colleagues reach double figure scores.
Opening bowler Euan McDonald did the damage at the top of the order with 3-12, man of the match Daley (2-21) and Luke Hicks (2-31) keeping the pressure on as change bowlers. There were also wickets for Abey John (1-12) and wicketkeeper Scott Griffiths, who removed his gloves to twirl his off breaks with 1-1 before having a hand in the run out of last man Davies, to win the game next over.
