Favourites dominate final

A large crowd saw the favourites dominate proceedings throughout the match and collect the trophy after just 4.1 overs of the final innings.

Carew won the toss and invited Haverfordwest to bat first. This decision was quickly vindicated as the bowlers quickly took control of the match.

Openers Kath Huxley and Caryl Brace took four wickets between them in their first spells, Brace just failing to achieve a hat-trick in her fourth over, following two close catches by Huxley.

She finished with 3-17 but wickets continued to fall at regular intervals as Julie Garlick and Christine Cole (2-21) kept up the pressure. Opening batswoman Sian Fair continued to bat steadily and Hayley Thomas added a quick 13 batting at number eight before Huxley returned to take three more wickets (including another hat-trick chance), finishing with 4-16.

Haverfordwest were dismissed for 71 as Fair was run out from the last ball of the 20th over having held the innings together with a gritty 26.

Despite their low score Haverfordwest were given some early hope as Hayley Thomas brought them back into the game with four wickets in her five overs, the Carew middle order all failing to reach double figures.

However Jo Kerrison was still undefeated and a stand of 32 for the sixth wicket with Eleri Williams ensured they would be in the lead at the tea interval. Diane Lewis picked up two late wickets but Kerrison stayed until the end, hitting 7 fours in her 58 not out. Carew finished on 103 for 7 giving them a lead of 32.

Following tea, the second Haverfordwest innings followed much the same path as the first one.

Another good bowling performance saw 10 overs pass before the 32 runs required to start scoring again were achieved. Julie Garlick had also taken 2-7 in this passage of play including the wicket of Fair who was dismissed, hit wicket.

Only Helen Lambert (10) reached double figures as the innings closed on 66-6. Huxley took another two wickets to give her match figures of 6-32 and Chris Cole picked up the other wicket.

A target of 35 to win was achieved in quick time without loss. Julie Garlick, opening the innings in place of Kerrison, hit 27 as Carew achieved the first half of their expected league and cup double with their 13th successive victory of the season.

Mrs J. Huxley presented the Skelfayre Ltd trophy to Carew captain Caryl Brace. The player of the match was adjudicated by Mandy Rees and Sam Rossiter who highlighted the excellent bowling performances of all the Carew bowlers but they chose Jo Kerrison for her 58 not out in the first innings which helped give Carew the match winning first innings lead.

First Innings HAVERFORDWEST S. Fair run out 26 H. Lambert ct K. Evans b K. Huxley 9 L. Jones ct K. Huxley b C. Brace 7 L. Lewis ct K. Huxley b C. Brace 0 D. Lewis run out 1 S. Mathias b C. Cole 0 J. Evans b C. Cole 4 H. Thomas c+b K. Huxley 13 S. Ward ct J. Kerrison b K. Huxley 0 S. Phillips ct J. Garlick b K. Huxley 0 L. Sexton not out 2 Extras 9 Total (all out) 71

Carew Bowling: K. Huxley 5-0-16-4; C. Brace 5-0-17-3; J. Garlick 5-0-13-0; C. Cole 5-0-21-2.

CAREW J. Kerrison not out 58 K. Evans lbw H. Thomas 2 C. Brace ct S. Fair b H. Thomas 3 J. Garlick b H. Thomas 8 K. Huxley lbw H. Thomas 3 C. Cole b D. Lewis 3 E. Williams ct S. Fair b D. Lewis 12 A. Williams b J. Evans 0 K. Griffiths not out 0 Extras 14 Total ( For 7 wkts) 103

Haverfordwest Bowling: H. Thomas 5-0-28-4; L. Jones 5-0-25-0; D. Lewis 5-0-20-2; J. Evans 5-0-29-1.

Second Innings HAVERFORDWEST S. Fair hit wicket b J. Garlick 9 H. Lambert b K. Huxley 10 L. Jones run out 8 L. Lewis lbw C. Cole 1 D. Lewis c+b J. Garlick 1 S. Mathias not out 8 J. Evans ct K. Griffiths b K. Huxley 9 H. Thomas not out 7 Extras 13 Total (For 6 wkts) 66

Carew Bowling: K. Huxley 5-1-16-2; C. Brace 5-0-18-0; J. Garlick 5-1-7-2; C. Cole 5-0-21-2.

CAREW J. Garlick not out 27 K. Evans not out 6 Extras 3 Total (For 0 wkts) 36 Haverfordwest Bowling: H. Thomas 2.1-0-17-0; L. Sexton 2-0-21-0.