PHOTOS:
Neyland celebrate with the club flag brought by supporter Brian Phelan and which is over 40 years old
Skipper Sean Hannon receives the silverware from Trevor Jones
Welsh Indoor Finals:
Neyland had to make a bright and early start from their home town to be at Morriston Leisure Centre for their 9.30am start against Port Talbot and Pentyrch in the 2014 Welsh Cricket Finals – and produced a bright and breezy all-round performance to take the silverware for the fourth time in five years.
Small wonder that Sean Hannon and his merry Neyland men are held in high esteem across Wales as they set out on a long journey which they hope will end up with an appearance at Lords for the national Finals.
Having won the Pembrokeshire Indoor title they set off in determined mood and in the first game they took on a much-fancied Port Talbot team that had been strengthened since they last met.
But Neyland bowled and fielded really well under the rules of the Welsh Final, which has 12 overs per team and with any bowler allowed to bowl three overs maximum. So Sean Hannon gave three-over stints to Nathan Banner (1 for 18), Patrick Hannon (1 for 26), Nick Koomen (1 for 19) and Patrick Bellerby (1 for 29) – and they restricted Port Talbot to a total of 97 all out in their final over.
Neyland’s response was boosted by really good innings from Nick Koomen (32 not out) and Ashley Sutton, who retired at 25 before Nathan Banner (17) and Patrick Hannon (15 not out) saw their team through in the final over where they only needed five runs for victory.
Port Talbot then beat Pentyrch in the second match which meant Neyland had to do the same in the third game as they brought in Gregg Miller for Patrick Bellerby as part of their battle plan.
But they didn’t get off to the best start as Banner bowled a 14-ball first over that started with six no balls but he finally settled and joined Patrick Hannon (0 for 11), Nick Koomen (1 for 19) and Sean Hannon (1 for 24) in limiting Pentyrch to a tally of only 86 runs.
Banner then blasted two fours and two sixes in his speedy 25 before he retired and Ashley Sutton supported with 26 so that they reached their target with five overs to spare.
Sean Hannon received the Welsh Indoor Cup from organiser Trevor Jones and he thanked his team mates, scorer Kirsty Hannon, umpires and supporters for travelling with them – and he dedicated the win to Martin Rees, who has done so much for the club but is currently not able to be there because of illness. The umpires were Allan Hansen and Sean Evans.