It’s despair for Bronwydd as Llanelli edge home in thriller

LLANELLI are hot on the heels of the leaders in division one of the South Wales Cricket Association after edging a thriller at Bronwydd.

The Stradey Park side are third in the table – just four points off the top – after beating their hosts by one wicket at Cnwc y Deri.

After winning the toss and electing to bat, Bronwydd made a poor start when they found themselves at 17-4.

Jacob Jenkinson and Phil Howell repaired the early damage by taking the score to 66 before Howell was out for 19.

Jenkinson was next to go for a patient 23.

Oli Furneaux, looking to improve his recent form, looked the part by making 27 and Dafydd Morgan chipped in with 10, but the final total of 127 was well short of what the hosts expected.

Steve Devonald took 2-9 for Llanelli and Iwan Rees 2-13, but their most potent weapon was Alex Symmons with 4-24, which meant the visitors were on top at the halfway stage of the contest.

The Llanelli reply was led by Rees with 31 and Devonald (27), but their dismissals triggered a mid-innings collapse which saw them lurch from 67-1 to 74-6.

At this point Bronwydd must have thought they could force a victory, but the steadying influence of Matthew Richards (28) and Ben Edwards (14) pushed the visitors closer to their target.

The eighth wicket fell at 120 but victory went to Llanelli by one wicket as David Richards and Alex Symmons saw them edge over the line.

Josh Rencken returned the fine figures of 3-12 from his 10 overs, with Tom Gleeson and James Cale picking up two wickets each.

The game was sponsored by MLJ (Funeral Services) and Dorian Harries.