Division One relegation battlers Skewen denied Llandysul the win they felt they deserved in the South Wales Cricket Association with some determined tail end batting which ultimately saw them through for a draw.
Llandysul,who were playing for a respectable mid table position gave themselves every chance of a victory at Tir Y Dref with some superb batting across the board but they couldn’t quite get over the line.
Llandysul 240-5 (17pts)
Skewen 200-7 (8 pts)
Put into bat by the visitors openers Gary Williams and Meurig Jones started well and posted 30 runs between them before Jones was caught behind off the bowling of Marc Lewis. Llewellyn Hughes helped carry the score on to 73 before Williams was caught in the gulley but the healthy run rate continued thanks to the efforts of consistent performer Rhidian Harries who along with Hughes took the score on to 158-3 with Hughes reaching a half century before he was out.
Skipper for the day Harries made a valuable contribution of 46 before he was caught in the slips but he was followed to the crease by big hitter Ben Edkins and he sent the fielders scurrying with a succession of boundaries before he was bowled out just a single run short of fifty. Carwyn Evans chipped in late on with 28 runs and the hosts innings ended on a very impressive 240-5.
Dean Kriescher was the pick of the Skewen bowlers and he took 3-47.
Skewen in reply made a solid start before opener Mark Williams was clean bowled by Arfon Jones for 17 with the overall score at 41 and his opening partner Kriescher was out soon afterwards when he was caught by Harries off the bowling of Iestyn Evans.
The visitors pushed the score along to 96 before another wicket fell and at 116-4 Skewen were still in with an outside chance on a super batting strip but wickets started tumbling after this with Dean Jones taking two valuable wickets.
One of these was an excellent caught and bowled and at 164-7 Llandysul looked to have a win within their grasp. However Daniel Rees and Andrew Rogers played it safe and the visitors held on for a losing draw at 200-7.
Llandysul seconds suffered defeat in division five when they were undone by Kidwelly Town but they made an admirable fightback after a very poor start.
The visitors who elected to bat first got off to a rocky start when Tom Harris was out lbw to Dean Hollands for a duck with only one run on the board and fellow opener David Swift departed soon afterwards also out lbw to Hollands and there was worse to follow when Daniel Jones was sent back to the pavillion with the score on 13-3. Jordan Jones suffered a similar fate at the hands of Hollands a few balls later but to their credit Llandysul rallied and Steffan Jones carried his bat for a super knock of 67 that included four boundaries and he and his team eventually completed their innings on 133-8.
Kidwelly in reply coasted to victory with the loss of only one wicket with number three batsman Lewis Brown posting a fine knock of 77 and he was well served by opener Neil Davies who made 35.
