Pembroke County Cricket Club (182 for 9) beat the South Wales Cricket Association (149 all out) by 33 runs

A MATCH winning burst of 4 for 18 from Lawrenny’s Brad McDermott-Jenkins helped earn the Pembroke County Cricket Club (PCCC) side victory in their game with the South Wales Cricket Association (SWCA) at Neyland Athletic Club on Sunday afternoon.

Chasing 184 to win in their 40 overs, the visitors appeared to be in control at 117-3, but McDermott-Jenkins turned the tide with an aggressive spell that yielded four scalps, three of them clean bowled, as Sean Hannon’s men wrapped up a 33 run win.

Earlier in the day, having lost the toss and been asked to bat, Hannon’s side had to come through a difficult opening before going on to post 182 for 9.

The heavy rainfall of the previous 48 hours had understandably produced a difficult batting track, and PCCC openers Simon Holliday and Daniel Sutton both survived big LBW shouts early on before the latter was clean bowled by Josh Simmons for 10 (two fours).

Ashley Sutton joined Holliday at the crease and the pair accumulated steadily to reach 57 for 1 after 20 overs, before Simmons turned the tide firmly in his side’s favour by clean bowling Sutton (7) as the No 3 looked to drive expansively.

And in the same over, his Neyland teammate Nick Koomen also fell to Simmons (3-24) for a duck, nicking behind to SWCA skipper and wicket-keeper Greg Fisher.

But Patrick Bellerby proceeded to come in and up the run rate, announcing his intentions by launching Simmons for a straight six, before cracking another maximum over cow corner off spinner Connor Barry.

Bellerby was then dropped tamely at mid-wicket off Barry’s next delivery, and he and Holliday took advantage as their partnership passed 50, before the Haverfordwest player notched his own personal half century in the 32nd over with a straight drive to the boundary.

The pair eventually put on 69 before Holliday fell to Barry in the 33rd over for 56 (eight fours), as he lost his balance trying to attack and was stumped by Fisher.

Lee Summons, a late call up to the side after Ben Field was forced to withdraw, was clean bowled first ball by Danny Allan (1-25), but McDermott-Jenkins helped Bellerby keep the momentum going with two fours and a six in his brief 16, before holing out to James Garland in the deep off Barry.

Just two balls later Bellerby became the spinner’s third victim, also stumped by Fisher after miscuing his charge down the track after making 42 (three fours and two sixes).

That left the PCCC 153-7, and both Henry Durrant (12) and Kurtis Marsh (11) struck sixes before Barry removed both to secure his five wicket haul (5-45), bowling Durrant and having Marsh caught behind by Fisher.

The final wicket pairing of Iestyn Scourfield (4 not out) and Hannon (1 not out) then negotiated the final over to take the home side to 182 for 9, a challenging total given the difficult pitch and outfield conditions.

But SWCA opener Steffan Davies wasted little time in getting his side above the run rate, hooking a four and cracking a full toss for six as the PCCC opted to open with spinner Marsh.

He continued to attack Marsh in the youngster’s second over, driving a four and hitting another maximum, but the Kilgetty player should have had his first wicket when Davies’s opening partner, Miles Murphy, was dropped by Koomen at mid-off.

But Hannon chose to bring Durrant into the attack as early as the fifth over, and it brought immediate reward as his first delivery was slashed by Davies towards Summons at mid-on, and the Johnston player took a superb diving catch to remove the danger man for 22 (two fours and two sixes).

The wicket stalled the SWCA somewhat, and Murphy’s luck ran out when he was bowled by the economical Iestyn Scourfield (1-18) for 7.

And then when Durrant’s (2-22) left arm seam removed Wales Over 50s captain Johnny Jones, caught in the slips by Holliday for 5, the visitors were 34 for 3 and the home side were firmly on top.

But the pendulum was to swing again as Simmons and Garland rebuilt matters for the SWCA, and they took the score to 82 for 3 after 18 overs before Simmons in particular began to cut loose.

He took 16 off Holliday’s second over, including a huge six over mid-on and a reverse sweep that made the boundary rope, and continued his assault two overs later with another maximum.

But then crucially, Holliday (1-27) struck from the final ball of this three over spell, as Simmons aimed another big hit and was clean bowled for 44 (five fours and two sixes), leaving his side 117 for 4.

That prompted a collapse from the visitors as they fell dramatically to 120 for 7, with McDermott-Jenkins trapping Garland LBW for 35 (five fours and a six), before skittling Fisher for a duck.

He removed Terry Barrett in the same fashion for another duck, moving his side within three wickets of victory, before Allan and Will Collison edged the visitors to 148 for 7.

But in the 31st over it was Daniel Sutton (2-13) who effectively ended matters, bowling both Allan (22 – three fours) and Collison (4).

And the following over, it was fittingly McDermott-Jenkins who sealed the win when he skittled Barry for 1, securing a well-earned win for Hannon’s side, and a measure of revenge for their heavy defeat against the same opponents in Swansea last month.

PCCC Batting:

Daniel Sutton B Josh Simmons   10

Simon Holliday St Greg Fisher B Connor Barry  56

Ashley Sutton B Josh Simmons   7

Nick Koomen Ct Greg Fisher B Josh Simmons   0

Patrick Bellerby St Greg Fisher B Connor Barry 42

Lee Summons   B Danny Allan 0

Brad McDermott-Jenkins  Ct James Garland B Connor Barry 16

Henry Durrant B Connor Barry 12

Kurtis Marsh Ct Greg Fisher B Connnor Barry 11

Iestyn Scourfield not out 4

Sean Hannon not out 1

Extras:  23

Total: 182 for 9

SWCA bowling: Will Collison 7-1-0-33; Joe Baker 5-0-0-19; Josh Simmons 8-2-3-24; Terry Barrett 7-0-0-27; Danny Allan 5-0-1-25; Connor Barry 8-0-5-45.

SWCA Batting:

Steffan Davies Ct Lee Summons B Henry Durrant   22

Miles Murphy B Iestyn Scourfield 7

Johnny Jones Ct Simon Holliday B Henry Durrant   5

Josh Simmons B Simon Holliday  44

James Garland  LBW Brad McDermott-Jenkins   35

Greg Fisher B Brad McDermott-Jenkins 0

Danny Allan B Daniel Sutton 22

Terry Barrett B Brad McDermott-Jenkins 0

Will Collison B Daniel Sutton     4

Connor Barry B Brad McDermott-Jenkins 1

Joe Baker not out 0

Extras: 9
Total: 149 all out

PCCC Bowling: Kurtis Marsh 2-0-0-21; Iestyn Scourfield 8-4-1-18; Henry Durrant 6-2-2-22; Nick Koomen 4-0-0-23; Simon Holliday 3-1-1-27; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 5.5-0-4-18; Dan Sutton 3-0-2-13.

Umpires: Allen Hansen and Robert Ridge.

Scorers: John Laugharne and Tommy Davies.

The half time raffle at the Athletic Club was sponsored by Arthur Arran.