Alec Colley Cup Semi-Final - Town 2nds pip Whitland 2nds

Alec Colley Cup Semi Final 1:

Town go through as Matthew makes late runs

Whitland (96 all out) lost to Haverfordwest (99 for 8) by 2 wickets

Venue: Oatfield Park, Burton

Umpires: Jonathan Willington & Ian Gow

Scorers: Ann-Marie Jenkins & Natalie Thomas

Matthew Vaughan was the unaccustomed batting hero for Haverfordwest Seconds as the medium-pace bowler joined the fray as No 10 batsman with the result very much in the balance and joined talented teenager Dylan Lee in hitting the last 16 runs as he belted a couple of boundaries, the second to take them into the final with a couple of balls left.

Whitland were understandably dismayed because they had looked favourites to win as openers Ed John and Jamie Thomas put on 58 for the first wicket before The Borderers lost their way in the second half of their innings - and again after Max Rodriguez had looked as if The Town were going to ease home but lost four wickets for five runs at a key time late in their 20 overs.

And the other Haverfordwest hero was Simon Williams, who has switched from left-arm medium-pacers to bowling slow stuff which completely bamboozled the opposition with his 6 for 10 haul, including three wickets in four balls in his third over - undoubtedly earning him the man of the match award - had there been one!

Ed and Jamie give Whitland a great start . . .

Ed John had reached 30 with four fours and a six before he gloved a ball straight into the gloves of Pete Soulsby, who then neatly stumped Thomas for 26 (two fours) as Williams began to exert his influence after Ashley James and Kieran Williams had bowled quite well without any luck.

At the other end for The Town, Ashoka Senavirathna bowled No 3 Jack Tucker and later shifted tail-enders Dan Howells and Gethin Benjamin to finish with 3 for 27.

But in between it was all Simon Williams as not one Borderers’ batsman managed double figures and there was a good catch by Dylan Lee and a second stumping for Soulsby as they finished on 96 all out when a total of 120+ was certainly a possibility after 12 overs.

. . . The Town lose early wickets!

Haverfordwest started poorly as they lost Paul Tough lbw and then Ashoka to an outstanding one-handed catch by Ethan Ryan, running sideways down the slope and taking the ball high above his right shoulder to give Gethin Benjamin’s accurate slow stuff its reward.

Big hitters Ross Dewstowe and Doug Johnson also came and went, with only opener Max Rodriguez looking comfortable as he stroked four fours and a six in his 40 out of 75 - but then disaster struck as he was run out in a mix-up with Ashley James - who was then clean bowled by Ethan Ryan almost immediately,  who finished with 3 for 27 as he had already  removed Dewstowe, caught by Connor Bowen, and Peter Soulsby, both without troubling the scorers.

James Thomas bowled Simon Williams for another duck before Dylan Lee was joined by Vaughan and this pair ran well between the wickets and the latter belted those tow vital boundaries to see his team through.

Town to play either Carew or Cresselly in Colley Cup Final

The Town must now wait to see whether they will face Cresselly or Carew in the final at Treleet, Pembroke, whilst Whitland will look back on chances missed - and their conceding five penalty runs for a batsman running up and down the wicket, after being given two previous verbal warnings.

It might seem harsh but can damage the wicket, and certainly set the Borderers back a little before Haverfordwest edged home in the 40th over of an absorbing clash!