Report and pictures by Bill Carne
Both action pictures by Susan McKehon
Harrison-Allen Bowl Final 2023 – Sponsored by Puffin Produce:
Neyland (156 for 7 & 199 for 5) beat Lawrenny (117 all out & 156 all out) by 81 runs
Umpires: Gareth Brace & Chris Stapleton
Scorers: John Laugharne & Malcolm Thomas
Live Feed and ‘Play Cricket’: Sarah Arran
Venue: Cresselly Cricket Club
Man of the Match: Ross Hardy (Neyland)
Adjudicators: Steve Davies and Selwyn Cole (Cresselly)
Neyland’s comfortable victory over Lawrenny earned them the coveted treble of league, DR Morris Cup and Harrison-Bowl and confirmed their right to be considered one of the best teams ever in the pantheon of Pembrokeshire Cricket.They were forced to survive a few periods of uncomfortable pressure by a Lawrenny side that battled hard but in the final analysis were out-gunned by the all-round batting strength of Sean Hannon’s team, who also showed their ability to bowl really well to their field placings, and although they unexpectedly downed a couple of catches it didn’t prove vital in the long run.
The goodish crowd, with lots of young families from both camps, was treated to over 30 sixes on a day for big hitting but also had to put up with some boorish behaviour by a small number of drunken oafs who set up camp on the clubhouse verandah and in the final innings caused the game to be halted after refusing repeated requests from announcer Richard Merriman to halt their bad language and lack of respect for some players.
Eventually they were removed from that vantage point but the county officials will have to look at preventative measures to stop such an idiotic minority potentially spoiling a day where players, officials and true supporters deserve much better.
Mr Merriman also deserves credit for his attempts at diffusing the situation and if those involved are cricket folk they should be apologising to him as soon as possible!
First Innings:
Excellent start for Neyland, a rough patch but a decent final total
Neyland skipper Sean Hannon lost the toss and was invited to bat by opposite number Jamie Lewis and his openers Nick Koomen and Brad McDermott-Jenkins got them off to a flying start as 43 runs came in the first five of their 22 overs – as Koomen pinged four boundaries and McDermott added another three fours with some lovely stroke play – but Koomen was caught on the fence by James Phillips off skipper Lewis and two runs later McDermott-Jenkins found Ryan Morton on the long-off boundary as Rob Williams was the bowler, and both were gone for 17!
An even bigger shock was to follow as Paul Murray arrived at the crease with a 200 innings the previous week and one ball later was walking off, bowled by a pearler from Williams with the score on 45 for 3!
It caused Ashley Sutton and Ross Hardy to drop anchor for a while so that only 14 runs came in the next six overs and Sutton was adjudged lbw to Ryan Morton (for 8 in 16 deliveries) – and the next six overs were only marginally better from Neyland as the total crawled from 62 to 79!
But then Neyland’s experience showed as Dai Davies introduced some impetus with his three boundaries and sharp singles in his unbeaten 30 and Hardy showed his lusty hitting with one four and six sixes in his 59 from only 38 balls as he moved from first to top gear before also getting himself adjudged lbw to Kyle Marsh, who finished with 2 for 17 from two overs as he also bowled Andrew Miller for a ‘golden duck’.
Sean Hannon added 10 before he was run out from the final ball to leave his side on 156 for 7, perhaps less than they might have wished for but in the damp conditions most pundits seemed to think that would challenge Lawrenny without injured batsmen Steve Lewis and Harry Thomas.
Lawrenny collapse from 69 for 1 to 117 all out
And how right they were because after the second-ball loss of Finley Lewis (caught on the fence by McDermott-Jenkins off Hardy), Lawrenny added 66 runs in good time from Kyle Marsh and James Phillips by the ninth over. Phillips struck four boundaries in his 21 from as many balls, but was trapped lbw by Andrew Miller, the veteran Neyland slow bowler exerting a huge influence on affairs as he had Troy Purslowe (12, caught by keeper Hannon), Tom Cole (14 in 18 balls, caught from a skier by Nick Koomen) and Joe Kidney (2 in 6 balls, caught by Patrick Hannon).
It meant Miller had magic figures of 4 for 21 in six overs, one a maiden, and the game had spun on its head as only Ryan Morton (13, coolly caught at ‘cow corner’ by Murray) managed double figures thereafter before he became part of Hardy’s haul of 3 for 27 in five overs as Hardy also shifted Will Allen for 1, stumped by Sean Hannon.
Koomen also showed his all-rounder skills as he had already claimed the prized scalp of Marsh with the score on 75, who had reached 48 in 35 balls, including 6 fours and 2 sixes, and also adjudged lbw. As the innings continued to collapse he got rid of tail-enders Lewis and Williams to finish with 3 for 30 and Lawrenny staggered from 99 for 4 in 15 overs to 117 all out in 20.4 overs.
SECOND INNINGS:
Neyland go for the Lawrenny jugular as McDermott-Jenkins leads the way
With a lead at tea of 39 Neyland were clearly intent on seeing off Lawrenny hopes of a come-back despite the loss of Nick Koomen (6) as keeper Will Allen pouched a catch off Ryan Morton - but then McDermott-Jenkins and Sutton added 75 to take the score to 101 in 13 overs before Sutton (three sixes in his 30) was well caught in the deep by Marsh to help Morton achieve figures of 2 for 48.
They continued the onslaught as Paul Murray belted a quick-fire 22 before being bowled by Lewis in his 1 for 57 stint before Ross Hardy and McDermott-Jenkins really went to town in terms of hitting sixes.
Hardy smashed four fours and three maximums before he was run out for 45 and McDermott-Jenkins smashed three fours and six sixes before Tom Cole caught him off Marsh (1 for 60 in five overs).
It meant Neyland had scored 88 runs in their last seven overs to finish on a massive 199 for 5, leaving Lawrenny with a gigantic 239 runs needed for victory.
Lawrenny lose four early wickets but battle to a decent score in the circumstances
To get anywhere near their target Lawrenny needed a fantastic start but after only five overs their hopes were in tatters as they lurched to 32 for 4 as key run maker Kyle Marsh went for 9, caught by McDermott under the clubhouse boundary.
It gave Hardy the first of his wickets in a 4 for 68 haul as he then bowled Troy Purslowe (4), trapped Phillips (0) lbw and bowled Finley Lewis for a single.
Patrick Hannon (2 for 37) also bowled Tom Cole (2) and virtually killed off the game as Jack John caught Ryan Morton to give him his second wicket after the powerful young opener had belted 3 fours and 6 sixes in his top score of 62.
Former skipper Joe Kidney (28) provided token resistance before the ubiquitous Hardy caught him of Miller who also had Rob Williams (9) to give him a 2 for 19 haul and outstanding match figures of 6 for 40. James Buckle also chipped in with a late 23 not out by the Lawrenny veteran called in as replacement for Harry Thomas and showing he could still bat, with two straight sixes included!
The final act of the match saw Sean Hannon stump opposite number Jamie Lewis off Jack John for a duck – and Neyland were good value for an 81-run victory.
Presentations:
The presentations were conducted in a manner befitting this prestigious event since the drunken fools had departed, and both teams received commemorative medals before Sean Hannon collected the coveted Harrison Allen Bowl from Mr Huw Harrison-Allen, who also sponsored the excellent teas provided by the ladies of Cresselly Cricket Club.
Thanks were also given to the Cresselly ground staff of Richard Arthur, Glyn Cole, Phil ‘Spam’ James, Denis Chiffi and nine year old George Richards.
Man of the match adjudicator Steve Davies, speaking on behalf of his co-judge Selwyn Cole, mentioned excellent performances in both camps but in naming Ross Hardy recognised his all-round contribution of 59 and 45 with the bat, figures of 3 for 27 and 4 for 58 with the ball, plus two catches.
