‘Kash’ smashes Town to victory

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Umpires: Dave Brandon & Rob Cousins

Scorers: Natalie Thomas & Des Brace

Announcer: Paul Webb

Venue: Treleet, Pembroke

 

A superb second innings of 91 by Kashif Ijaz helped Haverfordwest Seconds beat their counterparts from Cresselly in an entertaining clash at a beautifully-manicured Treleet Ground in Pembroke.

 

‘Kash’ smashed seven fours and eight huge sixes as he raced to 91 from only 52 balls before he was caught trying to clear the boundary ropes again but he had done the damage and although Cresselly showed their typical grit in trying to chase down a huge target of 171 runs to win it was Haverfordwest who took the silverware.

 

 

Yet Haverfordwest struggled early on after being asked to bat first by Cresselly captain Matthew Lewis, with Sam Harts and Tom Arthur extracting life from a wicket made a little fresh by an early morning shower.

 

Hart was particularly effective as he trapped Ijaz and Nitin Mathias lbw, bowled Richard Scriven and had Josh Hicks well caught by Steve Thomas in his 4 for 32 analysis. Arthur had Kieran Griffiths caught by Thomas as he ended up with 1 for 34 and The Town were in trouble on 49 for 5.

 

 

But Dan Cole and Avron Roulston combined in a productive partnership of 53 runs, with Cole having four boundaries in his 29 and Roulstone continuing his good batting form with top score of 36, including seven fours and a six before fell in quick succession. The Town lost a little impetus in the closing stages but they would have settled for 128 for 9 as Lewis (2 for 26) and Thomas (2 for 32) also bowled well.

 

 

Roulstone continued his all-round form as he opened the bowling and shifted Cresselly openers Neal Williams and Rhydian Rees for ducks, to catches by young keeper mark Stobbs and Dan Cole.

 

But a stand of 57 between Scott Arthur (32) and Adam Chandler (33) helped raise Cresselly spirits, each rapping three boundaries, but never able to take the game by the scruff of the neck as Simon Williams gave away only 14 runs from his five overs, and Roulstone finished on 2 for 29.

 

 

The partnership ended when Chandler risked a second to the strong throwing arm of Kieran Griffiths in the deep and was run out, as was Sam Harts a little later. Scott Arthur was caught by Dan Cole off Nigel Morgan (2 for 31) and skipper James Morris picked up 2 for 30 so that although Matthew Lewis managed a big six Cresselly were restricted to 113 for 9, so 15 runs adrift at tea.

 

 

In their second innings Haverfordwest lost Scriven before Griffiths (10) helped Ijaz take the total to 55 but with 11 of their overs used up.

 

It was the signal for Ijaz to cut loose as he hit three sixes and six fours en route to his 50, made from only 35 deliveries.  The Town lost first innings run-getters Roulston and Cole in successive balls to Steve Thomas – but Ijaz didn’t allow Cresselly to gain the ascendancy as he sped to 91 in only 52 balls before he was well caught by Scott Arthur in Chandler’s only over.

 

Nitin Mathias contributed 13 and Josh Hicks smashed two huge straight sixes to help Haverfordwest to their big total – and really put pressure on Cresselly’s batting.

 

 

Cresselly needed a good start but suffered a double set-back as Rees and Arthur departed for a duck apiece but Williams and Chandler refused to submit and added 40 runs before Williams was bowled by the canny Morgan for 37 (five fours).

 

Chandler took charge of the batting from then on as he struck seven fours and two sixes in an excellent 63 not out made from only 34 balls and had support from Harts (15 not out) but by then the required run rate was too much of a challenge and it was James Morris and his Haverfordwest players who deservedly received the Alec Colley trophy.

 

When Richard Merriman announced the winner of the Man of the Match award, supplied as usual by Mike Leighs, he got straight to the point as he said that there could be just one winner in ‘Kash – and no-one at the ground would disagree with him!