Llechryd juniors take the honours (From Western Telegraph)

Llechryd juniors take the honours

Cricket lovers who turned up early to watch the Harrison-Allen received a real treat because the U12 Junior League Final was held as a fore-runner to the main event, with talented young players from Llechryd and Haverfordwest battling out the final.

It was a hard-fought tussle, using the system where teams start with 200 runs and lose six of them for each wicket lost as each team has its players in pairs whose job it is to bat correctly in accruing runs while not getting out.

There were skills aplenty in evidence before Llechryd, who were coached by Ben Graham, Merv Ward and Steve Welch, and superbly supported by family and friends, ran out winners and received the trophy that he had himself presented, from Cyril Venables, the County Club president, with the individual trophies presented to the winners by Michael Dickman, of Fussell Wright and Company, the sponsors.

Batting sensibly from the start, Llechryd lost only two wickets as captain Jemes Heneker and Andrew Saralis shared 17 runs in their combined four overs - with Haverfordwest fighting back as Charles Welsh and James King added four runs but were dismissed once by John Morgan. Then it was the turn of Tab Kalmaru and Ian Chatton to bat for Llechryd and this pair added another five runs to the total before Daniel Malloy and Ian King joined forces in scoring 16 runs but were out once to Simon Williams.

The biggest influence on the Llechryd tally came when Joshua Ward slammed 29 runs alongside Aled Rees and with 24 extras featuring in the score, Llechryd finished up on a healthy score of 273 runs.

Haverfordwest, who have been coached all season by Mike Phillips, Steve James, Ronnie Morse and Keith Thompson, were without key players Julian and Adam James, who were away on holiday, but batted well in losing just three wickets.

Ewan Thomas and Joshua Walters got them off to a solid start with four runs and no wickets but Simon Ellis and Shaun Harries were both dismissed as they mustered two runs. Chris Phillips and Owain Jenkins added nine runs without a loss and there were two runs for John Morgan and Gavin Thomas (no loss) before James Venables and Simon Williams contributed 12 runs but also lost a wicket.

But the Town youngsters total was boosted by 50 extras so they finished up on 271 as Llechryd proved worthy winners.