DR Morris Cup Final:
Llangwm (124 all out & 116 all out) lost to Neyland (162 for 4 & 82 for 2) by eight wickets
Umpires: Dave Brandon & Les Hastings
Scorers: Janice Brick & John Laugharne, assisted by Janice Webb
Venue: Oatfield Park, Burton
Man of the Match Adjudicators: Steve Blowes & Robert Ridge
Man of the Match: Andrew Miller (Neyland)
Neyland won the DR Morris Cup for their sixth time in their history as they proved too strong and streetwise for a gritty Llangwm side which kept battling away but was unable to stop the opposition keeping a firm grip almost from the outset at a lovely-looking Oatfield Park in Burton.
Gregg Miller won the toss and invited Llangwm to bat and there was almost immediate succe
ss for them as Llangwm lost ace run-gatherer Will Beresford for a duck, bowled by Gary Lloyd in the second over, but Andrew Harries replaced him and was soon into his stride as he fired shots all round the boundary in what proved to be the best time of the match for Llangwm. He was especially severe on Nick Koomen as he blasted three sixes and seven fours in reaching 50 from only 23 balls, with Chris Inward supporting him at the other end.Lloyd strikes well for Neyland
But then Gary Lloyd returned at the club end and struck a double blow as he had Inward caught by Patrick Bellerby for 10 and then Harries caught by Andrew Miller in the deep, seeking another big hit but finding the toe-end of the bat
It gave Lloyd fine figures of 3 for 12 from his allotted four overs and fellow slow bowler Andrew Miller followed him up with 2 for 11 from a similar stint so their combined involvement saw five wickets go down for only 23 in eight overs.
Lower score than hoped for
It was a body blow for Llangwm and Neyland really turned the screw in the field so that James Venables and Joe Kiff departed cheaply and Matthew Kiff was run out.
Richard Brock (14) and Darren Brick (11) livened things up and Llangwm ended up on 124 all out, fewer than they might have hoped for but more than they seemed likely to get at one stage.
Koomen's final figured were 4 for 47 from his four overs, improved no end with three wickets in the final over, two of them stumped by Scott Hannon.
Neyland use experience to good effect
Neyland showed their experience when they batted as skipper Gregg Miller and Paul Murray put on 72 for the first wicket before Murray departed for 39, bowled by Matthew Kiff. Miller marched on to 46 before he was stum
ped off the excellent Phil Llewellyn but this opening pair had nicely set the stage for a late surge by Andrew Miller (28 not out) and Patrick Hannon, who was gifted a six from the last ball of the innings, assisted by four overthrows, which put Neyland 39 runs ahead on 162 for 4 wickets as Llewellyn (1 for 35), Darren Brick (1 for 27), Chris Inward (1 for 42) and Matthew Kiff (1 for 17) were the pick of the Llangwm bowlers.Good start needed
Llangwm needed a good start to their second innings but the Neyland fielding continued to be of the highest order as Patrick Bellerby caught Chris Inward in the deep. Beresford showed his batting talents, though, as he belted six boundaries and reached his 50 from only 40 balls. Sadly for Llangwm, though, he departed after scoring just one more run as he played a shot and stepped back onto his stumps to give Gary Lloyd an unusual victim, out ‘hit wicket'.
Key wickets go cheaply
Llangwm then lost key wickets as Andrew Harries departed for a single to another good catch by Andrew Miller and Matthew Kiff was superbly run out by Ashley Sutton. They rallied well via Joseph Kiff (13), Jonathan Twigg (17), Richard Brock (14) and Darren Brick (11) but their final tally of 116 all out meant that Neyland req
uired only 78 to win. Andrew Miller again topped the Neyland bowling with 3 for 26, supported by Patrick Hannon (2 for 26), Gary Lloyd (1 for 25) and Nathan Banner (1 for 17).Sutton steers Neyland home
Llangwm hopes were momentarily lifted as Darren Brick trapped Murray for two runs at the start of the Neyland innings but Gregg Miller scored 12 before he was caught by Brick off Andrew Har
ries’s bowling with the score on 26. It brought together Ashley Sutton and Andrew Miller, who showed how to run between the wickets to keep the scoreboard ticking over whilst punishing loose deliveries with fours or sixes. Sutton finished unbeaten on 43 and Andrew Miller was still there on 19 not out when Neyland reached their target with eight overs still in hand.
Millers pick up the silverware
Gregg Miller collected the trophy from Graham Morris and his brother Andrew received the ‘Man of the Match’ trophy for his six wickets and two ‘not out’ innings. It was a thoroughly deserved choice made by Steve Blowes and Robert Ridge, and Neyland’s all-round performance, well led by Gregg Miller, confirmed them as the current ‘in-form’ side in the county.