Alan Brown Cup semi final: Llanrhian (80-5) beat Herbrandston (79-8) by 5 wickets

Llanrhian came through a tense semi final with Herbie to book their place in the Alan Brown final as Nigel Delaney and Tom Clarke saw them over the line.

The conditions of the previous day made for a difficult batting wicket, and Herbie were put in and struggled to 79-8 in 20 overs - but things then hung in the balance in the Llanrhian reply as they fell to 56-5 before Delaney and Clarke steadied matters.

The visitors got a nightmare start as both openers fell for ducks. Jonty Bennett was caught by Paul Lewis in Dafydd Williams' first over - and then Leigh Marchant drove a Clarke delivery to Fraser Watson.

No 3 Leigh Walters then guided Herbie from there and although wickets continued to fall at the other end, Karl Davies removing namesake Ryan (9), Aaron Bowles (0) and Dean John (5), Walters built sensibly.

Nigel Delaney also clean bowled Jay Power (5) and Scott Reid (6) while Williams returned to trap Robert Hood (0) LBW, but Walters finished 31 not out (one six and one four) - and found support from Paul Nicholas (9 not out) at the end to give the visitors hope.

For the home side, Williams finished 2-15, Davies 3-29, Clarke 1-12 and Delaney 2-20, all from five over stints.

But Herbie came out fighting in the Llanrhian reply as Paul Lewis (1) was caught by Power off Dean John, and Hood skittled Jack Jones (5) to leave matters 14-2.

Skipper Richard Reed was next to go after hitting two fours in his 14, the opener caught on the boundary by Scott Reid off Nicholas, and Ben Jones (2) was also bowled by Hood.

At 36-4 Herbie sensed blood but No 4 Delaney stayed firm, and Russell Watkins came in and cracked a six in his 13 to edge the Cows closer before a mix up between the pair saw him run out.

But Clarke added impetus by getting off the mark with a boundary, and after he and Delaney and taken the score to 66-5, the youngster effectively ended matters with a four and a big six off Nicholas.

He finished 19 not out, sealing the win with a single in the 18th over, with Delaney unbeaten on 17 (two fours) as Llanrhian returned to the Alan Brown final for the first time since 2000.

For Herbie, Hood finished 2-15, John 1-20, Nicholas 1-27, and Marchant 0-18.