Harrison Allen Bowl quarter final:

St Ishmaels (157-9) lost to Lawrenny (158-5)

A composed knock from Harry Thomas proved crucial as Lawrenny won through to the Harrison Allen Bowl semi finals with a five wicket win at Tish last night.

It was Brad-McDermott Jenkins and James Phillips who provided the power hitting as the visitors chased 158 in fading light, but No 3 Thomas batted for more than 18 overs to finish 35 not out, and was joined by Rob Williams in seeing Joe Kidney’s men home with two overs to spare.

It was Kidney who put Tish in after winning the toss, and his side started well as Williams trapped Peter Bradshaw (11) LBW in the third over.

That brought in Brennan Devonald who immediately signalled his intent by cracking a boundary, and he and opener Jack Nicholas built well, with the latter lofting a six over mid-wicket as the pair took 15 off Williams in the ninth over.

But after moving to 72-1, things unravelled for Tish as they lost four wickets for 11 runs, as McDermott-Jenkins clean bowled Nicholas (34) and in the same over, Devonald holed out to Williams on the boundary for 23 (three fours).

Skipper Phil Cockburn (1) was then brilliantly caught by Ryan Morton off Jamie Lewis (1-31) – and Andrew Williams (3) was run out from a direct throw by Thomas.

However, although Jonathan Pawlett (10) was bowled by Morton to make it 107-6, No 7 Danny Howells responded by launching a six in the same over, and he and Andrew Palmer upped the run rate before Howells was caught on the boundary by Kidney off McDermott-Jenkins for 34 (three fours and a six).

But Palmer would go on to finish 28 not out (three fours), as Tish just about saw out their 22 overs, with McDermott-Jenkins sealing a haul of 5-32 by removing Danny Flynn (0) and Andrew Pawlett (1).

Williams meanwhile, finished with 1-42, Morton 1-44, and Lewis 1-31.

It meant Lawrenny needed 158 for a final four place in fading light, and their task was made harder in the second over when Simon Cole (3) was caught by Bradshaw off Jonathan Pawlett.

But McDermott-Jenkins took advantage of being dropped in the deep as he cracked two fours and a six off Palmer, and after four overs the visitors were sitting pretty at 43-1.

Palmer soon got the danger man though as he went for a big hit too many and was caught by Cockburn for a rapid 31 (four fours and two sixes), although No 3 Thomas and Lewis continued the momentum – the latter smashing Flynn for a straight six as Tish turned to their slow bowlers to try and stem the tide.

Lewis hammered two more sixes off Andrew Pawlett but fell short going for another, caught on the boundary by Devonald for 42.

Meanwhile Thomas continued to build steadily and despite Kidney (8) spooning a catch to Howells off Palmer, and Pawlett bowling Patrick Elliott (12), Lawrenny were left needing just 18 off their final five overs.

They only needed three of them as Williams (9 not out) joined Thomas in easing the visitors to 158-5, moving them to within one win of a first Bowl final since 2001.

For Tish, Palmer finished with 2-38, Jonathan Pawlett 1-25, and namesake Andrew 2-36 – but Cockburn’s men will now turn their attention to pulling away from relegation danger in Division One.

Umpires: Arthur Brady and Simon Richards.

Scorers: Wendy Bradshaw and Malcolm Thomas.