1. Sorry ‘Millsy’ – we missed your bowling!This week we start our chat about some of the best performances across all six divisions with an apology about the fact that we missed the best of them all last week as Steve Mills Jnr produced arguably the best bowling spell of the campaign in helping Llangwm beat Whitland by 53 runs. Millsy has featured several times with his outstanding batting but he only managed an average (for him) innings of 35 – but then grabbed an amazing 8 for 21 haul that decimated Whitland’s response after tea. As the lost six wickets he had claimed four of them but then in what turned out to be the last over of the game he had wickets with his first two deliveries, then a dot ball, wicket, dot ball and wicket! His father, Steve snr, confided in Gordon Thomas and I that he is a sensitive little soul so we can only say ‘Sorry Millsy’ (although Mr Thomas did say something unprintable!)
2. Toby’s at it again – a fourth century of the season . . .Burton are in line for promotion alongside Herbie to the top echelon of Pembrokeshire Cricket and it must be said that Toby Hayman has certainly led by example in this his first season as skipper, having already scored three centuries prior to taking on Lamphey yesterday – and he made it four hundreds as he joined forces with Jack Davies (47) in an opening partnership of 152.
Toby is not known for hanging around in the middle and on this occasion he belted 11 fours and four big sixes before he was bowled by opposing skipper David Dredge for 109 – and it is going to be interesting to see what his average is going to be at the end of the campaign.
3 . . . . And Joe’s only just behind with three Burton ‘tons’There were two centurions for Burton yesterday and the other was Joe Kiff, who joined the club this season and this was already his third ‘ton’ of the campaign, along with some other big scores. Joe started off as opening partner to Toby but has switched to No 4 in the order and it seems to have worked because his 101 not out included 12 boundaries and another four sixes, scored from only 66 balls faced. He shared an excellent unbroken stand of 145 with the team’s vice captain in Dan Llewellyn, who was 49 not out from 41 balls as Burton ended up on a massive 345 for 3 and were victors by 256 runs. It was the perfect example of how to score quickly at the end of an innings, with the big hitting accompanied by some excellent running between the wickets.
4. Morgan loves being a big Cresselly big-hitterMorgan Lewis is following in the family tradition of being a big hitter as he follows dad Matthew and uncle Ryan - and he showed all his power as he had spectators concerned about their cars - as a couple were in a recent semi-final against Carew were there was a bit of damage done! On this occasion he led the Cresselly batting to 218 for 2 in 34 overs, which earned them an eight-wicket success over Narberth.
Morgan opened the innings with veteran Neal Williams, who has done so well with Wales in Seniors’ Cricket and was the perfect foil for his 20 year-old partner with an elegant 40 out of a stand of 110 runs and Morgan ended up unbeaten on 115, including only four fours but EIGHT huge sixes and a celebration of his first-ever century for his club!
5. Troy strokes his way to a big Lawrenny score
Troy Pursloe is an Aussie through and through and since he first burst on to the local scene with Lawrenny he has become a firm favourite with players and supporters of the village team alike – and is already known as a high-quality stroke player. On Saturday he showed just what a good player after Lawrenny had made a good start, moving up the tempo so that they ended up rocketing past the 300 mark.
Joe Kidney and Oscar Lewis were the other major contributors, alongside a massive 38 extras, whilst Troy had 14 fours and 5 big sixes in his 123 run total – and his team mates will be hoping he can maintain this form for the Harrison-Bowl Final!
6. Adam’s and James star for The Rooks
Adam Chandler was regarded as very classy batsman before he moved away from the game for a while but he has decided to play again at Carew and showed yesterday what a class act he is when The Rooks easily accounted for Whitland.
Adam came in at No 5 and stroked 10 boundaries in his unbeaten 85 off 95 balls, sharing in productive partnerships with Luke Hicks and James Hinchliffe before the latter showed what a good all-rounder he has become with a smashing 6 for 19 spell that broke the back of the Whitland reply.
7. Jack sets up vital victory for Llanrhian
Jack Jones seems to be a regular visitor to this column and he was again on form with the bat in helping Llanrhian to an important victory at Carew 2nds. In the final analysis in a thoroughly entertaining tussle it was Jones who rapped six fours and three sixes in his 106, perhaps with fewer fours and sixes then might be expected but with an innings full of commitment to the club’s hopes of staying in Division Two.
8. Ethan bats well in the same match
Someone else who enjoyed their innings in the same match was Carew’s talented teenager Eorey Hall, as he struck 14 boundaries in his 86 before he was out after sharing a 51-run partnership with the ageless Barry Evans (28). Then it was in to a Western-style party in the clubhouse – hence the large hat shown off with some style here!
9. Richard keeps Stackpole hopes alive
If Stackpole do gain promotion from Division Three this campaign that there is no doubt that a key factor will be the all-round play of Richard Mackay, who could have joined other clubs in the higher echelons but he has remained loyal to his village team. And in their match at Kilgetty helped them pick up a preios 19 points as he struck 97 runs with his powerful stroke play and then claimed a 4 for 29 haul. Rightly held in high regard around the county Richard is a credit to our local cricket and deserves a huge pat on the back.
10. Richard bats well for Kilgetty
Richard Webb is regarded as a steady batsman at Kilgetty but we prefer the word ‘consistent’ and he proved his worth against Stackpole as wickets fell around him but he ended up with 92, including four fours and a six – and although Kilgetty lost he showed what an asset he is to the team – and long may he continue to do so!
**We would have liked to mention more performances but time pressures this weekend, with so much other cricket going on. But we must gibe a brief mention to old-timers like Johnny Scale (Burton) with 6 for 28, Jonathan Edwards (88 for Lamphey Seconds), Stuart Midgley (80 for Hundleton) and a whole lot more. We have a simple message for you all – enjoy your cricket in our county because it is great to be part of it at any level!**