Billy batters Burton as Neyland ‘C’ and The ‘Old Hands’ win in tight tussles

 

Venue: Neyland Community Hub

Umpires: Jon Willington & Chris Stapleton

Scorers:  Ginny Davies, Ian Milsom, Ffion Ashman and Phil Keen

 

Pembroke B (135 for 3) beat Burton (76 all out)

 

Billy Wood continued his big-hitting exploits for high-flying Pembroke Seconds as they beat Burton by 59 runs to maintain their place at the top of division two in this their first campaign in the indoor game.

 

Burton’s hopes had been raised very early on as Ceri Brace was run out for a single but Wood found the ideal partner in Will Davies, who stroked 25 runs in only 112 balls as he had a six and a four to his name before he retired.

 

If Davies was the rapier, then Davies was the bludgeon at the other end as he smashed an amazing 9 fours and 5 sixes en route to an undefeated 73 in two visits to the crease as his runs came in only 29 balls.

 

Andrew Price (10) and Will Davidson-Randell (6) soon fell to some accurate bowling by Dan John (2 for 32) and Charlie Perkins (7) was still with Wood at the end of their allotted ten overs as Phil Rees was the pick of the Burton bowlers as he only conceded 15 runs from his two-over stint.

 

Burton needed a good start and openers Will Ridge (18 in nine balls) was joined by Joe John in providing it before Ridge departed with the score on 47 - but Dan Ridge (6), Phil Rees (9), Dan John (0) and Dan Griffiths (8) were all unable to stay long against accurate bowling and tight fielding by the Pembroke team.

 

They had lost four wickets in the space of 12 runs and when Joe John (who had struck a four and two sixes in his 29 from 17 deliveries) was left alone he soon fell to a sharp piece of fielding it was all over as Burton fell for 76 with 14 balls still unused as  Andrew Price (0 for 12), Charlie Perkins (1 for 21) Wood (0 for 12), Davidson-Randell (1 for 12) and Ceri Brace (2 for 15) all bowled well for Pembroke.

 

 

Neyland ‘C’ (107 for 5) beat Hundleton (100 for 1)

 

Kieran Arran was the toast of his Neyland C team-mates as his stylish 54 not out launched them to a three-figure score and Hundleton provided strong opposition before falling seven runs short of victory, but with five wickets still in hand.

 

Arran’s boundary-strewn half century came in two spells at the crease after he had initially retired on 25 but only John Tennick (15) and Rod Murphy (10) managed double figures as Ashley Watkins (4), Charlie French (6) and Korey Arran (4) came and went, with three run outs as part of their demise.

 

But Kieran Arran batted really well and most of the tally of two fours, a six and the majority of their threes came from his batting as Jonathan Williams (1 for 13) and David Lockyer (1 for 18) were the wicket-takers as Leighton O’Connor only conceded 13 runs from his two overs.

 

Hundleton opened with the very experienced duo of Jonathan Williams and O’Connor, and both retired with respective scores of 28 and 27 that reflected their high skill levels in the indoor game.

Craig Williams supported with 21 not out but the runs dried up a little as they fell behind the asking rate and Steff Williams 6) was bowled by Murphy (1 for 29) and Lockyer ended on 8 not out but an inspired two-over spell by teenager Watkins where he only conceded four runs as Neyland came out on top in a tense finale.

 

 

Pembrokeshire Seniors (81 for 5) beat Cresselly (73 all out)

 

Cresselly missed a golden chance of victory against Pembrokeshire Seniors but despite scoring 18 threes, a four and a six they allowed themselves to face 26 ‘dot balls’ which is almost half of their allotted overs as the ‘Vets’ bowled well.

 

But it was Kevin Bowen who helped taking Ian Milsom’s team to 81 as he made the bulk of them with a massive contribution of 54 not out (including a six, a four and 12 of his team’s 14 threes as he batted on his own from 43 for 5.

 

Opening bat Andrew Williams was run out without facing a ball and only David Haynes (10) mustered double figures as Neal Williams (6) was shifted by a catch from keeper Steff Jenkins of Lucien Thornton (1 for 18), Ian Milsom (a first ball duck) and Mark Hicks (0); both to Charlie Arthur, who had fine figures of 2 for 5.

 

Charlie Arthur (18) and Stef Jenkins (10) were both run out as Cresselly looked likely to reach their total and Griff Jenkins (10) and Ollie Rowland (22) took them closer to their target alongside Ollie Arthur (3) Thornton (8) but Bowen grabbed 1 for 13 as Williams (1 for 17), Milsom (1 for 17), Hicks (1 for 16) and Williams (1 for 8) put their vast experience to good effect and Cresselly were dismissed with four balls still left of their allotted overs, leaving them to reflect on what might have been!