Locke leads way in Preseli hills battle (From Western Telegraph)

Locke leads way in Preseli hills battle

Crymych (100 all out and 119 for 6)

beat

Maenclochog (97 for 7 and 106 all out)

Venue: Hook CC

Umpires: Mike Heritage and Ronnie Morse

Scorer: Dai Williams (Maenclochog)

Huw Locke was the toast of his Crymych colleagues at a sun-drenched Hook as he scored a second-innings 56 to help his side beat neighbours Maenclochog in the Alan Brown Final, which was effectively the battle for supremacy in the Preseli Hills since the teams are currently locked in contention at the top of the Fourth Division.

Both had also enjoyed success in this popular competition, organised by the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers, over the past two seasons and so the tough tussle expected was brought to fruition as Crymych led by three runs at tea and had Locke to thank for a second innings tally that took the cup back to Glandy Cross rather than Rosebush!

Put in to bat, Crymych made a good start as Elgan Vittles 31 (a six and three fours) was supported by double figures from Dai Morgan and Eurig Lewis but Maenclochog remained in contention as they had three good run outs and took good catches via Rob Nicholas, Huw Davies, Gary Nicholas, Aled Davies and Paul Bowen.

Rupert Sykes claimed the wicket of Vittle in his 3 for 25 spell while Jamie Straw struck early to remove Locke and co-opener Bevis Stanford, with skipper Mike Howe chipping in with 2 for 16.

Geraint Bowen and Rob Nicholas started well for Maenclochog as Bowen struck one huge straight six in his 22. Paul Bowen also looked in good form as Maenclochog moved to 75 for 3 but was out at the wrong time to launch the run in, as was Rupert Sykes, who had scored 17.

They finally settled on 97 for 7 but there was a feeling among the neutrals that perhaps they needed a lead to take into the second half of the match. Maenclochog struck early in the Crymych second innings when Straw bowled Bevis Stanford for a duck and Vittle departed with the score on 21, followed by another key batsman in Eurig Lewis at 36 - but veteran skipper Tudor Harries proved the perfect foil for the hard-hitting Locke as they added 76 vital runs before Locke departed for 56 (four fours and a six) with the score at 112.

Harries was not out 29, a vital innings in the context of the game, but was unable to field in the final innings because of a muscle pull.

Maenclochog needed a good start but were soon deep in trouble at 29 for 5 as Dave Dearden was joined by Eurig Davies, only drafted in at lunch-time because John Williams was unfit, in tearing the heart out of the Maenclochog innings.

Dearden finished with 3 for 5 and Davies 3 for 22 so that although Rob Nicholas battled hard to turn the tide with a gritty 34 there was little support at the other end and when Nicholas left the fray with the score on 97 it was effectively the end of the match as Crymych won the Alan Brown Cup - and the unofficial championship of the Preseli Hills.

CRYMYCH 1ST INNINGS B. Stanford c R. Nicholas b J. Straw 9 H. Locke c A. Davies b J. Straw 8 E. Vittle b R. Sykes 31 E. Lewis run out 12 T. Harries c G. Nicholas b M. Howe 4 D. Morgan c H. Davies b M. Howe 12 O. Ennis c P. Bowen B R. Sykes 1 G. Williams c H. Davies b R. Sykes 3 M. Stanford run out 9 D. Deardon run out 0 E. Davies not out 3 Extras 10 Total (for 10 wkts) 100

Bowling: J. Straw 6-0-20-2; D. Jenkins 6-1-33-0; R. Sykes 5-0-25-3; M. Howe 5-0-16-2.

MAENCLOCHOG 1ST INNINGS G. Bowen c D. Morgan b D. Deardon 20 R. Nicholas b E. Davies 8 M. Howe run out 7 P. Bowen c E. Lewis b O. Ennis 22 R. Sykes run out 17 J. Straw b B. Stanford 1 A. Davies b O. Ennis 5 G. Nicholas not out 6 S. Pendry not out 1 Extras 10 Total (for 7 wkts) 97

Bowling: O. Ennis 6-0-36-2; E. Davies 6-0-17-1; B. Stanford 5-1-14-1; D. Deardon 3-1-18-1; H. Locke 2-0-8-0.

CRYMYCH 2ND INNINGS B. Stanford b J. Straw 0 H. Locke b M. Howe 56 E. Vittle b D. Jenkins 11 E. Lewis c H. Davies b J. Straw 11 T. Harries not out 29 O. Ennis c A. Davies b M. Howe 0 G. Williams run out 0 Extras 12 Total (for 6 wkts) 119

Bowling: J. Straw 6-1-21-2; D. Jenkins 6-1-18-1; R. Sykes 3-0-20-0; M. Howe 5-0-36-2; P. Bowen 2-0-17-0.

MAENCLOCHOG 2ND INNINGS R. Nicholas b D. Dearden 34 P. Bowen lbw b E. Davies 0 M. Howe b E. Davies 1 R. Sykes b O. Ennis 10 G. Bowen c B. Stanford b E. Davies 4 J. Straw c H. Locke b O. Ennis 5 A. Davies run out 25 G. Nicholas c D. Dearden b B. Stanford 2 H. Davies b D. Dearden 5 D. Jenkins not out 1 Extras 12 Total (for 10 wkts) 106

Bowling: O. Ennis 6-1-21-1; E. Davies 6-1-22-3; B. Stanford 5-0-24-1; H. Locke 3-0-31-0; D. Dearden 2-1-5-3.