Runs galore in top v bottom clash (From Western Telegraph)

Runs galore in top v bottom clash

Carew (217 for 8) drew with Lamphey (183 for 7) Umpires: Les Hastings and John Williams Scorers: Gethin Evans and Jo Kerrison

There were runs galore at Carew as the league leaders were pushed all the way by a Lamphey side whose performance belied their lowly league position.

Back to full strength, the visitors won the toss for the first time in ages and battled hard to keep the lid on the run-rate built by a Carew batting line-up that was so strong on paper that Darren Thomas and James Owen were ten and jack respectively!

Although good middle-order knocks by Steve Cole and Rob Scourfield inevitably launched Carew past the 200 mark Lamphey gritted their teeth and with opener Daniel Sutton and wicket-keeper Mark Yea looking good with the bat they reached the respectability of a draw at 183 for 7 and made up a little ground on the teams above them.

Although Ian Sefton and Nick Scourfield got Carew off to a good start with a stand of 48 in 12 overs, the homesters stuttered as Dave Lovell and Tim Haggar came on as first change bowlers to halt the run rate that only ten runs came between the 16th and 24th overs, with Haggar back to form as he grabbed three of the first four wickets, starting with Scourfield caught by Yea for 18 and then clean bowling Sefton for 36 (four fours and a six) and Simon Wood.

Tim Hicks and Steve Cole then battled to make headway but Hicks eventually reached 25, with four boundaries, before he was well caught low down at mid wicket by Gareth Lewis off Lovells spin bowling. Aled Davies demise for a duck gave Haggar a 4 for 42 haul and Rob Scourfield also struggled early on but then he and Coles patience was rewarded as they rattled up the runs in a stand of 81.

Sutton and Ian Kerrison were given a little stick before the latter gained a little revenge as he had Cole caught and bowled for 49 off a full toss after Coles colleagues had mistakenly clapped his half century a ball before. Hywel Gibbs came back at the other end to dismiss Rob Scourfield for 46, caught by Lovell at mid wicket from a low full toss and Carew finally settled on 217 for 8 from their allotted 45 overs.

Lamphey also made a good start in reply, Sutton and Lovell reaching 59 in quick time before their skipper gave Aled Davies a chance at gully which he pouched off the bowling of Simon Wood after Darren Thomas and James Owen had toiled in vain.

But Sutton was already in fine fettle and was joined in a stand of 46 by Rob Mathias, who then took on the Carew fielders a time too many and was run out from a direct hit by Darren Thomas.

Gareth Lewis was bowled by Hicks for a duck and Lamphey slumped from 105 for 1 to 111 for 4 as Sutton fell to a catch by Nick Scourfield off brother Rob at long-off, Sutton having rapped nine fours and a six in his excellent 62.

Rob Scourfield also removed Gibbs cheaply but Mark Yea, back after knee trouble, looked in good nick as he struck two sixes and two fours in 43 before he was bowled by Wood, who also removed Ian Kerrison from the last ball of the match to claim 3 for 46 - but Peter Hall was still there against his former colleagues and in the final analysis a draw was the fairest result in a very good game to watch.