PHOTOS
Trevor Jones presents Sean Hannon with the Welsh Indoor Champions trophy
Neyland celebrate their excellent victory
Allan Hansen (umpire), Kirsty Hughes (scorer), Trevor Jones (Welsh
organiser), John Williams (umpire)
Welsh Indoor Cricket Final:
Venue: Meads Leisure Centre, Milford Haven
Umpires: Allan Hansen & John Williams
Scorer: Kirsty Hughes
Organiser: Wendy Bradshaw
Neyland are again Welsh Indoor Cricket Champions as they produced one of their best-ever performances to smash a strong Ynystawe team by 67 runs at the Meads Leisure Centre.
Ynystawe topped the Swansea Indoor League played at Morriston and did well to restrict Neyland’s powerful batting line up to 113 for 5 from their allotted 12 overs – but had no answer to Neyland’s accurate bowling and superb fielding which put immediate pressure on the opposition.
Indeed, such was Ynystawe’s desperate struggle to score runs that they were shot out in only 6.2 overs and the only blemish on Neyland’s performance was a dropped catch by Nick Koomen that was generally agreed was the simplest in the team’s indoor history. But batsman Rhys Palmer was caught by Patrick Hannon soon afterwards and Koomen had already top scored for Neyland and so could be excused for that one error!
Good start to their batting
Koomen was joined at the crease by Paul Murray after Neyland had lost the toss and been asked to bat first – and after surviving an early run out chance Koomen raced to 25 and retired, as did Miller, to give Neyland a solid, if unspectacular start. Andrew Miller smote an excellent six and was unlucky to be caught out trying to repeat the process, with Tom Davies taking an excellent catch well above his head at mid off.
Patrick Hannon and Bellerby contributed a few runs and when they were out gave Koomen the chance to return to the action with late runs that saw him top scoring on 36 not out in a final total of 113 for 5 wickets.
Neyland soon on top in the field
Murray then superbly stumped Tom Davies to give Hannon his first wicket – and worse was to follow for Ynystawe as Rhys Palmer and Robert Draper could only share for runs before they were respectively removed by Patrick Bellerby and Sean Hannon.
Lewis Towell managed seven runs but quick thinking by Koomen saw him run out –and then the Hannon twins combined after last man Simon Davies had scored a few runs but lofted a ball to the ceiling before Patrick pouched the catch to give Sean top figures of 3 for 7.
Neyland now looking forward to the next round
It was only left to Welsh Indoor Cricket organiser Trevor Jones to present the trophy to Neyland skipper Sean Hannon, standing in for the injured Gregg Miller, and both teams to enjoy an excellent buffet supplied by local indoor league organiser Wendy Bradshaw, Debbie Cheshire and Sarah Jenkins.
Neyland can now start planning their next match in the UK national tournament as they entertain the Dales Cricket Club from Hertfordshire at the same venue on the 16th February in the next round!
Scorecard:
Neyland Batting:
Paul Murray run out 29
Nick Koomen not out 36
Andrew Miller ct Tom Davies b Rhys Palmer 20
Sean Hannon run out 6
Patrick Hannon ct & b Rhys Palmer 11
Patrick Bellerby run out 3
Extras 8
Total (5 wickets) 113
Ynystawe Bowling:
Rhys Palmer 3-0-28-2; Tom Davies 2-0-12-0; Sion Jones 3-0-31-0; Robert Draper 2-0-13-0; Lewis Towell 2-0-17-0
Ynystawe Batting:
Tom Davies st Paul Murray b Sean Hannon 8
Sion Jones run out 5
Rhys Palmer ct Patrick Hannon b Patrick Bellerby 2
Robert Draper b Sean Hannon 2
Lewis Towell run out 7
Simon Davies ct Patrick Hannon b Sean Hannon 17
Extras 5
Total (all out) 46
Neyland Bowling:
Patrick Hannon 2-0-7-0; Nick Koomen 1-0-8-0; Andrew Miller 1-0-10-0; Sean Hannon 1.2-0-7-3; Patrick Bellerby 2-0-9-1