Defending Division 1 champions Carew (89-2) continue to lead the table in defence of their crown having overcome neighbours Lawrenny (85ao) by 8 wickets on Saturday (May 9) to maintain their perfect win record and remain Kings of the Castle. Man of the match for the Rooks was Tim Hicks, who took 3-16 from his allotted 8 overs from the Cresswell Quay end before he remained unbeaten from his opening berth with 34 (5x4). He added 50 for the first wicket with Morgan Grieve (20; 4x4), the wicketkeeper snaffling four catches, two when stood up to the wicket, one to remove opening batsman Harry Thomas (19; 3x4) off his skipper Iori Hicks (3-9). He also took an outstanding one-handed diving catch off his opening partner to remove Ryan Morton, Shaun Whitfield (2-24) ended the innings by bowling Wil Allen, teenager Logan Hall's left arm seamers taking 2-23.

Joe Kidney top scored for the Gavanyards with 30 (3x4), skipper Troy Purslowe electing to bat on winning the toss, but even he couldn't get into the flow of the game, adding 13 (1x6; 1x4) and teenaged last man Noah Williams stroking a brace of fours in his unbeaten 11.

Whitfield struck a six and four in his unbeaten 10, Finley Lewis taking his side's first wicket of the season as part of his 1-19 with a return catch from Grieve, younger brother Oscar ensuring they had a bonus point finishing with 1-12, his side anchored to the foot of the table.

Sam Franklin was the Saundersfoot (244-5) man of the match with an unbeaten 103 (4x6; 6x4; 107 balls) before he took 1-24 at St Ishmaels, who were dismissed for 143 and a 101 run defeat, which leaves them winless and in the relegation zone. Franklin shared a fifth wicket partnership of 111 with Scott Helmich who contributed a patient 43 (5x4) in support of Franklin before he was left stranded as Ieuan Hawkins' throw to wicket keeper Peter Bradshaw saw him short of his ground. Skipper Yanik Parker would have been far from disappointed after losing the toss as he added an unbeaten 41 (1x6; 3x4) at better than a run a ball in an unbroken sixth wicket partnership of 88.

Tudor Hurle (1-17) struck early with the new ball, vice captain Lewis Rhead striking five boundaries in his 29 before he was trapped LBW by Franklin, adding 46 for the second wicket with Tom Williams (20; 2x4) before he was the third wicket down on 62, Prashant Gautam (2-50) having him caught by Tom Mansbridge. Veteran Neil Powling belied his years taking 3-15 in conjunction with Nicky Cope (3-26) after he took out the Mice middle order with two further catches for Mansbridge alongside one for the winning catch for his older brother Jon after Phil Cockburn had added 13 (1x4). Skipper Jonny Pawlett (19; 2x4) and Brennan Devonald (8; 1x6; 1x4) had shown some form for the out of sorts home side.

Neyland (207-5) recorded an 81 run success at the Athletic Ground after visitors Narberth were dismissed for 126 to sit in third place, the 'All Whites' now sporting a new green and black coloured kit having half centuries from opening batsman Paul Murray (57; 1x6; 6x4) and an unbeaten 55 from 39 balls from Ross Hardy, who hit three maximums and four boundaries. Dai Davies added 38 (1x6; 2x4) and skipper Sean Hannon stroking a brace of boundaries in his 20. The visitors' wickets were taken by opening bowler Ben Quartermaine (2-28), Ryan Williams (1-42) and Ben Hughes (1-25).

Narberth made a positive response on 86-2, Quartermaine (18; 3x4) adding 48 with opening partner, wicketkeeper Shay Norcross (27; 1x6; 3x4), the inform Jamie McCormack also adding 29 (6x4). It was the introduction of veteran spinner Andrew Miller which turned the tide as he took 3-30, seamer Tom Pritchard supporting with 3-31 before Sam Lauharne (2-5) wrapped up the game alongside returning opening bowler Jack John (2-23).

Cresselly top scored in the division posting 256 all out at Springfield before restricting home side Whitland to 171-6 and an 85 run victory. The Doves' innings saw teenager Lewis Mason peeling off a top score of 64 from 41 balls (1x6; 10x4), Kyle Quartermaine striking a six and seven boundaries in his 48 (39 balls) with six other batsmen reaching double digits after they were invited to bat by skipper Gethin Scourfield who reduced them to 41-2 as he took 2-37. Ethan Ryan ended the innings as part of his 4-41, veteran all rounder Mathew Davies standing tall for the Borderers with 3-48.

Scourfield then scored his maiden century for the club with an unbeaten 103 recording a six and fourteen boundaries having come to the crease at 4-2. Opening bowler spinner Mike Shaw (2-9) got his teeth into the batting card and new ball partner Charlie Arthur backed up his 28 (2x6; 2x4) with 2-28.

Wicket keeper Tomos Jones (25; 2x4) helped Scourfield add 71 for the fifth wicket before Cian Rees remained unbeaten on 24 (2x4) as the seventh wicket partnership reached 65. Mason could lay claim to the man of the match award as he took 1-19.

A low scoring encounter at Little Castle Grove saw visitors Burton dismissed for 119 before veteran Johnny Scale got Herbrandston on the wrong foot as his inswingers took 5-15 with the new ball to leave the home side 42-7. Nick Jones took 2-16 alongside his new ball partner before Luke Hayman 2-19 and spinner Morgan Scale (1-4) closed the game off, Herbrandston bowled out for 59 to hand Burton an important 60 run victory. Jones had earlier added 20 (4x4) and Hayman 21 (4x4), his elder brother Toby top scoring with 36 (5x4). Teenager Morgan Britton, the current County Youth bowling award holder, took 3-28 and Harry Nicholas taking 4-13 including the key wicket of Toby Hayman as they fell from 94-5 to 119 all out. Only wicketkeeper Jack Nicholas reached double figures with a brace of boundaries in his 10, skipper Dan Llewellyn snaffling the catch, his second of the innings as he erased the memory of losing the toss earlier in the afternoon.

Photo: Jonny Scale who at the age of 60 took 5-15 to help Burton to an important victory