Lawrenny beat Whitland by three wickets in DR Morris semi

A boundary in the final over from James Buckle settled the first DR Morris Cup semi final as Lawrenny came through a tense game with Whitland at Kilgetty.

Chasing 157 to win, Lawrenny’s run chase hung in the balance when they fell to 131-7, but captain Joe Kidney and Buckle kept their nerve to level the scores with four balls left before Buckle took Geraint Jones to the fence to seal matters.

Kidney had earlier opted to field after winning the toss but Whitland started well, Dylan Blain hooking an early six off Jamie Lewis and Jack Bowen also cleared the rope off the same bowler as the Borderers reached 48-0.

But having made 27, it was then that Blain was caught in the deep by Tom Cole off the first ball bowled by Brad McDermott Jenkins.

No 3 Jones got going with a maximum off Ryan Morton but he reached 17 before going for a big hit off Harry Thomas, and again Cole did the honours with the catch.

Bowen was undeterred though, bringing up his half century in the 16th over with a maximum off Thomas and he had four fours and five sixes to his name when on 76, he was bowled by Kurtis Marsh.

Still Whitland were well set on 141-3 but they lost late wickets pushing for runs, Jonathan Thomas (17) also skittled by Marsh while Nathan Evans (3) and Martin Thomas (1) were both run out, with skipper Matthew Davies left on 11 not out.

For Lawrenny, Rob Williams finished with 0-20, Lewis 0-25, McDermott-Jenkins 1-25, Morton 0-35, Thomas 1-35 and Marsh 2-13.

It was Marsh and McDermott-Jenkins who then got the Lawrenny chase off to a flier, hammering their way to 59-0 in the fifth over when the latter was bowled by Wayne Howells having hammered 40 – 38 of which came in boundaries via five fours and three sixes.

James Phillips came in and made immediate impact with a four and six but when he was caught by Evans off spinner Thomas for 12, things started to unravel.

Marsh was caught and bowled by Gregg Sleep for 32 (five fours) and Thomas (0) was skittled by Howells to leave matters at 92-4, which became 116-6 when both Steve Lewis (2) and Cole (3) were run out.

Ryan Morton made nine before giving a catch to Bowen off Davies, but with 26 needed No 6 Kidney and Buckle batted sensibly to enter the final over needing just four runs to win.

That became three after a wide from Jones and then Buckle hit two – before that decisive boundary secured Lawrenny’s place in the final for the first time since 2006.

The No 9 finished 18 not out with Kidney unbeaten on 30 (three fours and a six), while for Whitland Jones finished with 0-31, Thomas 1-34, Howells 2-41, Sleep 1-25 and Davies 1-26.

The second semi final takes place this Thursday when Haverfordwest play holders Neyland at St Ishmaels.

Umpires: Allan Hansen and John Williams.

Scorers: Ann-Marie Benjamin and Malcolm Thomas.