Harrison-Allen Bowl quarter final: St Ishmaels (156-6) beat Lawrenny (155-5) by 4 wickets

A captain’s knock from Phill Cockburn gave St Ishmaels an exciting win over Lawrenny – and secured The Mice a first Bowl semi final since 2016.

He cracked 55 not out, 20 of which came in boundaries, as the home side chased down 156 with 12 balls to spare.

The morning mist and rain had made it likely that whoever won the toss would field, and skipper Cockburn opted to do just that.

Lawrenny started well though, with openers Harry Thomas and Kurtis Marsh (15) reaching 34-0 before the latter went in bizarre circumstances. He miss-hit a Jordan Milich delivery to Andrew Pawlett who spilled the chance at mid-off, but recovered in time to instigate a run out as the batsmen hesitated in the middle.

Joined by Kyle Marsh, Thomas kept going though and cracked a maximum off Brennan Devonald as the visitors began to build a solid platform.

At 61-1 it was spinner Pawlett who turned the tide though, tempting Marsh (10) into holing out to Jonathan Pawlett in the deep, before crucially clean bowling Thomas for 33 (two fours and a six) en route to figures of 3-27.

He then had Ryan Morton (2) caught behind by Jack Nicholas and at 73-4, the momentum was with Tish.

But the tide turned again thanks to Jamie Phillips and Joe Kidney, who shared a stand of 62 that included a huge six for the skipper over cow corner.

By then he’d already hit three boundaries to reach 40 before being bowled by Sean Williams (1-28) in the penultimate over, but Phillips hammered a four and a six of successive Jonathan Pawlett deliveries to finish 36 not out. He was joined at the death by Steve Lewis (3 not out) as Lawrenny posted a useful 155-5 in 22 overs.

And it seemed Tish would fall short after slumping to 22-3, with openers Brennan Devonald (4) and Peter Bradshaw (10) going cheaply to Rob Williams (2-30).

Danny Howells (6) was then magnificently caught on the boundary by Thomas off Lewis (1-15), and Tish looked really up against it.

But it was then that Cockburn and Jonathan Pawlett shared a stand of 87, the latter hitting three fours and two maximums in his 41 before nicking behind to keeper Jamie Phillips off Ryan Morton (1-40).

Jack Nicholas cracked a six off his first ball but was run out after making 15, and when Williams (1) was caught by Kidney off Steve Lewis (1-7) and with the score 137-6 after 19 overs – the game was in the balance.

But Cockburn stood firm and in the 20th over, he smashed a six off Kurtis Marsh to bring up his half century and then following a single, it was Andrew Pawlett who hammered the ball over the rope twice to make 12 not out in just two balls and secure Tish the win.

Umpires: Allan Hansen and Dave Brandon.

Scorers: Wendy Bradshaw and Malcolm Richards.

Tish sponsored by Jean and Tony Williams.