Two wins for Haverfordwest as Llanrhian struggle

 
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Steve Williams
Scorers: Natalie Thomas & Gregg Miller
Venue: The Neyland Hub Community Centre
 
Haverfordwest enjoyed their best performances of this indoor campaign as they beat Neyland B and Llanrhian, who tied with Neyland B to complete an action-packed evening.
 
Haverfordwest were clearly pleased to do so well after a poor start to their campaign whilst Llanrhian looked likely to finish in the top two after a string of powerful performance and on past form would have been favourites to win both tussles.
 
Neyland B have grown in stature this season and with a little luck might have gained more from this round of matches.
 

Mikey makes an impact for The Town

 

Match One – Neyland B (95 for 4) lost to Haverfordwest (98 for 4)

 
Neyland B batted first against Haverfordwest and lost in-form opener Callum Power for a duck in the very first over as he gave a return catch to Peter Soulsby – but George Evans (18) and Sam Laugharne (25) redeemed the situation  before Chris Phillips shifted them both with the aid of catches from Dan Hopley and keeper Jason Stobbs.
 
John Tennick showed his batting power in belting 27 before he had to retire and it was left to Ashley Watkins (19 not out) and Tom Pritchard (run out for 6) to join ‘Mr Extras’ (9) in taking Neyland B to a reasonable total of 95 for 4 that included four fours, a six and 16 threes but missing out on 18 ‘dot balls, the equivalent of no runs off three of their ten overs.

Haverfordwest skipper Phillips (9) was neatly stumped by Callum Power of Tennick but Mikey Jones marked his return from a lengthy absence with a hard-hitting 29 not out and Jack Peters added 12 before he was run out - but Dan Hopley supported with 20, caught by Power off Pritchard.
 
Keeper Stobbs also chipped in 12 runs before he was run out but Soulsby (4 not out) was there at the end with Jones in taking The Town home with just two balls left, having seven fours and 20 threes, and only ‘11 dot balls’ alongside 11 extras.
 
 

Daf holds his nerve as Llanrhian snatch a tense tie

 

Match Two – Llanrhian (102 for 3) tied with Neyland B (102 for 2)

 
There was a nerve-jangling finish to this match as Llanrhian opened with 102 but looked likely to lose since Neyland needed only eight runs to win from the final over, which was bowled by Daf Williams.
 
Williams conceded a three but then held his nerve by bowling four ‘dot balls’ but couldn’t prevent George Evans from belting a boundary off the last ball to earn the rarity of a tie, which left both teams thinking they might well have won.
 
Llanrhian lost run-gatherer Iwan James for just a single but then Daf Williams and skipper Jon Strawbridge really put their foot on the pedal so that they had amassed 58 runs by the half way stage with respective scores of 25 and 34 not out.
 
Tom Clarke maintained their momentum with 29 not out before Karl Davies (3) and Llion Williams (1) were run out in the inevitable late chase for runs, which ended with them have six fours, two sixes and 16 threes, but a gigantic tally of 26 balls (4.2 overs!) that weren’t scored from, in the bag as Evans was the pick of the Neyland bowlers having conceded only 13 runs.
 
Neyland started really well via Callum Power (27) and Kieran Arran (26) before both retired having helped their side past the 50-mark- and big John Tennick scored 19 alongside George Evans but in the 19^th over Strawbridge conceded only five runs and bowled Tennick and Ashley Watkins (0) to set up that final over.
 
It still looked as if Neyland would win but a second tight Llanrhian over in succession saw the teams locked on the same score but with Neyland B left to reflect that they not only struck three fours, a six and 23 threes but failed to score off 25 deliveries, over the equivalent of 4.1 overs with no runs.
 
 

Town bat well with Strawbridge’s 52 in vain

 

Match Three – Haverfordwest (132 for 4) beat Llanrhian (122 for 4)

 
There were runs galore as Haverfordwest went for the runs from the outset against Llanrhian, who took on an excellent chase but in the final analysis fell just short, despite a cracking 52 not out from skipper Strawbridge.
 
Mikey Jones (run out late on for 29) and Chris Phillips (26 retired) that was well supported by Jack Peters (caught Strawbridge off Llion Williams’ bowling for 24) as they sped to 84 in only six overs.
 
Then Dan Hopley hit a rapid-fire 25 (retired) and there were a few late runs by Jason Stobbs and Peter Soulsby and a mighty score of 132 for 4 that contained 2 fours, a six and 28 threes – and only 13 balls that weren’t scored from.
 
To be fair to Llanrhian they gave chase despite having Daf Williams bowled by Soulsby from the second ball of the innings and Iwan James run out for 9 runs but Tom Clarke scored 25 before Chris Phillips had him caught by Jack Peters and Llion Williams was run out for 6 – but Karl Davies (24 not out) joined Strawbridge, who retired on 25 and eventually returned so smite six sixes.
 
Soulsby (1 for 13) was the pick of The Town’s bowling as Llanrhian eventually fell 11 runs short of victory when their ten overs were up – and their large tally of 3 fours, 7 sixes and 19 threes was sadly offset by 24 ‘dot balls’!