Pembroke County Cricket Club Division One: Neyland (246-6) drew with St Ishmaels (171-7)

Neyland's top three found their form to lay the foundations for a winning draw against Tish yesterday.

Nick Koomen top scored with 85 as the home team ended a run of three straight defeats, but they were unable to claim all 30 points as Tish, chasing 247, hung on at 171-7.

Neyland skipper Sean Hannon elected to bat after winning the toss, and then watched openers Paul Murray and Koomen share a brilliant stand of 155, with 'Minty' cracking nine four and two sixes before another attemoted big hit off spinner Andrew Pawlett fell into the hands of Andrew Williams.

Koomen went on to hit 85 (ten fours) before also falling to Pawlett, caught by Danny Flynn, and No 3 Henry Durrant helped keep momentum with 42 not out off 45 balls, including five fours.

But Tish did fight back with four late wickets as the home side pushed for a huge score, eventually finishing 246-6 on a glorious day for batting.

And an outright win for Hannon's side looked on the cards as Tish slipped t0 46-5 in their reply, as only Peter Bradshaw (21) offered any early resistance before he was run out by the returning Ashley Sutton.

But then came a real captain's innings from Phil Cockburn, who was joined by Williams in a stand of 119 that halted Neyland's charge and at least ensured the visitors saw out their overs.

Veteran spinner Gary Lloyd did break the deadlock late on with two wickets in an over, having Williams caught by Gregg Miller for 59 (ten fours), before dismissing Pawlett for a second ball duck as he was caught by Sutton.

But Cockburn stayed firm with 69 not out of 98 balls, a knock that included six fours and a maximum, with Andrew Palmer 1 not out at the other end.

It meant Neyland took 28 points as they at least got back on track ahead of their DR Morris Cup semi final with Haverfordwest on Tuesday, while Tish failing to get within 50 runs of their hosts meant they only claimed seven bonus points, and now lie just a point above Kilgetty and the bottom two.

Neyland innings:
Paul Murray ct Andrew Williams b Andrew Pawlett 72
Nicholas Koomen ct Daniel Flynn b Andrew Pawlett 85
Henry Durrant not out 42
Gregg Miller b Andrew Palmer 7
George Evans b Andrew Pawlett 5
Stephen Murray st Jack Nicholas b Andrew Williams 1
Ashley Sutton b Brennan Devonald 6    
Extras: 28.    
Total: 246 for 6.

Bowling: Andrew Palmer 10-0-1-42; Brennan Devonald 7-0-1-32; Daniel Flynn 12-1-0-68; Andrew Pawlett 12-3-58; Andrew Williams 4-0-1-28.

St Ishmaels innings:
Peter Bradshaw run out (Ashley Sutton) 21
Harry Nicholas ct Paul Murray b Henry Durrant 6
Jack Nicholas b Sean Hannon 4
Philip Cockburn not out 59
Daniel Richards b Geraint Rees 0
Brennan Devonald b Geraint Rees 6
Andrew Williams ct Gregg Miller b Gary Lloyd 59
Andrew Pawlett ct Ashley Sutton b Gary Lloyd 0
Andrew Palmer not out 11
Extras: 15.    
Total: 171 for 7.    
Bowling: Henry Durant 11-3-1-45; Sean Hannon 12-2-1-37; Geraint Rees 9-2-2-42; Gary Lloyd 10-3-2-34; Nicholas Koomen 3-0-0-8.

Umpires: Arthur Brady and Dave Bonner.
Scorers: John Laugharne and Wendy Bradshaw.