Venue: Neyland Community Hub
 
Umpires: Rob Bellerby & Neil Crawshaw
Scorers: Johnny Lewis, Ginny Davies, Stephen Thornton
 

Hook edge home in top three clash

 

Hook (96 all out) beat Pembroke (93 for 4) by 3 runs

 

This battle between the second and third teams in the table saw the game go to the final ball of the 24 overs played between them and with second-placed Pembroke needing four to win as Bradley Flood, who is one of the more experienced all-rounder in the Hook side bowling, and with Callum Davies and Jay Sutherland as his opponents desperate to score at least three runs to tie and keep Pembroke ahead of their opponents in the table.

 
It was tense stuff and ended in Hook’s favour as 15-year-old Sutherland was run out at the bowler’s end and so Hook leapfrog Pembroke with just one game apiece left and Cresselly lurking with intent for a possible play-off place.
 

Charlie Holder, and Owen Phelps, out last ball to a stupendous one-handed catch by Pembroke keeper Luke Butler, taken falling backwards as the ball ricochetted off two walls, were the only batsmen in double figures but again Pembroke conceded a shed-full of extras, which ultimately was to prove vital as Hook conceded 20 extras fewer.
 

Gareth Long was the pick of the Pembroke bowlers, whilst Krunal Patel showed why he is the top wicket-taker so far with another brace, and Sutherland picked up a wicket as reward for his accuracy.
 

Pembroke suffered an early blow as Butler, easily their most consistent run-maker, departed early on to a reckless run out, and Ceri Brace soon followed before Long and Patel settled things down – but once Long retired his side continued to score enough runs to stay interested but never quite looking on top.
 

Krunal was run out in the late run chase and there were a few needless ‘dot balls’ in search of boundaries instead of using the wide-open gaps on the side walls – and Hook held their nerve as Brad Flood claimed that run-out that tense final over.
 

Hook Batting: Charlie Holder 14, Owen Phelps 40, Extras 26
Pembroke Bowling: Krunal Patel 2-24, Jay Sutherland 1-18, Gareth Long 3-26
Pembroke Batting: Gareth Long 25*, Krunal Patel 23, Callum Davies 22*
Hook Bowling: Brad Flood 1-22, Matthew Holder 1-6
 


 

Arthur leads Cresselly run-fest

 

Cresselly (139 for 3) beat Pembs Seniors A (118 all out) by 21 runs

 

A whirlwind innings by Charlie Arthur launched Cresselly to a very big total against Pembs Seniors A, who deserve every credit for batting well under the pressure of trying to chase down such a sizeable score – and a measure of that strain put on them can be gauged by the fact that FIVE out of their six batsmen were run out!
 

Arthur blitzed three fours and a six before he retired on 25, made in only nine deliveries – and came back to complete a speedy score of 50 not out in 19 balls, with an amazing 44 of them coming from six fours and four sixes, alongside five dot balls!

 

The father and son duo of Tom and Ollie Rowlands gave valuable support, with Rhys Barnes chipping in a late cameo, with Alan Webster the pick of the Seniors’ bowling alongside an expensive wicket apiece from Nick Daley and skipper Ian Milsom.
 

The Seniors are batting more consistently these days and thanks to the steady batting of Andrew Williams, Alan Webster, Jonathan ‘Taffy’ Williams and especially Nick Daley, usually their best batsman, they found it hard to maintain the necessary run rate as promising innings were brought to a halt by being run out; opening bat Andrew Williams being the exception!  
 

So Cresselly’s mathematical chance of reaching the play-off are still alive, whilst the Seniors will collect the Wooden Spoon but have enjoyed themselves as they have taken part with great enthusiasm!       
 
Cresselly Batting: Charlie Arthur 50*, Tom Rowlands 29*, Ollie Rowlands 36*, Rhys Barnes 13
Seniors A Bowling: Nick Daley 1-42, Alan Webster 1-28, Ian Milsom 1-42
Seniors A Batting: Andrew Williams 13, Nick Daley 26, Alan Webster 22, Jonathan Williams 22, Extras 18
Cresselly Bowling: Lucian Thornton 1-26, FIVE run outs
 


 

Neyland A again champs as Herbie unable to field a team

 
Neyland A are again champions of Pembrokeshire as they only needed two points but collected maximum points by default as Herbrandston had players injured in football two days before and so were unable to field a team.
 
But Sean Hannon’s team showed why they have been top for so long as ten players, with some from both of their teams, still turning up at 9pm to enjoy some practice with bat, ball, fielding and catching.
 
So well done lads – and it was clear that you enjoyed yourselves, as well as getting some practice in for the forthcoming Welsh Finals!