Murray's Mint

The scorer took great delight in colouring this in
as it was none other than Murray's wife, Nicola.
‘No wise man ever wished to be younger’, said the Author of Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift.

It’s not for me to dispute a literary giant such as Swift but he’d have reason to dispute his own views had he seen the team Lamphey put out at the weekend against Pembroke Dock. A couple of players apart, the majority of the team resembled the cast of Dad’s Army and nowhere was this highlighted more than when the once mighty Stags took the field against their youthful opponents.

There are a couple of wise men at Lamphey and on Saturday, we all wished we could go back in time.

As any ageing player will tell you, it’s not your ability that goes first, it’s your reaction times and agility and when trying to defend a total on the motorway that Pembroke Dock has become, a team with the dexterity and manoeuvrability of a rhinoceros will always struggle and struggle we did as Luke Murray put us to the sword.

It wasn’t so much that our bowling was bad, it was more his range of hitting and our lack of mobility in the field that cost us as the Dock overhauled our respectable 196 in just 23 overs; Murray missing out on a ground record by one run after hitting an unbeaten 151 off just 75 balls.

He hits a long ball does Murray and a hard one along the deck too. If it’s five yards either way of you it’s gone across the boundary. Pembroke Dock is certainly a ground where you get value for your shots.

Only one team in division one scored more than Murray on Saturday with Cresselly hitting 158 all out against Llanrhian.

The weekend was not a day for batsmen in that division with just three team passing 100. Between the teams just 883 runs were scored giving an average of 88.3 per team which by definition is totally useless. There were mitigating circumstances of course, the weather has been ropy and wickets would have been damp but last Saturday was not a day you’ll be telling your Grandchildren about, unless of course, your name is Luke Murray.

Talking of Murrays, tennis star Andy Murray is attributing his run of good form on clay down to getting married recently as though the ring on his wedding finger has given him extraordinary powers of brilliance. He may have a point, I was once told the armed forces like their officers to be married as it gives stability in ones life although I have reason to doubt this.

A few years ago, the marriages of two local cricketers went down the tubes within a week or so of each other yet they both managed to score a century in their first game after their wives said adios.
One player got back with his estranged lady and stopped playing soon after while the other is still separated from his and is still as good as he’s ever been.

Finally how is this for an impressive performance? During their Alan Brown game against Hundleton this week, young Herbie bowler Harry Nicholas bowled five overs with five maidens and took three wickets! As my three year old son would say, that’s awesome.

Team of the week

  1. Luke Murray (Pembroke Dock) 151 not out v Lamphey
  2. Kevin Bowen (St Ishmaels 2nds) 88 & 4-10 v Haverfordwest 4th
  3.  Robbie Thomas (St Ishmaels 2nds)  78 v Haverfordwest 4th
  4.  Richard MacKay (Stackpole) 77 v Lawrenny 2nds
  5.  Rob Mathias (Stackpole) 72 v Lawrenny 2nds
  6.  Richie Adams (Narberth) 70 not out v Haverfordwest 2nds
  7.  Ian Sefton (Carew) 67not out v Lawrenny
  8.  Toby Hayman (Burton) 66 v Whitland 2nds
  9.  Peter Betterley (Llechryd) 5-4 v Herbrandston
  10.  Steve Mills (Johnston) 5-17 v St Ishmaels
  11.  Sam Harts (Cresselly 2nds) 5-15 v Kilgetty


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