The G Thomas & Son-sponsored Ladies Cricket Final:
Hook Ladies (112 for 2 & 100 for 4) beat Cresselly Ladies ((106 for 2 & 98 all out)
Umpires: Robert Ridge & Phil Marsden
Scorers: Joy James & Scott Arthur
Venue: Hook Sports Ground
Hook Ladies are the 2013 champions of Pembrokeshire Ladies’ Cricket after they beat their counterparts from Cresselly by nine runs in an epic final watched by over 200 eager supporters.
These teams have met on a number of occasions in the past but never has a game between them been more
competitive or tension filled as Hook led by six runs at tea and in the second innings set a target of 107 which Cresselly looked likely to achieve as they stood at 80 for 4 in 14 overs but ended up 98 all out as Hook bowled and fielded well.Leading the way for Hook was Jo Kerrison, who defies a very painful knee injury to play, and she had innings of 45 and 62 not out, as well as keeping wicket, to win the player of the match award – and there was deserved applause as she received the trophy from Megan Thomas, of sponsors G Thomas & Son.
Kerrison and Rossiter star
Equally pleasing, however, was the number of young players beginning to break through in both teams, which bodes well for the future of ladies’ cricket. But it was the experienced pair of Kerrison and Sam Rossiter who got Hook off to a good start as they shared a first-wicket partnership of 72 before the former was caught and bowled by Eleri Williams, having struck six boundaries. Rossiter went on to reach 53 not out, including eight boundaries, whilst Williams was the pick of the Cresselly bowling with her 2 for 24 haul.
Excellent opening stand
Cresselly’s experienced opening pair of July Garlick and Becky Williams put together an even bigger opening partnership of 95 before the latter was well caught in the deep by Jemma Phillips off Alice Thomas’s bowling, having scored 40 (four fours). Garlick went on to score 49 not out and there was a wicket for Leanne Jones as Cresselly finished up six runs adrift, thanks to good fielding by the Hook side.
Early set-back
Hook suffered an early set-back after tea as they lost Rossiter for 10 but Kerrison marched to 62 not out (five fours), including a vital 16 runs off the final over as Eleri Williams (1 for 21), July Garlick (2 for 19) and Megan Jenkins (1 for 20) were the Cresselly wick-takers.
Garlick battles in vain
Garlick again led the Cresselly batting with five fours in her excellent 52 before she was well caught by Chloe Field off the bowling of Alice Thomas. Louise Dyer also chipped in with 12 runs but Leanne Jones (3 for 18), Jemma Phillips (1 for 25), Chloe Field (1 for 16) and Alice Thomas (2 for 34) kept the pressure on until the final delivery so that Hook could proudly pick up the silverware at the end of an absorbing and entertaining match.