Pembroke County Cricket
Division 2
Hook 178 all out (8) lost to Llechryd 207 for 8 (30) by 29 runs
A century partnership between John Curran and Rhys Beard helped steer Llechryd to a well deserved victory following an entertaining match at Hook and one that will boost their hopes of avoiding relegation.
Curran who has taken over the captaincy from Graham Keen for the rest of season, due to Keen’s work commitments, led by example with both bat and ball although this was very much an all round team performance.
After being put in to bat Llechryd made very slow progress initially with the Hook front line bowlers producing accurate line and length and when openers Andrew Fletcher and Dewi Davies tried to up the tempo they were dismissed and this brought Curran and Beard to the crease.
The latter smashed the ball about to all parts of the ground, and Curran played largely a supporting roll early on and after 25 overs the visitors were 121-2 and both looked set until Beard was unluckily dismissed by an inside edge onto his stumps off the bowling of Aled Phelps. Curran was next to go soon afterwards when he tried to go over the top and was also bowled by Phelps who took 3-68.
However the runs kept coming and Joe Mansfield with 29, Adam Betts with 15 and Graham Keen with a few big sixes managed to get the score over the two hundred mark and their innings ended on 207-8.
Llechryd made a super start, taking a wicket in the first over through veteran left arm seamer Peter Betterley, and two superb catches from Richard Connolly put the Teifisiders in the box seat at 17-3 with Curran getting rid of dangerman Phelps with a first baller.
Hook recovered to 43-5 but really needed a batsman to hang around and big hitter Brennan Martin came to the wicket and was dropped after making only six by batting hero Beard,
Hook made the most of the good fortune with Martin hitting to all parts of the ground and making easy work of the bowling and he was well supported at the other end by wicket keeper Will Goronwy who made 35. Llechryd, desperate for something to happen needed a chance as heads were dropping and catches were going down so Curran brought on Andrew Fletcher to mix things up. This proved to be a masterstroke as with the first ball of his spell he took a wicket.
The danger man Martin though was still there and looking menacing on 72 with his side needing just 34 off 5 overs. However this all changed when Dewi Davies took a brilliant catch at deep mid on to remove Martin and the hosts were eventually all out for 177 with Curran aptly clean bowling a tail ender to bring joy to the Llechryd players for a win that had been eluding them for many weeks.
Betterley was the pick of the visiting bowlers taking 4-41, Keen returned figures of 3-40 and John Curran 1-34 and Andrew Fletcher 1-19 chipped in with a wicket apiece.
Division 3
Llechryd 2nds 218 for 5 drew with Lawrenny 2nds 247 for 2
Llechryd 2nds were held to a draw at the RDM Oval, on a very dry and fast outfield which produced a high scoring encounter.
Lawrenny were invited to bat and they managed a very competitive total of 247 for 2 with Steve Lewis who was returning from injury, hitting 113 not out and he was well supported by Huw Griffiths who made 50 and Alfie Buckle with 57 not out.
Fourteen year old Dafydd Davies again showed what a fine prospect he is with the ball by bowling nine overs for 44 and taking a wicket for the hosts and he could easily have had a few more. The other wicket taker was Peter Gregory.
The Llechryd response was positive and were up with the run rate for most of the innings, but they failed to keep up the scoring in the last 10 overs, ending on very respectable 218 for 5 and maintaining six an over throughout. Both Llechryd openers got half centuries with Ben Graham hitting 54 and Ollie Roberts 78 and Gregory hit a rapid 29 late on. The main wicket takers for Lawrenny were Luke Cole who did much to slow the Llechryd run rate and he picked up 2 wickets along with James Buckle who also bowled relatively economically and picked up one wicket.
In division four Crymych lost to Laugharne by nine wickets with Richard Thorne the only batsman to really trouble the scorers with a knock of 33 whilst Rhodri Thomas made 19. Chasing a modest total of 75, Kevin Pearce with 43 not out and Callum Collins-Davies with 19 not out led their side to a comfortable win.