Local derbies see two tense finishes and an easy win in more men’s local cricket
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Allan Hansen
Scorers: Ginny Davies, Ian Milsom & Patrick Hannon
Venue: The Neyland Hub Community Centre
Three matches, all rearranged from a previous time to accommodate England v Wales in World Cup Football, were played on Wednesday evening and there were good wins in exciting local derbies for Pembroke and Pembs Vets B, whilst Hook smashed neighbours Burton in a more one-sided final match of the evening.
Match One – Pembroke ease through in competitive local derby
Hundleton (105 for 5) lost to Pembroke (106 for 3) by 3 wickets
Steff Williams was soon into his stride with support from his namesake Jonathan (15) but Rogers pouched his third catch to give Harries a 2 for 19 haul – and Harries also took a good catch off Harry Malone to shift Craig Williamson (4).
Throughout all this, though, Steff Williams reached 25 and retired but then returned to find a willing ally in last man Stuart McNiffe and the pair almost doubled Hundleton’s scoring before McNiffe (23) was run out.
Williams finished the innings on an excellent 40 not out and with 15 extras they accumulated 105 for 5, no mean feat in the circumstances.
Pembroke made a steady start through skipper Harries (12) and Jon Rogers before the captain was well caught by Craig Williamson off Jon Williams but then Rogers was joined by another in-form batsman in Luke Butler, who retired on 26 and Charlie Perkins showed his potential with 22 not out.
They lost Harry Malone (6) and Will Randall (0) to Jon Williams, to give him fine figures of 3 for 18 but Rogers followed his 51 not out two days earlier with an unbeaten 37 to guide Pembroke home with an over to spare.
Match Two – Minky’ takes Vets’ B to last-ball victory over their B team
Pembs Vets A (112 for 3) lost to Pembs Vets B (114 for 3) by 3 wickets
It gave his team the bragging rights over opponents who really believed they were the better side but there’s no doubt the pendulum swung the B team’s way because of the performances of the St Ishmael’s duo of Kevin Bowen and Stuart Carpenter, who returned respective figures of 1 for 14 and 1 for 17 – and then scored 25 not out and 30 not out to confirm their status as two of the best indoor players in the county.
Put in to bat, The A team started well as Simon Holliday reached the retirement total alongside Karl Rhead and Alan Webster, with Holliday eventually returning to top score with 38 before he was run out.
Their innings included 4 fours and 4 sixes but then the innings was becalmed a little late on and the B team set about reaching their target via David Haynes (12) and M Williams (9) but then Mrs Bowen and carpenter intervened until it was time for them to retire.
Mark Hicks clipped 19 before he was run out with victory in sight as they also belted four fours and four sixes – and it was left to ‘Minky’ Milsom to hit those winning runs as reward for being one of the most popular players in the competition who never gives less than 100%!
Match Three: Burton collapse as Hook play well
Hook (110 for 1) beat Burton (55 all out) by 55 runs
In comparison to the first two matches there was an air of anti-climax in game three as two of the best new teams met but Hook had a good night and Burton quite simply didn’t!
Put in to bat, Hook reached a solid 110 for 1 thanks to brothers Liam and Lewis Miller, who reached respectively 27 and 29 not out, and although Aled Phelps was dismissed for 3, caught by Toby Hayman off Dan Ridge, his younger brother Owen showed him how to do it with an unbeaten 26.
Bradley Flood (7) and Harry Makepeace (11) were still there at the end as Hook did well with five fours and two sixes, but despite there being 25 ‘dot balls’ in their ten overs!
Burton made a dreadful start as Lewis Miller removed Toby Hayman and Jack Davies for three runs apiece, caught respectively by Harry Makepeace and Adam Phelps.
Worse was to follow as Luke Hayman (4) was run out and Harry Owens (8) was caught by Aled Phelps off Flood, who also caught Iestyn Evans (4) off Aled Phelps.
It left Dan Ridge high and dry on 27 before Flood took another catch to give Lewis Miller a splendid return of 3 for 8.
It left Burton all out for only 55, having used only 6.1 overs, and with Hook delighted to have beaten their neighbours by the same margin of 55 runs!