PHOTO:
Nick Scourfield was Carew's top scorer with 75 not out
Picture by Brian McKehon
Scourfield steers Carew to vital victory over old rivals
Carew (190 for 2) beat Haverfordwest (189 for 9) by 8 wickets
Umpires: Trefor Evans & Dave Brandon
Scorers: Jayne Cole & Julie Davies
An excellent undefeated 75 by Nick Scourfield steered Carew to victory over old rivals Haverfordwest, inflicting the first defeat of the season on The Town.
Also playing an important role was Carew pace man Neil Gregory, who blew the Haverfordwest top order to bits in the 19th over as he grabbed four wickets in an over, all adjudged lbw and taking out Dai Davies, Danny Potter, Nitin Mathias and Dan Cole in the space of five deliveries, including a hat-trick.
After being asked to bat first, Haverfordwest openers Simon Holliday and Ben Field started with a stand of 57 before Field departed for 23 and The Town limped to 80 for 6 before Adam James joined the fray and belted five big sixes in his 40 made from only 23 balls before he went for one big hit too many and paid the price.
Adeel Khan chipped in with 17 and Holliday batted throughout the 45 overs for his undefeated 80 that helped The Town to 189 for 9 against Neil Gregory (4 for 25), Iori Hicks (3 for 51) and Tom Davies (2 for 55); a score that seemed unlikely at one time but still not a huge target for the home side to chase on a good batting track.
Ian Sefton departed for 16 but Nick Scourfield was joined by namesake Tom (20) in a stand of 64 to give their side a solid base. They had Tim Hicks forced to retire hurt on 15 but Brian Hall joined the fray and scored 41 as Nick Scourfield, the senior Carew run-gatherer continued his terrific service over many years with nine fours and two sixes in his excellent innings which helped take them home with 33.2 overs in hand.
Neyland stay top after comfortable win at Whitland
Whitland (161 for 9) lost to Neyland (162 for 3) by 7 wickets
Umpires: Rob Cousins & Simon Jenkins
Scorers: Ann-Marie Jenkins & John Laugharne
Neyland made sure they stayed top of the table with a comfortable win at Whitland as they limited the home side to 161 for 9 wickets and then reached their target with seven wickets and overs aplenty in hand that ensured both teams were able to watch Wales play Northern Ireland in the European Championships.Will Spreadbury rapped ten fours in his top score of 52 for Whitland alongside Matthew Davies (23), Paul Davies (13) and Adam Davies (33 not out) against tight bowling by Nathan Banner (2 for 38) and Henry Durrant (3 for 39), assisted by spinners Gary Lloyd (1 for 38) and Scott Jones (1 for 11).
Whitland needed early wickets if they were to have a chance of victory but Neyland openers Nick Koomen and Patrick Bellerby (31) shared an opening stand of 103, Koomen stroking 10 fours and a six in his 77 before he was bowled by Matthew Davies (2 for 36) who was joined by Jonathan Thomas (1 for 25) as the only home wicket-takers.
Nathan Banner also managed double figures before Ashley Sutton (30 not out) and Gregg Miller rounded things off in an excellent Neyland victory that sees them now 25 points clear at the top of the table.
Nick Koomen - in fine fettle for Neyland
Mikey Jones
Runs galore in Glebelands draw
Johnston (308 for 2) drew with Lawrenny (215 for 8)
Umpires: Rob Bellerby & Dai Morris
Scorers: Natalie Thomas & Malcolm Thomas
There were runs galore at Glebelands as centuries from Johnston openers Dan Sutton and Mikey Jones helped take their side past 300 runs and Lawrenny also batted well to stave off defeat.
Sutton and Jones had Johnston pundits debating if their opening partnership of 211 was a club record at Glebelands as Lawrenny’s bowlers suffered ‘stick’ aplenty and their fielders chased leather throughout the 45 overs.
Jones hit 13 fours and two sixes in his 101 before he was caught by Lawrenny keeper Hugh Griffiths, off Harry Thomas (1 for 74) whilst Sutton also rasped 13 fours and two sixes in his 115 before Brad McDermott-Jenkins pouched a catch which gave Alistair Edwards final figures of 1 for 69.
There was still time for Steve Mills to belt five fours and three big sixes in a typically aggressive 57 not out as Johnston sped to a massive 308 for 2 from their allotted 45 overs.
Lawrenny batted sensibly in reply via their older players Simon ‘Chief’ Cole (12 fours in his 68), Rob Williams (36) and Ian Jenkins (64 not out, including 13 boundaries) as Johnston’s veteran strike bowler Richard James bowled a superb spell which earned him figures of 5 for 24 alongside Steve Mills (an expensive 1 for 83), Chris Phillips (1 for 27) and Chris Fitzpatrick (1 for 45).
Lawrenny were never able to match Johnston’s fire-power, however and settled for a draw as Johnston took the lion’s share of the bonus points.
Dan Sutton drives
Howell father and son lead the way for Narberth
Narberth (167 for 4) beat Llanrhian (165 for 8) by 6 wickets
Umpires: John Williams & Tony Pasternak
Scorer: Emma Richards (Narberth)
Narberth claimed their fourth win of the season as they comfortably beat bottom club Llanrhian, who remain unsuccessful in their quest for a first success in a difficult campaign.Richard Read (39), Ben Jones (16) and Geraint Morris (14) managed double figures for Llanrhian before Matthew Bennett provided some vital late impetus with two fours and three well-struck sixes en route to his unbeaten 47 that helped his team to 165 for 8 against the father and son duo of Richard Howell (3 for 26) and Jordan Howell (3 for 39), plus Ben Hughes (1 for 23).
It was felt that this score was unlikely to test Narberth’s strong batting line-up and that is just how it turned out as the experienced Ritchie Adams (six fours) and teenager Lewis Hough (six boundaries in his 47) gave them a more than solid start which was maintained by Kyle Quartermaine (2) and Jordan Howell, whose undefeated 44 included six fours and two sixes to take Narberth home, despite the Llanrhian bowling efforts of Mark Jenkins (2 for 47) and Sam Kurtz (2 for 56).
Jordan Howell - runs and wickets in Narberth win
Tish stymied by Cresselly tail-enders
St Ishmaels (200 all out) drew with Cresselly (185 for 9)
Umpires: Allan Hansen & Neil Croucher
Scorers: Wendy Bradshaw & Teagan Cartwright
Cresselly tail enders Sam Harts and Tom Arthur came together with their side in a parlous state on 172 for 9 in pursuit of St Ishmaels 200 all out but added 13 runs as they held out for the final three overs to deny the homesters victory.Harts and Arthur had earlier featured with the ball with respective figures of 4 for 56 and 1 for 46 alongside Simon Cole (3 for 27) and Ryan Lewis (11 for 31) as Peter Bradshaw maintained his good form with a useful innings of 53 (eight boundaries) in a Tish innings where Phil Cockburn (22), Brennan Devonald (25) and Andrew Williams (56) helped launch them to 200 before they were dismissed in their final over.
Cresselly lost the influential Adam Chandler cheaply but Phil Williams (28), Simon Cole (17), Alex Bailey (48) and Ryan Lewis (48) kept Cresselly climbing towards the Tish tally but losing wickets to Dean John (3 for 56), Andrew Pawlett (1 for 50) and Danny Flynn, making a welcome return with 4 for 40.
It nicely set up that tense finale where Tish tried desperately hard to take that final wicket but Messrs Harts and Arthur deserve credit for holding on.