There were some interesting results to start the campaign and last year’s champions NEYLAND went down to defeat at CRESSELLY,  whilst CAREW, who  lost the silverware by the narrowest of margins, after tying on points,  started well as they beat neighbours LAWRENNY. Newcomers  BURTON and HERBRANDSTON, found it hard going after promotion and lost respectively at home to SAUNDERSFOOT and WHITLAND, whilst HAVERFORDWEST were convincing winners over old rivals LLANGWM.
 
 
 
 
Cresselly (195 for 9) beat Neyland (131 all out)
 
Cresselly were asked to bat first by Neyland skipper Sean Hannon and got off to a steady start via Morgan Lewis (25) and Charlie Arthur 20 before new recruit Kyle Quartermaine went cheaply. Simon Cole added 20 but the innings was lit up by an unbeaten 74 from Dan James in only 44 balls, including nine big sixes.
Andrew Miller was the pick of the Neyland bowlers who claimed 3 for 24, despite Charlie Arthur dumping him for six first ball, Jack John grabbed 2 for 36 and there was a wicket apiece for Tom Pritchard, Sean Hannon, Dai Davies and Alan Webster.
 
Andrew Miller also top-scored for Neyland with 24 and Paul Murray contributed 21 but good bowling by skipper Tom Arthur (3 for 23), Arthur (3 for 27) and Christian Phillips saw Cresselly stroll home by 64 runs.
 
 


 
 
 
 Carew (169 all out) beat Lawrenny (112 all out)
 
Matches between theses near-neighbours are traditionally hard-fought but not on this occasion as The Rooks won by 57 runs. Batting first, Carew’s tally owed much to significant innings from Rhys Davies (40), Brian Hall (56) and James Hinchliffe (27) so that although veteran pace man Rob Williams returned great figures of 4 for 12 in 9 overs as Harry Thomas (3 for 35) and skipper Ryan Morton (2 for 25) gave support.
 
Oscar Lewis (25) top scored for Lawrenny but 4 for 27 from Shaun Whitfield, plus James Hinchliffe (2 for 28), Joel Reed (2 for 20) and the ageless Barry Evans (2 for 9) saw them shot out for a disappointing response in only 31.1 overs.
 
 
 
 





 
Haverfordwest (240 for 8) beat Llangwm (98 all out)
 
Mikey Jones led Haverfordwest to their big score with 86 (5 fours) and he had support from Ben Field (47 at a run a ball), Jake Merry (31) and Rhys Sewell (19) as Noah Davies 3 for 32) and Steve Mills (3 for 48) were the pick of the Llangwm bowlers.
 
David Lewis (31) and Mills (21) made the only contributions of note for Llangwm as they initially struggled against the canny slow stuff of Clive Tucket (2 for 22) and Jake Merry (3 for 21) and then Rhys Sewell completed an excellent all-round display with a  5 for 23 haul that helped The Town to a massive victory by 142 runs.
 
 
 






 

Burton  (112 all out) lost to Whitland (240 all out)
 
Burton returned to Division One and found it hard going against a Whitland side which had excellent performances by four players which saw them win by a convincing 128-run margin.
 
Geraint Jones (79 in only 48 balls), Gopal Ramasamy (63) and Jonathan Thomas (61) scored the bulk of the Borderers’ runs as Luke Hayman, Jack Davies and Jack Bevan claimed two wickets apiece.
 
Joe Kiff (30), Luke Hayman, Jonathan Venables and Dan Llywellyn all made steady starts but got out at key times as veteran Whitland bowler Wayne Howells belied his 54 years to grab a splendid 5 for 10 in only five overs.
 
Run gatherers Thomas and Jones then turned wicket-takers with a brace each and Burton went down with hardly a whimper!
 
 
 
 
 

 
Herbrandston (99 all out) lost to Saundersfoot (207 for 8)
 
Herbie were the other promoted team and they also found it tough going in the fast lane as they lost at home to Saundersfoot by 108 runs.
 
The Mansbridge boys were very much in evidence for The Seasiders as John Mansbridge stroked 77 runs and then claimed 5 for 32 when Herbie went in, with brother Tom picking up 4 for 27 before Neil Powling got involved late on.
 
The other Saundersfoot run-makers were Simon Stanford (47) and Scott Helmich 16, alongside a massive contribution from ‘Mr Extras’ of 34, which included 25 wides, with a brace of wickets apiece for the home side from Dean John, Robbie Hood, Morgan Britton and Harry Nicholas.
 
Hood (19) top scored for Herbie as Nathan Banner marked his return to his old club with 14 – and Saundfersfoot helped the pass the three-figure mark with 32 extras (24 wides) before they were shot out in 33.2 overs.