Cresselly go clear at the top of the table

Umpires: Ryan Lewis, Johnny Lewis, Dylan Lewis, Jemma Phillips & Olivia James.

Scorers: Wendy Bradshaw, Clarissa Lewis & Chrissie Toy

Venue: The Neyland Hub Community Centre

Cresselly are now the only team in Ladies’ Indoor Cricket with a 100% record after they beat previously unbeaten Hook and another strong team in Burton, who both had some consolation for winning their other games, against St Ishmaels.

Cresselly too strong for depleted Hook

Match One - Cresselly (96 for 2) beat Hook (69 for 2)

Cresselly and Hook went into this top of the table clash with identical 100% records from their six previous games but it was Cresselly who deservedly won with ease as the Hook cause wasn’t helped by dint of the fact that they were forced to compete with only five players.

And Cresselly made that numerical advantage pay off as opening batters Ffion Ashman and Ava Midgley both reached 26 before having to retire and then Jess Lewis and Eleri Williams maintained their momentum with 15 apiece before Lewis was bowled by Jemma Phillips.

Lauren Davies (3) was run out in the late search for even more runs but Williams remained not out alongside Claire Lewis (3 not out) as Cresselly set Hook a real challenge.

Hook lost opener Tia Rees (3), bowled by Eleri Williams, before Jemma Phillips and Sam Rossiter  redressed the balance until the former player was run out for 19 - and although they lost Sarah Neumann (2)  to the same bowler and Sam Rossiter returned to the fray  alongside Maisie Davies (11 not out). 

But the innings had lost its momentum  and they finished up 27 runs adrift, despite a classy 30 not out from Rossiter, with Williams returning fantastic figures of 2 for 3 in her two overs alongside Ava Midgley (0 for 14) and Lauren Davies (0 for 11).

Cresselly stroll home as Burton collapse

Match Two - Burton (34 all out) lost to Cresselly (37 for 2)

Cresselly then showed their all-round strength as they took on another of the experienced teams in Burton and won with ease as they bowled and fielded well to reduce the opposition to 34 all out before reaching their target in only 4.2 off their allotted eight overs.

Burton got off to a terrible start as they lost Bron Scale (0) and Finola Scale (3) to early run outs, with Olivia James looking on as things got worse when Louisa Owens and Lucy Luke departed to ducks,  respectively bowled by Eleri Williams and the team’s third run out.

Anna Ridge (5) soon followed and it was left to James to score the bulk of her team’s runs with 21, which contained the only four and 3 threes, before she gave a return catch to Ava Midgley.

It was never likely to be a score to challenge Cresselly’s strong batting line-up, although Olivia James managed to bowl Ffion Ashman (2) and Finola Scale had Jess Lewis (2) caught by Anna Ridge to cause a few early ripples.

But Ava Midgley (17) and Eleri Williams (10) played good cricket and were still undefeated at the end of the game with 22 balls still in hand  to confirm their right to be at the top of the table,

Hook win with ease as Tish ‘run out’ of ideas

Match Three - Hook (71 for 5) beat St Ishmaels (23 all out)

Hook were back to full strength for their tussle against St Ishmaels and won with plenty in hand as they batted first to reach 71 for 5 and then shot Tish out for 23 as FIVE of their batters were run out and only a top score of nine extras saved Tish from an even lower score.

Hook batted first and suffered early losses when Tia Rees was caught by Tracy Chandra off the enthusiastic Linzi Picton, whose joy knew no bounds as she also shifted Kacey Arran (6) to a Lucy Patterson catch.

When Jemma Phillips (11) was run out there was the hint of a chance for Tish but up stepped Sam Rossiter, still one of the best batters in ladies’ cricket as well as doing a great job of league organiser, who had retired on 25 but with the loss of Maisie Lewis (bowled by Lucy Patterson for 9) and Sarah Newman (caught by Tracy Chandra off Rachael McGuire for 2) returned to stroke her way to a classy 36 not out.

Tish needed a good start to make inroads into their target but it wasn’t to be since they seemed to get a dose of the vapors as Hook fielded really well and Lucy Patterson (4), Linzi Picton (0), Rachael McGuire (4), Tracy Chandra (0) and Annie Thomas (6), all good batsmen in their own right, got themselves run out.

Cath Orton (0) was bowled by Tia Rees and the entire Tish team was back in the hutch to give Hook bowlers Jemma Phillips (0 for 1 in her one maiden over), Maisie Davies (0 for 8), Tia Rees (1 for 9) and Kacey Arran (1 for 0) very flattering final figures.

Tish almost cause an upset before Burton ease home

Match Four - Burton (66 for 2) beat St Ishmaels (62 all out)

Undoubtedly the closest finish of the night came when Burton batted first to reach 66 for 2 and whenever team coach Johnny ‘Bap’ Lewis had said to this Tish team it certainly had an effect because they pushed Burton all the way and fell just five runs short of a famous victory.

Olivia James and Findlay Scale helped Burton put on 53 for the first wicket before James (23) was caught by Chandra off the ubiquitous Picton and Scale retired on 26.

As a result, Burton were on target for a big score with 48 runs on the board at the halfway mark in the innings but Picton claimed the wicket of Lauren Owen (caught by McGuire for a duck) in her splendid 2 for 14 haul and the innings was almost becalmed as Bron Scale ended on 8 not out but only 21 runs came in the final four overs as Lucy Patterson (0 for 15) and Tracy Chandra (0 for 11) also completed miserly two-over stints.

Tish’s reply didn’t get off to the hoped-for start as Vicky Mayhew (5) and Linzi Picton (4) fell to Lauren Owen and Finola Scale, both well caught by Anna Ridge before Annie Thomas was run out for 2.

Tracy Chandra departed for 2 as she was bowled by Bron Scale (1 for 11) but then Patterson was joined by McGuire in an excellent rearguard action which saw them need 11 runs off the final over. But Patterson (18) was caught and bowled by Finola Scale (2 for 11).

With McGuire batting really well Tish were in with a real chance but she was run out off the final ball for an outstanding 24 - to leave Burton relived to have won but with consolation for Tish in a battling performance in defeat.





 

Current League Table:

                                    P          W        L          Pts

Cresselly                     8          8         0          16

Hook                           8          7         1          14

Pembroke Dock          8          5         3          10      

Haverfordwest            6          4         2            8

Burton                         6          4         2            8

Neyland                       8          3         5            6

Pembroke A                8          2         6            4

St Ishmaels                 8          1         7            2

Carew                         6          1         5            2

Pembroke B               6          1         5            2