ST ISHMAELS came agonisingly close to beating champions Cresselly on Saturday (May 13) as they were bowled out just five runs short of their target.
An excellent display had seen Tish limit Cresselly to 154-8 in their 45 overs and it looked as if a shock result may have been on the cards.
However, three wickets each for Charlie Arthur and George Davies helped Cresselly over the line.
Neal Williams and Charlie Arthur opened up for Cresselly, sharing 36 runs before Tish made the breakthrough. Arthur hit four fours in his score of 18 but he was then bowled by Lewis Rhead.
Simon Cole did not last long before he became Rhead’s second victim, caught by Huw Scriven, and when Williams was caught by Peter Bradshaw, also off the bowling of Rhead, Cresselly found themselves on 66-3.
Alex Bayley and Iwan Izzard added 24 runs for the fourth wicket but Rhead claimed his fourth wicket as he bowled Bayley.
Izzard hit five fours in his score of 30 but he was then caught by Jonathan Pawlett off the bowling of Brennan Devonald.
The wickets kept tumbling as Devonald then bowled Mike Venables for a third-ball-duck and soon after, Archier Hillier-Wood was caught by Devonald off the bowling of Andrew Pawlett, also for a duck.
That left Cresselly reeling on 91-7 and in danger of not making three figures.
Andrew Pawlett trapped Christian Phillips leg before wicket but a score of 44 not out (five fours, one six) from Neilson Cole helped Cresselly post 154-8 from their 45 overs.
There were early scores of 12 from Peter Bradshaw, 19 from Phil Llewellyn, who both fell to Charlie Arthur, and scores of 15 from Brennan Devonald and Karl Rhead before both fell to Simon Cole.
That reduced Tish to 75-4 and wickets kept coming as Andrew Pawlett was bowled by Christian Phillips.
Rhys Beavis was bowled by Arthur and Huw Scriven fell to the bowling of George Davies. Lewis Rhead was then bowled by Christian Phillips and George Davies claimed the wicket of Ieuan Hawkins to leave Tish on 123-9.
Batting at five, Jonathan Pawlett reached his half century, hitting seven fours as he finished unbeaten on 54. It took them to within five runs of their opponents with a couple of overs still to go.
However, George Davies bowled Jay Power to break Tish’s hearts and earn Cresselly their third win of the season.
