Ladies’ Cricket – first representative match:

 

Pembrokeshire Ladies set out in style

 
 

Pembrokeshire Ladies (213 for 7) beat Radyr Ladies (197 for 7) by 16 runs

 
 
Umpires: Rob Bellerby & Simon Richards
Scorer: Christine Toy
Venue: Cresselly Cricket Club
 
 
Pembrokeshire Ladies celebrated an excellent victory over an experienced Radyr team as the batted well to build up a challenging total and kept their heads after tea as the visitors looked likely to win but Pembrokeshire fielded well in support of some steady bowling, particularly from Ffion Ashman and Amelia Wilson, to take the verdict by 16 runs.
 
Pembs won the toss and elected to bat first and despite losing Casey Arran early – with Jemma Phillips (19) and Ffion Ashman (23) both hitting two boundaries and skipper Sam Rossiter reaching 34 before sustaining a hip injury and having to retire.
 
Ava Midgley and Nia Williams both fell cheaply to key Radyr bowler Imogen Smart, who had earlier took a return catch to dismiss Phillips and end up with figures of 3 for 25, and Maisie Davies also went early but Amelia Wilson stroked six fours in her score of 34 before she became Nadia Thomas’s second wicket whilst conceding 51 runs.
 
But Pembs total was boosted beyond the 200 mark thanks to an excellent unbroken stand of 63 by Meg Arthur (34) and Lauren Davies (23) and a target of 214 was a challenging one for the visitors.
 

Radyr get off to a flier

 
Radyr’s response was a positive one as openers Sian Pyne (36) and Alex Poole (12) looked confident before Ffion Ashman struck when Jemma Phillips took a good catch close in to shift Poole.
 
But then Lydia Clements showed just why she is a current Welsh international as she punished anything loose but Welsh keeper Beth Gammon (7) departed early before Hannah Marsh (10) and Imogen Smart (11) helped Clements to take the score forward and keep their team ahead of the run rate before falling respectively to Maddie Potter and Ava Midgley.
 
As Pembs fielded well the pressure built on the visitors and when Clements seemed assured of a century she tried for a quick second run whilst on 87 and was run out, having belted ten fours and a big six.
 
Then Ffion Ashman shifted Emma Taylor and Jess Dando as part of her excellent 3 for 25 spell and Pembrokeshire had got their Premier League season off to a flying start.
 
*This Sunday sees them entertain Briton Ferry, reputedly the strongest team in the section at Imble Lane, Pembroke Dock.*
 
SCORECARDS:
Pembrokeshire Ladies Batting:
Ffion Ashman lbw b Jess Clayton 23
Kacey Arran b Nadia James 8
Jemma Phillips ct & b Imogen Smart 19
Sam Rossiter retired hurt 38
Ava Midgley ct Gemma Davies b Imogen Smart 2
Nia Williams b Imogen Smart 0
Amelia Wilson ct Beth Gammon b Nadia Thomas 34
Megan Arthur not out 34
Maisy Davies st Beth Gammon b Jess Clayton 0
Lauren Davies not out 23
Extras 24
Total (for 7 wickets) 213
 
Radyr Ladies Bowling:
Jess Clayton 8-0-49-2; Nadia Thomas 8-0-51-2; Lydia Clements 8-3-21-0;  Imogen Smart 8-0-31-3; Lara Poole 2-0-13-0; Emma Taylor 1-0-11-0; Alex Poole 3-0-18-0; Hannah Marsh 2-0-17.
 
Radyr Ladies Batting:
Sian Pyne run out 36
Alex Poole ct Jemma Phillips b Ffion Ashman 12
Lydia Clements run out 87
Beth Gammon ct Jemma Phillips b Ava Midgley
Hannah Marsh ct & b Maddie Potter 10
Imogen Smart ct Jemma Phillips b Ava Midgley 11
Nadia Thomas not out 3
Lara Poole run out 1
Emma Taylor b Ffion Ashman 0
Jess Dando b Ffion Ashman 0
Sarah Smith not out 0
Extras 29
Total (for 7 wickets) 197
 
Pembrokeshire Ladies Bowling:
Amelia Wilson 8-0-23-0; Ffion Ashman 5-0-25-3; Ava Midgley 6-0-26-2; Meg Arthur 3-0-27-0; Lauren Davies 8-0-30-0; Maisie Davies 2-0-20-0; Lucy Johnson 4-0-27-0; Maddie Potter 4-0-20-0




 
Pembrokeshire Ladies’ team:
Back row: Nick Evans, Kacey Arran, Jemma Phillips, Maddie Potter, Maisy Davies, Emilia Wilson, Ffion Ashman
Front row:  Lauren Arthur, Ava Midgley, Sam Rossiter (Capt), Lucy Johnson (V Capt), Nia Williams, Megan Arthur