Pembrokeshire? ?atch of the day?turned out to be the only match of the day in the Dragon Sports County Cricket League on Saturday as rain washed out the entire programme apart from the local derby between Carew and Cresselly.
In an absorbing and pulsating game, Carew managed to hang on for a draw after giving up the run chase in the 24th over when the sixth wicket fell at a total of 56.
Play was only possible because of the efforts of groundsmen Gerald Hicks and his team, and the match started 30 minutes later than usual. Carew skipper Darren Thomas won the toss and not surprisingly invited the visitors to bat.
Considering that the conditions suited the bowlers more than the batsmen, Cresselly made a promising start with an opening partnership of 28 betwe en Julian Arthur and Richard Harris, which ended when Arthur was caught by Phil Jones off the bowling of Darren Thomas.
Cresselly skipper Richard Harris dropped anchor and had a sequence of useful partnerships with Simon Cole, Damian Arthur and Lyn Richar ds and with Harris at the crease and a total on 120 for 4 the visitors appeared to be well placed.
How quickly things can change in cricket! The rather late introduction of Simon Wood into the bowling attack changed the course of the game and Harris becam e the first of Wood? victims when he was caught by Phil Jones for an excellent 47 after striking five 4s.
The dismissal of Harris, in Wood? second over, triggered off a batting collapse, with two other wickets falling in the same over and Cresselly were bowled out for a total of 134 with one over of the innings remaining.
Wood bowled superbly and ended with the remarkable figures of 5 for 5 in five overs. Skipper Darren Thomas took 2 for 32, Steve Ive bowled well and deserved to have more than one wicket. Spinner John Canton was turning the ball square and also picked up one wicket.
The Carew bowlers bowled accurately and were backed up by some excellent fielding and wicket-keeping, with only three extras being conceded during the innings.
The mood in the Carew camp was buoyant at the tea interval, as a target of 135 was eminently gettable for their strong batting line-up.
However, it was clear from the outset that the Cresselly bowlers would make the batsmen work for the runs. The experienced Phil James was on the spot and the youthful Steffan Jenkins was a little more erratic, but produced a couple of gems in each over and made the ball rise sharply off a length.
Nick Scourfield was run out through a brilliant piece of fielding by Adam Chandler at poin t with the total on eight and Ian Sefton moved across his wickets to have his pads trapped by Jenkins with a total on 24. Simon Wood had looked in command, but drove too soon at a ball by Adam Chandler to be well taken by Ryan Lewis at wide mid-off with t he total on 34. When Tim Hicks departed shortly afterwards, Carew were 35 for 4.
Phil Jones and Brian Hall continued to look for the runs as did Ansell when by replaced Hall. However, when Ansell was caught by Damian Arthur off the bowling of Chandler for six with the total on 56, Darren Thomas changed the tactics and the batsmen played out for a draw.
Phil Jones restrained his natural inclination to strike the ball and got his head down with Robert Scourfield and the pair frustrated the Cresselly bowling attack for 24 overs, during which time they added 34 runs.
Although Jones fell leg before to Ryan Lewis for 14 in the penultimate over, Steve Ive joined Scourfield and held the fort firm so that the Carew innings closed with the total on 92 for 7.
Lyn Richards and Adam Chandler both picked up two wickets and although all six Cresselly bowlers returned good figures, it was somewhat surprising to find that 17 wides were bowled during the innings.
By playing the match, both Cresselly and Carew stole a mar ch on other Division One championship contenders, with Cresselly picking up 19 points for a winning draw and Carew 11 points by salvaging a draw.
Cresselly continue to lead the table with 84 points, Carew are in second place with 65 points and then ther e is a big gap between the two leaders and the chasing pack, with five teams having between 45 and 48 points. Lawrenny are in third place with 48 points.
Cresselly ?eeper Neilson Cole was very agile behind the stumps and the standard of fielding by both t eams was exemplary so early in the season.
CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?
In the local derby between Carew and Cresselly when play started Carew skipper Darren Thomas asked one of the younger members of his team to collect some beer towels from the clubhouse so th at the bowlers could dry the ball, which would become wet on the damp outfield. The fielder in question returned with four beer mats!
During the Carew innings, Philip ?pam?James, the Cresselly opening bowler, was struck on his wrist by a ball and received a painful injury forcing him to leave the field. As no ice was available, he used a frozen hamburger as an ice pack to ease the discomfort to his arm!
During the Cresselly innings, one of the Cresselly batsmen went out to bat with his mobile phone in his pocket which was switched onFixtures
Division One: Cresselly v Hook; Carew v Whitland; Narberth v Lawrenny; St. Ishmaels v Haverfordwest; Llangwm v Pembroke.
Division Two: Haverfordwest II v Carew II; Neyland v Maenclochog; Stackpole v Johnston; Lamphey v Burton; Llanrhian v Saundersfoot.
Division Three: Burton II v Llechryd; Camrose and Spittal v Fishguard; Crymych v Manorbier; Lawrenny II v Cresselly II; Hundleton v Narberth II.
Division Four: Herbrandston v Camrose and Spittal II; Pembroke II v Lamphey II; Carew III v Haverfordwest III; Whitland II v Stackpole II.
Division Five: Dinas v Neyland II; Hook II v Llanrhian II; Narberth III v St. Ishmaels II; Letterston v Pembroke Dock; St. Florence v Whitland III.
Division Six: Haverfordwest IV v Llanrhian III; Llechryd II v Hundleton II; Saundersfoot II v Stackpole III; Johnston II v Herbrandston II; Fishguard II v Crymych II; Burton III v Kilgetty.
and had to hand over the offending instrument to the umpires Les Hastings and Trefor Evans.ˇ