LAWRENNY kept up the heat on defending champions Neyland as they beat Narberth thanks to Kurtis Marsh’s vital 108 not out - in what turned out to be a close-run win.

Lawrenny won the toss and put Narberth into bat, with the home batsmen making 158-9, thanks to Kyle Quartermaine making 38, James McCormick 29 and Ben Quartermaine 24.

Lawrenny’s bowling attack was marshalled by Steve Lewis (2-38), Jamie Lewis (3-32) and Ryan Morton 3-37.

Lewis also made 26 with the bat when Lawrenny came to the stumps.

But it was the emphatic performance of Kurtis Marsh, who hit seven fours and no fewer than eight sixes in his undefeated 108no, to take Lawrenny to 161, with just two wickets remaining.

Narberth’s Matthew Johns will be scratching his head at how his performance with the ball, in returning 4-31, wasn’t better rewarded.

Haverfordwest moved to third in the table after Dai Davies had made 70no and Archie Thomas took 3-15 to see the county capital club post 147-9, before bowling St Ishmaels out for 124.

St Ishmaels put Haverfordwest into bat and might have been justified to feel that the bowling figures of Andrew Pawlett (2-17), Ieuan Hawkins (2-35), and Brennan Devonald 2-15, had put them on track to win.

However, combined with Davies' score and Nathan Banner’s 29no, Haverfordwest’s bowlers saw their side over the line with some concrete bowling figures of their own, including from Ashley James (3-23) and Jake Merry (2-21). Merry had also made 23.

The other match to survive the weather in division one saw Neyland extend their unbeaten league run with a third successive league win.

The champions beat Carew by 7 wickets, after winning the toss and bowling Carew out for 122, with Ross Hardy decimating Carew’s batting line-up to return figures of 5-32.

Carew's Tim Hicks made a good fist of it through with 65, and Rhys Davies had some success with the ball, taking 2-33.

Neyland were too strong, however, with Henry Durrant making 43no and Nathan Banner 29no, while the ever-reliable Nic Kooman posted another solid score of 24.

Milford Mercury: Division 1 table for week 5, May 22 . Image: Pembroke County Cricket LeagueDivision 1 table for week 5, May 22 . Image: Pembroke County Cricket League

In division two the weekend’s round of fixtures saw Pembroke Dock continue their control of the league, with Pembroke trying to keep up pace in second, but it was a frustrating weekend for Llangwm who lost pace on the leaders after their match away to Kilgetty was abandoned.

Performance of the round went to Pembroke’s Jonathan Rogers whose 70 and then 3-15 saw Pembroke brush aside Lamphey.

Lamphey won the toss and put Pembroke into bat, posting 180-6.

When it was Lamphey’s turn to guard the wicket the defence failed, being bowled out for just 55. George Davies 4-8 was most damaging along with Rogers’ score and Rob Smythe’s 2-14.

Pembroke Dock took little time to defeat Hook. The Dockers needed just 53-1 after bowling Hook out for 52.

Pembroke Dock’s bowling attack was vast and strong with multiple bowling figures coming in including Rob Hearn (3-5), Ewan McDonald (3-18) and George Smith (3-16), whilst Jake Griffiths got most of their runs – 41no.

The midtable battle between Carew Seconds and Herbrandston went to Carew.

The visitors won the toss and put Carew into bat. Herbrandston managed to bowl Carew out but not before Gareth Lewis’ 61 and Henry Cook’s 31 helped amass a total of 146.

Robert Hood (3-23), Jonty Bennett (2-36) and Paul Nicholas (2-19) put in the work with the ball in the first innings. Bennett would also go on to make 33.

When Herbrandston came into bat they could only muster 91, with George Waters (3-18), Jacob Knox (3-12) and Barry Evans (2-7) doing the business for Carew.

At the lower end of the table the clash between second and third bottom went to Burton.

Burton, who now sit 16 points ahead of bottom of the table Llangwm after their match away to Kilgetty was abandoned, were put into bat and made 190 all out, Toby Hayman’s 75 making a vast portion of that total.

In reply Haverfordwest Seconds made 110 all out.

The game took note for some great all-round performances demonstrated by Burton’s Matthew Webb 25no and 4-23, and Haverfordwest’s Danny Dewstowe, 24 and 4-26.

Milford Mercury: Division 2 table for week 5, May 22. Image: Pembroke County Cricket LeagueDivision 2 table for week 5, May 22. Image: Pembroke County Cricket League