Division One:

 

Low scores as Llanrhian and Neyland A both beat Hook

 
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Jonathan Willington
Venue: The Hub, Neyland Community Centre
 
There were only two matches played on Sunday as Llanrhian beat Hook despite scoring only 57 themselves- the talented young cricketers from Hook getting a touch of the jitters as they lost by 3 runs – and then only managing 73 all out before Nayland A reached their less-than-challenging target without losing a wicket in only 5.3 overs!

 

Match One:

 
 

Llanrhian (57 all out) beat Hook (54 all out)

 
It looked all over for Llanrhian at the halfway stage as they were shot out for 57 as only No 5 Llion Williams (30) and ‘Mr Extras’ (10 managed double figures.
 
They were rocked back from the outset as key run-maker Daf Williams was bowled first ball by Hook skipper Aled Phelps and their sorry start continued as Iwan James, another in the top ten batsmen last season, was run out for 6 and No 3 Tom Clarke suffered the same fate to leave them on 15 for 3.
 
Then Karl Davies was adjudged to Liam for a duck and it was left to Llion Williams and Billy Clarke (9) to give the innings a slight air of respectability before the latter was Miller’s second victim in an excellent 2 for 10 spell.
 
His departure left Williams batting on his own and he hit two fours and 6 threes in his 30 before he was out with an over spare was caught by the ubiquitous Miller off George James (1 for 7).
 
All the Hook bowlers had tight spells, supported by excellent fielding and Llanrhian had 30 dot balls, which meant they failed to score from half their allotted deliveries!
 
But Hook made an even sorrier start as Liam Miller (3), Aled Phelps (1) and Rhys Phelps (0) were all run out looking for risky runs when they faced such a low target.
 
But George James (12) batted well before he fell to Billy Clarke, alongside Brad Flood (whose injured knee meant he couldn’t run and so took only singles on his way to 15 before he was run out) - and Jake Wicks chipped in with 16 before he was run out.
 
It left Hook stranded four runs short of victory with four balls still in hand as they also wasted 26 ‘dot balls’, with Tom Clarke conceding only three runs in two overs and Daf Williams having 0-8 in his two overs.




 
 

Match Two:

 

Hook (73 all out) lost to Neyland A (76 for 0)

 
Hook made a much better start to their game against Neyland A, favourites already to win the league, with Liam Miller and George James (18) opening with 40 runs before the latter was caught off the wall by Neyland’s keeper Paul Murray off Brad McDermott-Jenkins.
 
Miller eventually retired on 25 but when he returned he could only muster another five runs before becoming part of McDermott-Jenkins’ 2 for 10 haul as ‘BM-J’  took a superb one-handed diving catch to shift Liam Miller for 30 as the last Hook man standing when the score had reached 73 in 8.1 overs.
 
But sandwiched in between there was again an impatience amongst the Hook batsmen as Aled Phelps (6), Rhys Phelps (0) and Jake Wicks (7) were all run out going for difficult runs as the Neyland fielders were at their competitive best - and Brad Flood as caught by acting skipper Ross Hardy for a single off Andrew Miller.
 
Any hopes Hook had of emulating Llanrhian’s low-scoring victory in the first game were soon in tatters as Neyland openers Kick Koomen and Paul Murray sped to 50 in only 3.3 overs and both retired on 26 apiece, giving their young opponents an object lesson in how to take singles as well hit the bigger-value strokes.
 
Hardy (9) and Miller (8) completed the simple task of scoring the remaining runs with the minimum of fuss and the game was over and done with after just 5.3 overs.
 
They had taken just five ‘dot balls’ as they stroked 19 threes and two fours, with all the Hook bowlers suffering and organiser Patrick Hannon had an early evening with this latest easy victory for this talented Neyland team.