Town deny Cresselly sixth win

Haverfordwest 2nds (94 – 8 and 128 – 6) beat Cresselly 2nds (101 – 3 and 110 – 8)
HAVERFORDWEST Seconds fought hard to beat a stubborn Cresselly seconds who were looking for their sixth Alec Colley title in a row.
Pembroke Cricket Club hosted the final last Sunday afternoon, and Haverfordwest were asked to bat first, and after Saturday’s heavy rain, runs were difficult to come by.
Haverfordwest opened with captain Richard Scriven and first teamer Simon Holliday. Scriven was run out for 23 as the tight bowling from Harry Thomas (1-18) and Richard Harris (1-11) kept Haverfordwest in check. ‘Doc’ Holliday was then caught for an uncharacteristic 3.
Cresselly then took the pace off the ball as David ‘Dessie’ Haynes, Nitin Mathias, Jamie Jenkins and Kern Cunningham all lost their wickets. Cresselly captain Matthew Lewis (3-27) and Richard Arthur (2-34) turned the screw to keep Haverfordwest on a below par score. Ajay Ravu scored a valuable 24 at the tail of the innings before the Town finished on 94-8.
Cresselly made slow but steady progress as Scott Arthur and Andrew Harries opened the innings. Haverfordwest turned to the slow stuff of Simon Holliday and Ajay Ravu, who slowed an already slow innings, with runs very hard to come by. The pressure built and Ravu claimed the wicket of Andrew Harris (41). Scott Arthur followed for a steady 25. Cresselly finished on 101, giving them a lead at the break of seven runs. Runs were few and far between, however the drama was high.
After tea Haverfordwest lost and early wicket, leaving Simon Holliday at the crease, before he was joined by Ajay Ravu before he departed for an important 29. Holliday scored the most valuable runs being caught out for 40. Richard Mathias finished with 3-39 and Matthew Lewis with 2-40 as the Town posted a target of 122 runs to win for Cresselly; a small target, but in a low scoring game, Haverfordwest knew it was defendable with accurate bowling and committed fielding.
Cresselly began the chase poorly as Harries lost his wicket and a spectacular catch left Cresselly two wickets down. Ravu’s bowling was tight as he got another wicket in his man of the match performance. Cresselly’s reign of the Alec Colley sliped with every ball bowled, and for the first time in five years, they have to settle for being runners up, in an entertaining final.