PHOTO:
Alex Bailey struck a match winning six for Cresselly
Phil Williams was top scorer with an undefeated 70
Pictures by Brian McKehon

National Village Cup Competition – Round Five:

 
 

Colwall (Malvern) (158 all out) lost to Cresselly (163 for 3) by 7 wickets

 
Venue: Stowe Lane
Umpire: Dai Morris
Scorer: Teagan Cartwright
 
Cresselly produced a top-rate all-round performance to fend off the strong challenge of a Colwall CC team who play in the first division of the Worcestershire County League – and their reward is a last-16 tie at home.
 
Ryan Lewis took over the reins as Sunday captain, supported by skipper Neilson Cole, and utilised his wealth of experience to bowl out the home side in front of a large crowd and then lose just three wickets in chasing the target down with 16 balls still at their disposal.
 

Terrific support – and classy catching!

 
Cresselly also had their terrific supporters who travelled on the bus, plus others who elected to take the three-hour drive into the picturesque Malvern Hills, and they were rewarded with some excellent bowling, fielding, catching and batting by their players.
 
Simon Cole pouched two catches in the slips, whilst others came from Ryan Lewis, Tom Arthur and Mike Shaw, alongside a sharp piece of fielding for a run out.
 

Colwall put under pressure

 
Colwall won the toss and elected to bat first, and they scored 29 runs before losing their first wicket – and there was some useful batting especially by Joe Blight, whose 64 contained eight boundaries.
 
Club captain Ben Wheeler (25) and James Abel (18) gave support but with Sion Jenkins spear-heading the Cresselly attack in a splendid 4 for 17 haul from his seven overs, three of them maidens, Colwall were never able to build the huge momentum they hoped for.
 
Tom Arthur (1 for 27 in five overs), Sam Harts (0 for 27 in eight tight overs), Mike Shaw (1 for 26 in 8 overs), Simon Cole (1 for 20 in four overs) and skipper Lewis (1 for 39 in eight overs) did well to restrict the homesters to 158 as the last two wickets fell to Jenkins in the final over, which was a maiden.
 

‘Taff’ takes Cresselly forward

 
Phil ‘Taff’ Williams and Adam Chandler then got Cresselly off to a steady start after tea before the latter was bowled for 15 by James Severey, whilst Iwan Izzard added 20 runs before he was caught by Ben Cooke off the bowling of Ben Severey.
 
But Phil Williams was clearly in good nick as he cleverly accumulated runs but there was a slight hiccup in the Cresselly battle plan as ace run-gatherer Simon Cole departed for a duck to Ben Severey, adjudged lbw.
 

Alex hits out well

 
This brought Alex Bailey to the crease and the big hitter was soon in full flow as he and Williams took Cresselly home in style, finishing things off with a six to go with his five fours in 36 not out alongside 20 extras, 15 of them wides!
 
But it was Williams who was the batting hero as he stroked no fewer than 11 boundaries in his unbeaten 70, and the former skipper was clearly delighted by his key role in such a grand victory – and now Cresselly must wait to see who they entertain in their quest for a coveted place in the final at Lord’s!

 

Welsh Cup – Zone Semi-Finals:

 

Makeshift Neyland push Ammanford all the way

Ammanford (67 for 8) beat Neyland (66 all out)

 
Scorer: John Laugharne
 
Neyland travelled to Ammanford without a number of key players and almost caused a shock result in a very low-scoring contest before the hosts edged home by two wickets.

Ammanford included ex-Pembrokeshire players Tom Murphy (Cresselly), Sean Coaker (Narberth) and Alun Evans, the former Glamorgan player, the first two opening the bowling – and only Scott Jones stayed long with 24 runs as ‘Mr Extras (11), Geraint Rees (9) and Steve Murray (8) were next highest scorers against Joe Davies (4 for 4) and Matthew Fisher (3 for 10).

If Ammanford thought they had completed their task they were soon in trouble as they lurched to 16 for 4 against Neyland’s teenage opening bowlers Geraint Rees (3 for 25) and Jamie Smith (1 for 23).
Nick Koomen also grabbed 2 for 6 in five overs and it was left to Matthew Davies and Evens to steer Ammanford into the final as Sean Hannon’s boys showed terrific spirit to push them all the way!
 

PHOTO:
Scott Jones scored 24 for Neyland

 

The Bont too strong for weakened Whitland

Pontarddulais (134 for 2) beat Whitland (133 all out)

 
Whitland had just five first-team regulars for this tough tussle and paid the inevitable price, although skipper Iestyn Scourfield was pleased with the way his inexperienced players gave support.

Jonathan Thomas (40), Will Spreadbury (25) and Nathan Evans (24) topped the Whitland batting against some experienced bowlers, and Evans joined Geraint Jones as the wicket-takers as Jack Butler’s fine 78 helped The Bont ease home by eight wickets to earn a final place against old rivals Ammanford.


 

PHOTO:
Jonathan Thomas struck 40 for Whitland