Runs galore in tight draw (From Western Telegraph)

Runs galore in tight draw

Cresselly (175 for 8) drew with Pembroke (181 for 9) Umpires: Alan Hansen and Barry Wood Scorer: Dave Richards

There were runs galore at Cresselly, despite the rain, as Pembroke amassed a healthy 181 for 9 in their allotted 45 overs.

The homesters gave chase until they ran out of overs just seven short of success in a game that was always going to be close but looked to be edging Cressellys way until they lost momentum, and three late wickets, as canny off-spinner Nigel Phillips effectively applied the brakes for Pembroke.

Pembroke made a bright start but Matthew Mitchell departed for 14 as he edged a delivery from James Caine into Simon Harts gloves.

Craig Nutty departed cheaply as he drove a ball from Mark Harris to Ryan Lewis at mid-wicket but Mark Fraser and Hugh Davies carried the score to 69 before Fraser was caught at first slip by Richard Harris off Lyn Richards for 29, the Cresselly skipper juggling the ball before finally taking control.

William Davies scored 13 before skying the ball to Mark Harris at cover and there were two sixes in teenager Jonathan Hydes 19 before he was removed by Richard Harris - and it was left to Hugh Davies, with three fours and two sixes in his 42 to make sure that Pembroke didnt suffer a middle-order collapse.

He was eventually out lbw to Richard Harris, who finished with 4 for 45, and Pembroke captain Gwyn Griffiths also clipped two big sixes in his unbeaten 30 as he was joined by Nigel Phillips in a productive last wicket stand that took his team past the 180 mark.

Cresselly lost Julian Arthur with the score on 11, bowled by Kevin Jenkins, who struck another major blow four runs later when he had former Pembroke player Ryan Lewis caught by Paul White.

But Cresselly added 120 runs before they lost their next wicket as Phil Williams and Damian Arthur batted well.

Disaster struck on 135 as Damian Arthur drove a ball back to Kevin Jenkins and the veteran Pembroke bowler showed speed of thought and deed in running out the unfortunate Williams for 39.

As so often happens, Arthur departed at the same score, Jenkins striking again to have him caught by Craig Nutty for a classy 64 - and then removing Richard Harris soon after as Matthew Mitchell pouched the catch.

It left Jenkins with the superb figures of 4 for 16 in 12 overs, four of them maidens, as the former county captain showed the ability to overcome niggling injuries to play a key role in the team.

Lyn Richards and Huw Griffiths seemed likely to restore the balance in Cresselly favour but Richards was dismissed by Hyde, aided by a good catch from Gwyn Griffiths, and with Nigel Phillips bowling Mark Harris and Simon Hart in quick succession it was left to Hugh Griffiths and James Caine to make sure that Cresselly had their share of the draw points in an entertaining match.