Monday, 16th December 2024

 
Umpires: Jonathan Willington & Neill Crawshaw
Scorers: Ginny Davies, Rachel Sander & Lee Smith
Venue: Neyland Community Hub

 
The penultimate matches of the league season in men’s cricket sadly saw Pembroke B unable to field a team to take on runaway leaders Neyland A – and with one round of matches the other play-off places see  Hook almost certain to join them alongside Pembroke as the likely third-placed team after they had beaten nearest rivals Llanrhian as their batting was reasonable but their ferocious pace bowling proved the difference in the result.
 

Hook head towards play-offs with easy win against The Dock 

 

Pembroke Dock (109 for 3) lost to Hook (111 for 3) by 3 wickets

 
Hook showed what great strides they have made this indoor season with a comprehensive victory over Pembroke Dock that sees them, with one round of match remaining, assured of a place in the forthcoming play-offs at the start of the New Year.
 
Hook were strengthened by the inclusion of Lewis Miller, home from university, and everyone of the Hook team played a part with bat or ball whilst The Dock also have grown over recent weeks but on this occasion key players Scott Griffiths and Nick Daley failed to fire with the bat and they wasted 28 deliveries where they failed to score, whilst Hook only had 14 ‘dot balls’.
 
The Dock made a solid start as Rhys Daley and Tom Grimwood retired before Owen Phelps struck to shift Griffiths (7)  and Daley senior (4), the former with the assistance of keeper Liam Miller – and skipper George Smith departed for 10, caught by Brad Flood, to give Owen Phelps fine figures of 3 for 3 for 29, ably assisted by big brother Aled, who chipped in with 2 for 19 alongside useful bowling by Flood and Harry Makepeace
 
Rhys Daley returned and ended up with 35 not out as Adam Phillips came in low at No 5 and again showed his consistency with 19 not out as The Dock hit six fours and a six to set their challenge for Hook to take on.
 
And take it on Hook certainly did because openers Liam Miller (25) and Harry Makepeace (26)  retired within four overs to give their team the ideal start – which was maintained by Aled Phelps (24 not out) and Lewis Miller (29 not out) shared four sixes, three fours and 18 threes as all The Dock bowlers suffered a piece of their power – so now Hook have emerged as the major challenge to Neyland A if they can maintain this sort of performance.


















 

Pembroke pace bowling sees them through against play-off rivals 

 

Pembroke (110 for 4) beat Llanrhian (85 for 5) by 25 runs

 
When Pembroke reached 110 for 4 in their allotted 12 overs it was felt by those in the viewing gallery that it was anyone’s vital victory – but then the top order for Llanrhian was literally blown away by Pembroke’s pace attack and it was only resolute batting by tail-enders Karl Davies and Llion Williams, assisted by a shed full of extras, that took the score to respectable levels in a disappointing defeat by 25 runs.
 
And the margin of defeat for Llanrhian might have been greater because their normally-reliable batting lurched to 27 for 4 as Pembroke pace man Callum Jenkins grabbed 3 for 11 in his three overs, supported by Billy Wood (1 for 17) and Jack Harries (1 for 10) in their similar stints.
 
For Llanrhian, skipper Iwan James, arguably the most consistent run-maker this season, was bowled second ball for a duck by the fiery Callum Davies, who did the same for Matthew Bennett, although he lasted four balls for his duck.
 
Russell Watkins (5 in 9 balls) departed to Billy Wood (1 for 17) and Billy Clarke (1) was run out so that at the half-way stage Llanrhian had only 37 for 4 in six overs.
 
But then Karl Davies (26 not out) and Llion Williams, who scored 29 in 24 balls before he was caught by Archie Hillier-Wood off Harries (1 for 10) settled against the Pembroke second-string bowlers and both hit three boundaries.
 
They reached semi-respectability on 85 for 5 as Pembroke gifted them 25 extras, including 17 wides - but on this occasion it mattered little because they were well short of victory.
 
Pembroke had also suffered an early set-back as skipper Harries, another highly-rated run-maker, gave a return catch to Matthew Bennett when he had reached 5 in six balls - but Luke Butler batted well for his 21 in 14 balls before he was very unlucky to be run out at the bowler’s end when Billy Wood’s straight drive was deflected onto the stump by bowler Karl Davies.
 
Wood made amends for his accidental help in running out his vice-captain by taking the game by the scruff of the neck as he was joined by his younger brother, Archie Hillier-Wood in a productive partnership.
 
Wood smashed two straight fours and two sixes in his 38 not out from only 20 balls, from two spells at the crease, the second after Sam Davies (9) and Callum Davies (8 but run out like a dog in a total miscall) came and went.
 
Archie Hillier-Wood chipped in with a classy 24 not out (11 balls) as Llion Williams completed a good performance with a wicket alongside Bennett - and this defeat almost certainly means Llanrhian will not make the play-offs, whilst Pembroke are now favourites to beat them to the final place, especially since Llanrhian face Neyland A in their final game!