Alec Colley Cup semi final: Whitland 2nds (167-7) beat St Ishmaels 2nds (116 all out) by 51 runs

WHITLAND bowlers Gregg Sleep and Jack Bowen shared seven wickets between them to help their side move into the Alec Colley final by beating St Ishmaels at Llangwm last night (Tuesday).

After skipper David Lee opted to bat first, the 2015 and 2016 cup winners made 167-7, and the game appeared in the balance as Tish stood 66-1 in nine overs in their reply, before Sleep and Bowen turned the tide.

It was Sleep and Paul Oeppen who got The Borderers off to a quick start, taking The Borderers to 30-0 before Adam Davies bowled Sleep for 19 (four fours), although there was some confusion over how many fielders Tish had within the circle before umpire Arthur Brady signalled out.

That brought in skipper Lee, and he and Oeppen continued to push the pace, with the latter cracking six fours before miscuing a hook shot off Lenny Rees in the ninth over and being caught by Mark Mathias for 32 (six fours).

That left Whitland 61-2, and new batsman Dan Newton survived a scare next over when Davies put down a sharp return catch.

It proved crucial as Newton and Lee took the score to 87-2 in the 15th over before the captain went for 20 (two fours), caught by Mathias off Robbie Thomas.

But Newton accelerated matters, hitting two sixes off Thomas in a 15th over that yielded 16 runs.

New man Bowen also produced some big hitting, and the pair pushed things to 138-3 when Newton was caught by Thomas off Mathias for a crucial 34 (two sixes, one four).

Jack Bowen went on to make a quickfire 32 (two sixes, three fours) before being skittled by Mathias - and in the final over The Borderers lost two more wickets as Gethin Scourfield (12, two fours) was stumped by Steve Hastings, and Gethin Scourfield (4) was caught by Davies, both off the bowling of Tish skipper Kevin Bowen.

It gave Bowen figures of 2-38, while Mathias took 2-26, Thomas 1-33, Davies 1-34 and Rees 1-31 - with the Whitland total of 167-7 about par on a Llangwm pitch in perfect condition for batting.

The Tish reply got off to a solid start as Mathias and Danny Richards put on 59, using the pace of Whitland openers Scourfield and Phillips, as well as the lightning outfield at Pill Parks, to regularly stroke boundaries.

But Sleep was brought into the attack in the eighth over and crucially bowled Mathias for 43 (four fours, one six).

Two overs later, the same bowler has Steve Hartley (1) caught by Gethin Benjamin, and should have had a third wicket when new man Davies was dropped by Jamie Thomas in the deep.

Jack Bowen's introduction in the 11th over saw him clean bowl Richards for 24 (three fours), and Tish were soon four down when Sleep had Kevin Bowen (8) caught on the boundary by Newton.

And from there The Borderers took command, as Davies was run out (11), and very next ball Scott Findlay nicked Bowen behind to keeper Che Thomas for a golden duck.

The latter gave Sleep his fourth wicket when he stumped namesake Robbie (1), and he should have had a five-four next ball when new man Ieuan Hawkins was dropped by Phillips.

The youngster would on to end 8 not out, but Whitland soon wrapped things up in 19.1 overs, as Rees (2) was caught by Lee to become Bowen's third victim, and Phillips returned to the attack to remove Marc Devonald (11) and last man Steve Hastings (0).

For Whitland, Sleep ended with 4-26, Bowen 3-26, and Phillips 2-29.

And they now have set up a chance of a third straight Alec Colley win, and will meet the winners if the clash between Lawrenny and Llangwm at Hook this coming Thursday night.

Umpires: Arthur Brady and Tony Waldeis.