PHOTO:
Division One winners - Carew

Carew clinch title in controversial fashion

Carew (18 for 1 Dec) lost to Cresselly (21 for 1) by 9 wickets

Umpires: Dave Brandon & Richard Merriman
Scorers: Julie Davies & Teagan Cartwright

Carew are the champions of Pembrokeshire Cricket after a controversial defeat against neighbours Cresselly which saw them lose by nine wickets and fail to secure a single point – but having their maths spot on because they had done enough to take the James Morris Memorial Trophy by the narrowest of margins.

It had been rumoured in midweek that if Cresselly won the toss and elected to field first, their best chance of catching up the 21 points they were adrift in the table, then Carew would make sure that they would declare early to prevent their oldest rivals picking up any batting or bowling points and having to settle for the 20 points allocated for a win.

And that scenario came to fruition as Cresselly’s Neilson Cole called correctly at the toss and asked Carew’s Brian Hall to bat first.

The host club had Shaun Whitfield with a quick-fire 14 (including a four and six) but when he was caught by Adam Chandler off Sam Hart’s bowling, with Tom Scourfield undefeated on 3, Carew called a halt to their innings after only 2.3 overs.

Cresselly took just two overs to reach such a small target, despite the loss of Phil Williams, who was caught by Nick Scourfield off Rhys Davies’s bowling, as Alex Bailey belted two fours and two big sixes in his seven-ball score of 21 not out, with Iwan Izzard 0 not out at the other end.

The silverware was duly presented by County Club chairman Paul Webb and president Nick Evans and the speedy conclusion to the match will undoubtedly be the basis of future cricket quiz questions like what was the fastest finish, fewest balls bowled and which team failed to register a single point in a match but still won the county championship!

 

Tish take Town to task on The Racecourse

Haverfordwest (143 all out) lost to St Ishmaels (146 for 5) by 5 wickets

Umpires: Steve Blowes & Dave Bonner
Scorers: Jayne Cole & Wendy Bradshaw

St Ishmaels ended their campaign on a high note as deserved victory on The Racecourse saw them leap-frog the opposition and Whitland into a deserved top-four finish.

Haverfordwest skipper Danny Potter batted well for his 48 as the main support to Sean Williams’ excellent 52, both of them stroking six boundaries, with Doug Johnson chipping in with 11 runs in a final tally of 143 all out as they were asked to bat first.

But the rest of this makeshift Town team, with several key players bolstering the second’s attempt at avoiding relegation, was unable to make a lasting impression on Tish bowlers Andrew Palmer (2 for 28), Andrew Palmer (1 for 36) and especially Peter Bradshaw.

Skipper Bradshaw kept wicket, as usual, until the 34th over, but then handed the gloves to Dan Howells and proceeded to record fine figures of 5 for 22 before opening the batting and scoring 34 (six boundaries) alongside Andrew Palmer (26), Phil Cockburn (37, with five fours); leaving Daniel Richards (17 not out) and Andrew Williams (15 not out) to finish things off with over seven overs to spare.

PHOTO:
Peter Bradshaw - 5 wickets and runs for Tish at Haverfordwest

 
 

Kilgetty make the ‘Dreaded Drop’

Kilgetty (90 all out) lost to Lawrenny (91 for 2) by 8 wickets

Umpires: Trefor Evans & Dai Morris
Scorers: Hazel Poole & Chris Williams

Kilgetty return to the second division after this home defeat by Lawrenny provided Johnston with the vital escape route to safety.

Yet Kilgetty got off to a terrific start via brothers Kurtis and Kyle Marsh, with respective scores  35 and 22 but from 57 without loss after 11 overs they slumped to 90 all out despite 18 not out from Ian Poole as the only other home batsman in double figures.

Harry Thomas was again the pick of the Lawrenny bowlers with a 5 for 14 spell, ably assisted by Rob Williams (2 for 30), Ryan Morton (1 for 10) and Brad McDermott-Jenkins (1 for 1).

Thomas and McDermott-Jenkins then scored 16 runs apiece when Lawrenny batted and Joe Kidney provided the vital impetus with a typically hard-hitting 44 not out that saw Lawrenny home with wickets and overs aplenty in hand, with Kurtis Marsh (1 for 22) and Ollie Gamble (1 for 20) as the Kilgetty wicket-takers.

PHOTO:
Harry Thomas - starred for Lawrenny at Kilgetty

 
 

Pembroke go down – Johnston stay up!

Pembroke (129 for 7) lost to Johnston (130 for 4) by 6 wickets

Umpires: Tony Scourfield & Denis Chiffi
Scorer: Steve Mills (Johnston)

Pembroke’s disappointing season needed on another down-beat note with this loss at Treleet but for Johnston there was elation as the news of Kilgetty’s defeat means that the Glebelands Gang will remain in Division One next season.

For once Pembroke did not lose all their wickets and finally settled on 129 for 7 from their allotted 45 overs as proof of their determination, with skipper Paul White (29) and club chairman Barry Evans (28) joined by Andrew Hay (25), Sam Davies (16) and Jonathan Rogers (11) as the other batsmen in double figures against Chris Fitzpatrick (3 for 27), Lee Summons (2 for 13) and Liam James (1 for 27).

Rob Smythe (2 for 38) and Sam Davies (1 for 17) claimed Pembroke’s wickets after tea as work commitments caused them to field with eight players at one stage, but solid batting by Dan Sutton (17), John Summons (31), Ross Dewstowe (seven fours in a hard-hitting 42) and Chris Fitzpatrick (24 not out) gave Johnston cause for celebration at achieving safety when looking lost until recent weeks!

PHOTO:
Ross Dewstowe - 42 runs helped Johnston stay in Division One 

 
 

Neyland finish on a high note

Whitland (153 all out) lost to Neyland (241 for 2) by 88 runs

Umpire: John Williams
Scorers: Ann-Marie Jenkins & John Laugharne

Neyland finished their league season on a high note to earn third place with this powerful performance at Whitland which earned them victory by a massive margin of 88 runs.

Batting first, Neyland got off to a strong start with a first-innings partnership of 101 from Paul Murray (77, including eight fours and two sixes) and Geraint Rees (26), both removed by Whitland captain Iestyn Scourfield (2 for 46), but there was to be no respite as Patrick Bellerby and Andrew Miller maintained their momentum in an unbroken three-figure stand.

Bellerby had eight fours and a six in his 64 not out and Miller stroked six fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 70 that saw Neyland reach 241 for just two wickets in their 45 overs.

Whitland battled hard in response but good bowling by Nick Koomen (3 for 14), Andrew Miller (2 for 34), Patrick Bellerby (2 for 5 in one over), Jamie Smith (1 for 27) and Henry Durrant (1 for 3) kept them under pressure as Matthew Davies (39), Wayne Howells (20), Iestyn Scourfield (23), Jonathan Thomas and Adam Davies (both 16) were the pick of the home batters.

PHOTO:
Andrew Miller - runs and wickets in Neyland win at Whitland