Lawrenny (158 for 2 beat Neyland (155 for 9) by 8 wickets
Umpires: Richard Scriven & Tony Walsh
Scorers: Malcolm Thomas & John Laugharne
Lawrenny regained top spot in division one with an eight-wicket win over closest rivals Neyland in their rearranged match following postponement because of the coronavirus in mid-June.
Home skipper Joe Kidney did his first job well as he won the toss and asked Neyland to bat first but openers Nick Koomen and Scott Jones made a solid start before Koomen was caught for 31 (six fours) by James Buckle off the bowling of Harry Thomas.
Spectacular spell for Thomas but Neyland battle back via Jones and Miller
It was the start of a spectacular spell by Thomas he had Ashley Sutton caught by skipper Kidney and then bowled the dangerous Nathan Banner, both for ducks, before Ross Hardy nudged a catch into the gloves of wicketkeeper Will Allen for only four from the in-form run maker – to put Neyland in serious trouble as he bowled his nine overs to finish with 4 for 16!
But Gregg Miller joined Jones to try and redress the balance and they added 50 runs before Miller was unusually run out for 25.
Buckle finishes off Neyland’s hopes of a good score
Neyland are renowned for their strong batting order but Brad McDermott-Jenkins, Henry Durrant and Andrew Miller all departed cheaply as Jones completed a typically gritty half century but when he was on 66, including three fours and a six, he faced veteran James Buckle, who rarely bowls these days but claimed a 3 for 32 haul from his six overs.
Twins Sean and Patrick Hannon scored a few late runs but with a score of 155 for 9, denying their opponents a bonus point as a result.
Thomas earns man of the match tag with another great partnership with Marsh
Then Thomas showed what a talented all-rounder he has become in a superb opening stand with Kurtis Marsh, arguably the best batsman in the county at the moment.
They made a solid start with 43 runs coming from their first ten overs and after 20 overs had accumulated 79 runs, which was over half the total needed with any loss of wickets.
But this powerful pair weren’t content to sit back on their laurels as they punished anything loose and were still together after 30 overs with only six runs still needed.
At that stage Kurtis Marsh stood on 76, including ten boundaries, but then he touched a Ross Hardy delivery straight into the gloves of stand-in keeper Gregg Miller and he departed; to be replaced by James Buckle – who lasted two deliveries from Hardy before gave Nick Koomen some slip-catching practice which was comfortably pouched.
Kidney sees his side home but they play each other gain in three weeks!
But skipper Joe Kidney came in to his the winning runs with a scything shot to the bottom boundary and Harry Thomas rounded off his performance with nine fours and a six in his unbeaten 76 to earn his side 17 points to Neyland’s four, which places the home side back on top of the table by 11 points with three matches to go – the final one being another titanic clash when the teams meet again at The Athletic Ground!
It should be quite a game!
SCORECARDS:
Neyland Batting:
Nick Koomen ct James Buckle b Harry Thomas 31
Scott Jones ct Joe Kidney b James Buckle 66
Ashley Sutton ct Joe Kidney b Harry Thomas 0
Nathan Banner b Harry Thomas 0
Ross Hardy ct Will Allen b Harry Thomas 4
Gregg Miller run out 25
Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Patrick Elliot b James Buckle 8
Henry Durrant ct Harry Thomas b James Buckle 5
Sean Hannon not out 9
Andrew Miller ct James Buckle b Ryan Morton 2
Patrick Hannon not out 2
Extras 3
Total (9 wickets) 155
Lawrenny Bowling:
Rob Williams 8-2-30-0; Ryan Morton 9-0-38-1; Harry Thomas 9-1-16-4; Kurtis Marsh 6-2-19-0; Matthew Lewis 4-0-17-0; James Buckle 6-0-32-3
Lawrenny Batting:
Harry Thomas not out 72
Kurtis Marsh ct Gregg Miller b Ross Hardy 76
James Buckle ct Nick Koomen b Ross Hardy 0
Joe Kidney not out 4
Extras 6
Total (2 wickets) 158
Neyland Bowling:
Patrick Hannon 5-1-22-0; Nathan Banner 4-0-20-; Ross Hardy 9-1-21-2; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 6-1-24-0; Andrew Miller 3-0-19-0; Scott Jones 1-0-13-0; Henry Durrant 2-0-19-0; Sean Hannon 4.1-2-15-0
