Sport
Town take tenth Bowl title in thriller
HAVERFORDWEST won the Harrison Allen Bowl on Saturday (August 31), after they beat Lawrenny in a thrilling final played in Cresselly.
Overnight and early morning rain had threatened to delay the start of the game but the sterling work of the Cresselly groundsmen ensured the game would start on time.
It was Lawrenny who batted first after Town won the toss and chose to bowl.
Kurtis Marsh and Brad McDermott-Jenkins got Lawrenny going with some fine hitting as the pair shared 93 runs for the first wicket.
Those runs came inside the first ten overs but it was Marsh who departed as he saw his shot caught by Mike Jones giving Simon Holliday his first wicket of the day.
McDermott-Jenkins then reached his half century as he and Harry Thomas continued to pile on the runs, taking Lawrenny past 150.
Brad had smashed his way to a score of 76 but then saw himself bowled by Lee Summons.
Town then began to hit back as Summons bowled James Phillips before Adam James did the same to Ryan Morton and Joe Kidney.
Harry Thomas finished unbeaten on 53 however as Lawrenny’s opening 22 overs came to a close with them on 192-5.
Town knew they would need to bat well if they were to keep the lead down, or even build a lead.
They made a blistering start too, Adam James reaching his half century in just the sixth over.
Lawrenny then made the breakthrough as Brad McDermott-Jenkins caught and bowled Simon Holliday on a score of 10.
James Buckle then took an excellent catch to dismiss Danny Potter and give McDermott-Jenkins his second wicket.
At the start of the ninth over, James smashed three big sixes in a row but then saw himself caught by McDermott-Jenkins on 84 as Marsh picked up the crucial wicket.
Marsh then bowled Dai Davies and McDermott-Jenkins then bowled Dan Field to leave the Town on 96-5.
Lee Summons and Jake Merry looked to rebuild and the pair shared 25 runs for the sixth wicket.
Merry then walked down the pitch to play a shot but missed and he couldn’t get back in time as James Phillips knocked the bails off to give Marsh his third wicket.
Mike Jones was then caught by James Buckle off the bowling of Ryan Morton and Archie Thomas was caught by Morton off the bowling of Rob Williams.
Jack Scriven then edged behind to Phillips and with the penultimate ball, Clive Tucker was run out by Buckle.
That left Summons not out on 25 but Town had been bowled out for 149, giving Lawrenny a lead of 43 at the half-way stage.
Marsh and McDermott-Jenkins began again for Lawrenny as they looked to increase their lead.
However, in the second over, Town got the early wicket they wanted as Tucker bowled McDermott-Jenkins.
Marsh was joined in the middle by Harry Thomas and the pair batted well together taking the lead past 100.
They put on 64 runs for the second wicket but Holliday made the breakthrough as he had Thomas caught by Adam James on a score of 33.
Town then struck again as James Phillips hit the ball to Mike Jones who clung on to give Holliday his second wicket.
Holliday then had another as he had Steve Lewis caught by Adam James and he soon had a fourth as he had Joe Kidney caught by Jake Merry.
That left Lawrenny on 91-5 after 14 overs and their lead was only 134.
Holliday wasn’t finished there either as he then ran out James Buckle who had set off for a run that wasn’t there.
Marsh then reached his half century but then saw Ryan Morton trapped leg before by Adam James on a score of 15.
Marsh made his way to a score of 58 but then missed as he came down the wicket for a shot and was stumped by Scriven.
That left Lawrenny on 130-8 with their lead on 173.
Skeels hit a six but a mix up with Tom Cole saw the latter run out by Archie Thomas.
Thomas then had Rob Williams caught by Jake Merry as Lawrenny were bowled out for 143.
That meant that Town would need 187 to win their tenth Bowl title and they would need to go some too to do it.
James and Holliday did indeed go some as the pair shared 104 runs off the first ten overs with some excellent hitting.
Holliday reached a score of 43 but then saw himself caught and bowled by McDermott-Jenkins.
James had smashed his way to a score of 81 from only 44 balls but he was then caught by Ryan Morton off the bowling of McDermott-Jenkins.
That left the Town on 129-2 but Danny Potter and Archie Thomas shared twenty runs for the third wicket.
Morton bowled Thomas but Danny Potter and Dai Davies continued to put runs on the board as the game went down to the wire.
Potter and Davies both cracked maximums as Town edged closer to a remarkable victory.
Potter finished not out on 37 while Davies hit the winning four to finish not out on 15 and spark scenes of celebrations amongst Town players and supporters.
It was a cracking final and a great advert for Pembrokeshire cricket and Lawrenny will feel desperately unlucky to have missed out two years in a row.
Town captain Danny Potter claimed the Bowl for the third time as Captain and for the tenth time in the club’s history.
Adam James was named man of the match shortly after for his knocks of 86 off 33 in the first innings and 81 off 44 in the second.
Sport
Letterston marksman wins junior athlete award
A TALENTED young athlete from Letterston has been honoured at the British Shooting Awards 2024.
Seren Thorne was shortlisted for the prestigious awards and attended the gala event held at the Imperial War Museum in Manchester. To the delight of her family and supporters, Seren was named the winner of the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award.
This accolade highlights Seren’s exceptional skill and dedication to the sport, marking her as one of the rising stars in British shooting.
Her mother, Sian Thorne, expressed immense pride in Seren’s achievement, sharing photos of the memorable evening.
The British Shooting Awards 2024 celebrated excellence in the sport, with a full list of winners available on their official website.
PHOTO CAPTION: Champion marksman: Seren Thorne receiving the Rifle Pathway / Junior Athlete of the Year award (Pic: Supplied).
Sport
Previewing the 2025 Super Bowl
Each year millions of people across the world gather to watch one of the biggest sporting events of the year – the Super Bowl. Last year, 3.4 million people in the UK watched the Super Bowl, up 1.1 million from the previous year. Considering the growth in popularity of American football in the UK, we anticipate the viewership will be even higher for 2025.
The 2025 Super Bowl is scheduled to take place on 9 February 2025 at Caesars Superdrome in New Orleans, Louisiana.
NFL teams
12 teams began competing for a spot in the 2025 Super Bowl when the playoffs began on January 11. At this point, four teams were eliminated. This now leaves eight teams to compete in the Divisional playoffs. Four of these will make it to the Conference Championships before contesting for a spot at this year’s Super Bowl.
The eight teams left with a shot at competing in the 2025 Super Bowl are:
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills
- Detroit Lions
- Houston Texans
- Kansas City Chiefs
- Los Angeles Rams
- Washington Commanders
Last year, the Kansas City Chiefs took the title for the second year in a row. However, the latest Super Bowl odds puts the Detroit Lions as the favourites to win this year’s Super Bowl, following a series of impressive performances in the regular season.
The national anthem and halftime show
Before the game commences, a special guest performs the national anthem. Last year, Reba McEntire offered a moving performance of The Star-Spangled Banner, and this year the task falls to jazz singer Jon Batiste.
It’s not just the football match that people look forward to. Super Bowl halftime shows are a spectacle in themselves and many look forward to the performance as much as the game itself. This year, 17-time grammy winner Kendrick Lamar is headlining the halftime show. Lamar previously headlined the Super Bowl in 2022.
How can I watch the Super Bowl in the UK?
The Super Bowl is being broadcast to fans free on ITV, including live online via ITVX on your laptop, mobile, or tablet.
Sky Sports is also broadcasting the event which you can watch online via Sky Go, NOW TV, or using the Sky Sports mobile app. You could also head to your local pub as plenty of pubs in Pembrokeshire will be showing the big game.
Will you be tuning in?
With a surge in popularity for American Football, it’s anticipated that more people from the UK than ever before will be turning their TVs on for the big event this year. Will you be watching this year’s Super Bowl?
Sport
Division Four West rugby: Thrills and tight contests on a chilly Saturday
Exciting matches, hard-fought battles, and standout performances define the weekend’s action.
Dreigiau Emlyn Edge Harlequins in Close Contest
Dreigiau Emlyn 21 – Pembroke Dock Harlequins 15
Dreigiau Emlyn secured a narrow victory over Pembroke Dock Harlequins, strengthening their position in the top half of the table. Gethin Davies scored two crucial tries, while Deiniol Rees added three penalties and a conversion to steer the hosts to victory. The Harlequins kept the game competitive with tries from Craig Barnett and Tom Donovan, with Ben Hathaway converting one and kicking a penalty. However, Emlyn’s composed performance ensured they held on for the win.
Teirw Crymych Outgun Llangwm in High-Scorer
Llangwm 22 – Teirw Crymych 33
Teirw Crymych powered to a 33-22 victory over bottom-placed Llangwm, bolstering their challenge for the league’s top spots. Sion Williams and Morgan Jones led the visitors’ try-scoring efforts, with additional tries from Sion Owen and Nick Bevan. Adam Phillips was reliable from the tee, adding four conversions. Llangwm fought back with tries from Aidan Rees and Ryan Banner, while Harry Makepeace contributed two conversions and a penalty. Despite their spirited display, the hosts couldn’t match Crymych’s attacking prowess.
St Davids Win Key Clash Against Llanybydder
Llanybydder 17 – St Davids 29
St Davids took a significant step away from the relegation zone with a vital 29-17 win over Llanybydder. Harvey Godkin, Nathan Foster, Zac Morgan, and Morgan Griffiths all crossed the whitewash for the visitors, with Bob Froy converting three and adding a penalty to secure a bonus-point victory. Llanybydder’s John Evans delivered an impressive hat-trick of tries, with one conversion by Matthew Rowlands, but St Davids’ all-round performance proved too much for the home side.
Division Four West continues to deliver thrilling rugby as teams battle for position in a tightly contested league.
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