Neyland (106 for 5) beat Saundersfoot (103 for 9)

Defiant Neyland gained a five-wicket home victory against new boys Saundersfoot.

An unbroken stand of 30 by Nick Kooman (14) and Patrick Bellerby (15) saw them home after they had looked shaky at 76 for 5.

The game’s highlight was a hat-trick for Nick Kooman in his 3 for 8 stint as he bowled Richard Cope off the last ball of an over and then removed Dickie Parcell and Jamie Morgan in similar fashion from the first two balls of his next over.

Neyland bowled and fielded well from the outset to maintain the pressure on the Saundersfoot batting, with Patrick Hannon (3 for 23 in 12 overs) and Henry Durrant (2 for 20) rarely bowling a loose delivery in 12 overs.

They were backed up by good fielding which saw veteran off-spinner Gary Lloyd take two excellent catches, one a real cracker at first slip.

Yannick Parker (24) and Richard Cope (23) were the pick of the Seasiders’ batting as Sam Butler (18) and Paul Mansbridge managed double figures. But those three wickets by Nick Kooman meant the visitors had to settle for just 103 for 9 from their allotted 45 overs.

Paul Murray (27) and Sean Hannon (6) gave Neyland a solid start of 38, but Andrew Miller (6) was caught behind by Ian Poole as Nick Cope (3 for 27) and Sam Butler (2 for 10) made sure Saundersfoot stayed in the game.

Gregg Miller opened his season with 16 runs before Kooman and Bellerby finished things off and Neyland were able to pouch 27 points as their reward.

Umpires: Peter Perry and Huw Davies Scorers: John Laugharne and Hazel Poole