Tough night for Vets and Hundleton

 
Umpires: Rob Bellerby & Neil Crawshaw
Scorers: Gregg Miller & Ginny Davies
Venue: Neyland Hub Community Centre
 
Monday evening’s latest round of indoor league for the men proved a disappointing one for the Pembrokeshire Vets and Hundleton, as the old timers B and A teams both lost heavily to respective opponents Hook and Pembroke.
 
The south-county village side suffered the heaviest defeat against Burton and there was clear evidence that the newcomers are learning fast as all three winners are in the ‘inexperienced’ category.
 

Match One – Hook (142 for 3) lost to Pembs Vets B (86 for 2)

 
Hook’s talented young team, with slightly older Dafydd Bowen at the helm, showed their batting skills as they rattled up 142 for 2 against The Vets B; the highest score of the evening as they ran superbly between the wickets to collect 25 threes alongside seven fours and two sixes.
 
It was powerful stuff and although skipper Bowen departed for 12 thanks to a Simon Holliday catch of Julian Forster (1 for 22) the tempo increased as Aled Phelps and Liam Miller both had to retire on 25.
 
Harry Makepeace (5) then departed quickly as he was bowled by Paul Webb but Owen Phelps blitzed six threes and two fours in a speedy 28 before having to retire – but that brought back his brother Aled alongside Lewis Miller (9 not out) and Aled ended up on a sparkling 50 not out, including 10 threes, 2 fours and 2 sixes.
 
Paul Webb bowled well for figures of 1 for 22 alongside Forster and Mike Williams (0 for 22) but Simon Holliday conceded 40 runs in his two overs, including 28 in the second of them!
 
Karl Rhead and Holliday gave the Vets B a good start with respective scores of (26, including 8 threes) and (25 – 4 threes, 1 four and 1 six) but those to follow were unable to raise the tempo against Harry Makepeace (0 for 14) Lewis Miller (0 for 15) and Owen Phelps (0 for 13).
 
Martin Thomas was run out for 11 and Paul Webb showed he was batting too low with 17 not out) as they moved from 57 at the half way stage to adding just another 29 afterwards, with 25 ‘dot balls’ where no runs came.
 
They ended up on 86 for 2 so lost by 56 runs as proof of the way that Hook have improved in all aspects of the indoor game in such a short while.


 

Match Two – Pembs Vets A (65 all out) lost to Pembroke (65 for 1)

 
Pembs Vets A batted first against a committed Pembroke side which bowled and fielded well to dismiss them for 65 (8.1 overs) and then batted well to reach their target in 6.1 overs for the loss of only one wicket.
 
Sam Davies got Pembroke off to a flying start as he had Stuart Carpenter caught by keeper Luke Butler first ball and although Kevin Bowen (13) and Andrew Williams (15) they departed trying to increase the pace as Bowen was caught by Andrew Price off Harry Malone and Williams was run out.
 
David Haynes reached 21 before he was caught and bowled by Jack Harries whilst Rob Nicholas (2) was run out and Mark Hicks gave Butler his second catch, this time off James Tomkinson, who finished off with great figures of 1 for 11, alongside Davies (1 for 9), and Harries (1 for 9) as The Vets were unable to score from 28 balls, almost half of their allocation!
 
Pembroke then got off to a great start via Harries and Tomkinson in a partnership that took them with sight of victory before retiring on 25 and 28 respectively.
 
There was still time for Butler to be run out for 1 before Andrew Price (6 not out) and Harry Malone (1 not out) eased Pembroke to an excellent win as they struck 11 threes, five fours and a six.



 

Match Three – Burton (139 for 3) beat Hundleton (50 all out)

 
Burton are another team that is coming on in leaps and bounds, as opponents Hundleton found to their cost as they went down to a heavy defeat by 89 runs.
 
Burton, playing in their first season, lost Richard James (13) and Jack Davies (18) but then the run carnage really began in earnest as brothers Luke and Toby Hayman took them to 65 at the halfway stage, with Luke getting run out for 24 and Toby retiring on 25.
 
Harry Owen also batted really well to retire on 26 and Dan Ridge was there at the end with 6 not out as Toby Hayman returned to finish on an undefeated 36 – and with 12 extras Burton had amassed a big score of 139 for 3, including 24 threes, five fours and three sixes.
 
Craig Williamson actually bowled a maiden over as he ended up with 0-13 as Evan Davies and wily old fox Jonathan Williams were the Hundleton wicket-takers as Paul Fox and Steffan Williams went for more runs than usual.
 
Hundleton were unable to get off to the start they hoped for as Burton bowled tightly, with Luke Hayman (1 for 10 in two overs) and Toby Hayman (1 for 10 in one over) shifted Dave Lockyer (6) and Williamson (6).
 
Jack Davies (1 for 7) bowled Fox(2) so when Harry Owen grabbed a 2 for 8 haul by removing Jonathan Williams (9) and Steffan Williams (12) it was all over bar the shouting, with Davies run out for 3 with two overs unused.