Stubborn resistance from all rounder Iestyn Evans and skipper Darrel Griffiths saved Llandysul from certain defeat against Dafen Welfare in division one of the South Wales Cricket Association.
Evans batting at eight joined his skipper Griffiths at the crease with his side on 106-6 and the hosts appeared to have very little chance of reaching the target of 207 to win at that stage. Hanging on for a losing draw was the obvious option for resilient captain Griffiths and between them they managed to steer their team through to 153-9.
Dafen Welfare 206-9
Llandysul 153-9
Visitors Dafen elected to bat and were soon in trouble when opener Mathew Evans was out caught by Iestyn Evans off the bowling of Farooq Shah and he was quickly followed back to the pavilion by number three bat Jamie Mansell who was caught plumb in front of the sticks by Evans. Further wickets tumbled when Evans claimed opener Nicky Davies and Shah clean bowled Chris Randell and Dafen looked vulnerable at 51-4.
However the visitors managed to rally and they eventually moved on to 119-5 with top quality knocks by middle order batsmen David Williams with 47 and Gethin Long with 59 seeing their side through for a healthy total of 206-9.
Iestyn Evans completed his ten overs with impressive figures of 3-23 and Ben Edkins chipped in with a couple of useful wickets in a five over stint late on. Llewellyn Hughes and Rhidian Harries both claimed a run out as Dafen went in search of some quick runs with just a few overs to go.
Opener Rhidian Harries who has been in excellent form of late slotted away an early four and looked to have got himself set for another decent score before he was out leg before on 15 and despite the best efforts of fellow opener Gary Williams with 26 and number three Meurig Jones with 16 Llandysul looked down and out at 103-6.
Skipper Griffiths though got his head down as he has done so many times this season and along with Tom Harries who made 16 and Evans they managed to steer their team to an unlikely draw.
Mathew Donoghue with 2-27 and Jon Randall with 2-20 were the pick of the Dafen bowling attack.
Division 5
Baglan 197-9
Llandysul 162 all out
Llandysul 2nds fell to a 34 run defeat in division five despite the best efforts of talented all rounder Gareth Chapple who claimed a hat trick at the Evans Bevan ground against Baglan and top scored with 93.
Chapple who took five wickets in all, blasted the pick of the middle order away in three successive balls but the hosts still managed to reach a healthy total of 197 with opener Paul Morris top scoring for them with 84 and an innings that included seven 4’s and three 6’s.
The hosts who were put in to bat saw all their top order make runs with fellow opener Mike Powney hitting 46 and number three Andrew Thomas making 34 before Chapple ripped through the Dafen line up with Darren Perkins, Lewis Cronin and Ben Williams all going in three balls.
Opener Chapple led the way in the run chase and his 93 included nine 4’s and a six before he was caught and bowled by all rounder Mike Powney just short of his century.
Dafydd Jones also chipped in with 13, Dan Jones made 12 and Jordan Jones added 19 before the visitors were all out for 162 and 34 runs short of victory.
Powney was the best of the host bowlers and took 2-18 off five overs.
