Whitland Seconds (102 for 6) beat Llechryd (98) by 4 wickets

LLECHRYD slipped deeper towards relegation danger on the Pembrokeshire League division two when they were dismissed for 98 all out, before losing by four wickets at Whitland Seconds.

Home bowler Connor Bowen tore through the visitors’ batting line-up to return remarkable bowling fixtures of 7 wickets for 9 runs in 12 overs, including six maidens.

After losing the toss, Llechryd were put into bat on a lively track and openers Andrew Drewy-Davies and Dewi Davies put on 19 runs for the first wicket, before the former was caught by Geraint Phillips from the accurate bowling of Bowen.

Michael Carter, Steve Smith and Joe Mansfield all fell cheaply to Bowen, but Dewi Davies hit 4 fours off 47 balls in his knock of 20, before being dismissed lbw off Bowen to make the score 37 for 5.

Peter Gregory came in a hit 3 fours off 31 balls, before he was bowled for 13 by Jamie Thomas, but the Llechryd wickets continued to fall.

Graham Keen, batting at eight, and Richard Connolly, at nine, showed some resistance as they threatened to at least take the total to 100.

Connolly stuck 2 fours before he was bowled by Thomas for 12, and Keen hit 3 fours off 55 balls before being bowled by Rupert Sheppard for 26 for the last wicket.

Llechryd were all out for just 98 in the 42nd over, with Keen’s seven-wicket haul being backed up by 2 wickets for 16 off 9 overs by Thomas.

Whitland lost opener Paul Oeppen for nought, when bowled by veteran Peter Betteley, but Hywel Bevan and Jack Bowen then added 37 runs for the second wicket.

Michael Godfrey had Bowen caught by Steve Smith for 17, which included two big sixes, and Andrew Drewy-Davies caught Edward John for 4, also from the bowling of Godfrey.

Opener Bevan and Martin Thomas crucially took the score on from 43 for 3 to 81 for 4, when the latter was finally removed by Godfey for 32, having struck 4 fours and a six off the 35 balls he faced.

Bevan soon followed for 25, including 3 fours off the 76 balls he faced, and although Andrew Fletcher had Harry Dibble caught for 0 by Richard Connolly, Whitland neeed just seven runs to win.

Rupert Sheppard (6 not out) and Gethin Scourfield (12 not out, with 3 fours) eventually sealed the victory on 102 for 6 in the 31st over.

For the visiting attack, Godfrey could take heart from a good return of 4 wickets for 27 from 10 overs, with two maidens, whilst Peter Betteley (1 for 22 from 8 overs, 4 maidens) and Andrew Fletcher (1 for 25 from 7.4 overs, 2 maidens) claimed wickets for Llechryd, who took five league points.

Llechryd Seconds (99) lost to Pembroke Dock (101 for 3)

LLECHRYD Seconds faced a huge challenge against Pembrokeshire League division three leaders and promotion hopefuls, Pembroke Dock at the RDM Oval, after being dismissed all out for 99.

The visiting captain had won the toss and inserted Llechryd to bat on the quick outfield and dry wicket.

Llechryd, however, had got off to a good start, and at one point, around the 20 over mark, they were at 75 for 2.

The opening bowlers had used most of their allocated overs, and the change bowling was taking punishment.

Llechryd could not maintain this pressure, however, and they finally collapsed to 99 all out in the 34th over.

The main run getters were Ollie Roberts (41), Scott Thomas (14), Duncan Blackburn with (12) and the 14 year-old star Tomos Tomkinson (10).

Tomkinson then kept well behind the stumps, after replacing his youth coach Rob Mansfield with the gloves.

For Dock it was spin bowler Scott Griffiths who did the damage, removing Oliver Roberts and Scott Thomas, and going on to take two further wickets in the lower middle order, to end with figures of 4 for 6 off 8 overs.

All-rounder Nic Daley also picked up 2 wickets for 24.

The Dock pacemen were broadly kept at bay by some brave top order batting by Llechryd Seconds, who restricted John Camani to 1 for 27, and B Wood to 1 for 24.

Pembroke Dock’s chase got off to a slow start, with the Llechryd attack making some early inroads and keeping it tight in the field.

At one point, Dock were 16 for 2 and struggling to get the run rate moving, but captain Daley held the chase together, ending on 57 not out, as they chased down the total for the loss of 4 wickets

Richard Davies took 2 wickets for 31 off 7 overs and Scot Thomas 1 for 19, before having to be removed from attack due to a groin strain.

Fourteen year-old Dafydd Davies also bowled a good 5 over spell, taking 1 for 16 and he was a little unlucky not to return better figures.

Llechryd’s side contained four Under 15s players, and some coming back into cricket, and there were some notable grafting performances against good opposition.

They included the aforementioned Daf Davies and Tomos Tomkinson, and a grafting effort in keeping out the Dock pace attack by Duncan Blackburn is worthy of a mention, as well as Rob Mansfield. The general effort and endeavour in the field was pleasing and bodes well for the club in future years.