Harrison-Allen Bowl Semi-Final One:

 
 
 

Lawrenny (160 for 6) beat Carew (154 for 9) by six runs

 
 
 
Venue: Imble Lane, Pembroke Dock
Umpies: Jonathan Willington & Huw Simpkins
Scorers: Malcolm Thomas & Julie Davies
 
Lawrenny ensured their third Harrison-Allen Bowl in four seasons as they fended off the terrific challenge of a Carew side which started as favourites but eventually fell a tantalising six runs short to prevent a visit to the final they last achieved in 2021.
 
A very large crowd enjoyed a real Bowl semi-final tussle, with big hits, pace bowling and some outstanding catches from both teams in a contest played in the best of spirits and efficiently umpired by Jonathan Willington and Huw Simpkins.
 

Positive Lawrenny attitude from the start

 
Lawrenny showed a positive attitude from the start as young skipper Finley Lewis won he toss and elected to bat first, opening the batting alongside Harry Thomas and putting on 43 in quick time before he was superbly caught by Shaun Whitfield off Noah Davies, looking for a second maximum to go with his three fours.
 
Thomas also belted three fours and a six as he moved smoothly to 30 in 37 balls before he also fell to Davies from a calmly-taken boundary catch by Tim Hicks with the score on 62 – and Joe Kidney also looked in good nick as he scored 24 in as many deliveries but fell to an amazing one-handed catch by the acrobatic Whitfield.
 
Big hitter Ryan Morton departed cheaply when Brian Hall pouched the catch and with Cole departing for 13 to a catch at long-on by the ageless Gareth Lewis. The Lawrenny run-rate had stalled a little at 106 for 5 – but then eager youngsters Will Allen and Wil Nicholas ran superbly between the wickets and punished the odd loose delivery until Nicholas was needlessly run out as the pair tried an impossible second run.
 
Allen was in fine fettle, however, and he launched his side to their strong score when he belted the final two balls of their 22 overs over the boundary ropes, the second a real monster that flew over midwicket and into the adjoining gardens! Whitfield and Rhys Davies (on his 36th birthday) shared four of the Carew wickets and the view of pundits around the boundary seemed to be that it was very much a case of the game being on a knife-edge!
 

Carew suffer early body blows

 
Carew’s ace all-rounder Whitfield opened with the big-hitting Morgan Grieve but after a facing a first-ball wide by Ryan Morton was bowled neck and crop – and the same bowler then shifted the dangerous Noah davies just as he was getting into his power mode with two fours in his 13 from nine deliveries, but was trapped lbw.
 
Grieve and Lewis steadied things down and advanced the score 52 before Grieve was well caught by keeper Allen for 20 – and Lewis departed eight runs later, caught in the deep by Thomas Cole. Tim Hicks also went cheaply and The Rooks were in a serious bother at 61 for 5, with Morton having figures of 5 for 32 in six overs, a match-winning performance if ever there was one.
 

Rooks’ old hands make a fight of it

 
But Carew’s old hands Iain Sefton and Brian Hall have seen it all in finals aplenty and this held them in good stead as they added a productive partnership that left the final verdict hanging in the balance – but then they lost three wickets for one run as another Lawrenny youngster in Noah Williams, playing alongside his dad Rob, intervened.
 
Sefton was run out for 31 (three fours) by skipper Lewis in a total mix-up from which Finley Lewis and Allen combined to leave him stranded and Iori Hicks came in next and was caught first ball by the Lawrenny captain of Williams, who struck the most vital blow as he raced in and had Hall caught low down at point by Joe Kidney.
 
Hall, now a hardened veteran, had compiled a typical 41 in only 32 balls, including six excellent boundaries, and his loss was a body blow for Carew – but even then they weren’t finished as James Hinchliffe and Rhys Davies (batting with a runner) kept battling away and in the final analysis need a six off the final ball to tie matters up. But Lawrenny held their nerve  and now wait to see who they meet in the final – and if it proves to be anything like this local derby it will be well worth watching!
 
A measure of the mutual respect between these two clubs can be gauged by the fact that the chain of handshakes at the end was absolutely fitting after a terrific semi-final that was a credit to both clubs. Also worthy of mention was the outstanding condition of the Imble Lane pitch and outfield, which was a credit to Pembroke Dock groundsmen Maurice Leyland, John Davies and helpers.







 

SCORECARD:

 
Lawrenny Batting:
Harry Thomas ct Tim Hicks b Noah Davies 30
Finley Lewis ct Shaun Whitfield b Noah Davies 20
Joe Kidney ct Shaun Whitfield b Rhys Davies 24
Thomas Cole ct Gareth Lewis b Shaun Whitfield 13
Ryan Morton ct Brian Hall b Shaun Whitfield 4
Will Allen not out 38
Wil Nicholas run out 11
Rhys Eynon run out 14
Oscar Lewis Oscar Lewis not out 0
Extras 6
Total (six wickets) 160
 
Carew Bowling:
Shaun Whitfield 6-0-46-2; Iori Hicks 5-0-37-0; Noah Davies 5-0-32-2; Rhys Davies 6-0-42-1
 
Carew Batting:
Shaun Whitfield b Ryan Morton 0
Morgan Grieve ct Will Allen b Ryan Morton 20
Noah Davies lbw b Ryan Morton 13
Gareth Lewis ct Thomas Cole b Ryan Morton 17
Tim Hicks ct Will Allen b Ryan Morton 5
Ian Sefton run out 31
Brian Hall ct Joe Kidney b Noah Williams 41
Iori Hicks ct Finley Lewis b Noah Williams 0
James Hinchliffe not out 11
Logan Hall ct Rhys Eynon b Finley Lewis 0
Rhys Davies not out 6
Extras 10
Total (9 wickets) 154
 
Lawrenny Bowling:
Ryan Morton 6-0-32-5; Noah Williams 6-0-46-2; Oscar Lewis 5-0-380; Finley Lewis 5-0-35-1