CRICKET News from Pembs-Sport

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Harrison-Allen Bowl Snippets

As usual at the Bowl Final, there are a lot of facts, figures and nice little stories that can’t find space in the match reports – but as usual we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk are delighted to give a mention to some of the people behind the match report.

** Well done to Neyland – they were deserved winners of a match that showed local cricket at its best. Well led by Andrew Miller, they overcame the obstacle of being without key players Henry Durrant and Ashley Sutton, survived immense early pressure and came back to take the coveted Bowl.

** Victory ended a wait of exactly 28 years for Neyland because they last won the coveted Bowl in 1983. They had previously won the final in 1962, 1963 and 1971 - so they now have five winning notches on their cricket bat!

** Spare a thought for Huw Scriven and his Haverfordwest team, who tasted defeat for the second year in succession. They looked hot favourites to win for part of the match but can at least take minor consolation from the fact that they played their part in a cracking Bowl final.

** Both teams enjoyed the traditional pre-match breakfast, with Neyland fed at the Athletic Club by Debbie and Martin, and with Haverfordwest being fed at their clubhouse by Peter and Kay.

Maurice Cole & Stan Richards ** Umpires Arthur Brady and Denis Chiffi were at the ground bright and early to chat to colleagues and get the feel for their first appearances in the Bowl Final. It certainly worked because they worked well with excellent scorers Jayne Cole (Amazingly scoring at her 14th final for Haverfordwest) and John Laugharne, who played when Neyland won the Bowl in 1962, 63 and 71.

** Congratulations, as usual, to Cresselly groundsman Glyn Cole and his hardy band of helpers on the wonderful state of the pitch, outfield and surrounding areas. Denis Chiffi had cut the outfield five times in the week to ensure a ‘bowling green’ appearance and there was lots of hard work from the likes of Phil ‘Spam’ James alongside old-timers like Roly Edwards and Ken Mathias, who had washed and painted parts of the pavilion.

** Looking every bit the president of Pembroke County Cricket Club was Maurice Cole, who has been an excellent president and attended the final with smashing better half Janet. Maurice looked resplendent in his waist-coat and hat – and we captured a lovely moment when Maurice stopped on his stroll around the ground to chat to Stan Richards, the doyen of Pembrokeshire Cricket, and who has been twice the president on two previous occasions.

** Also posing an interesting sartorial question was county chairman Dave Loosmore, who actually had two different outfits for the day! Dave, who is known to all in cricket as ‘Daffy’, is also chairman of Haverfordwest Cricket Club and whenever The Town were batting he walked around in smart shorts and wore the black Haverfordwest tee-shirt with the club logo. When Neyland batted he was attired in smart grey slacks, blue shirt and wore a county club tie, which he also wore at the presentation. Good thinking Daffy boy!

** Dave Loosmore’s walking around the ground also caught the eye because he made over 27 circumferences of the boundary during the afternoon. In the interests of science we did one tour and worked out it took 470 paces, about quarter of a mile – so it seems that our Dave had a gentle stroll of almost seven miles in the course of play, showing off the superb tan he had acquired on his recent holiday in the Canary Isles!

**Not at the match but keeping a weather eye on events was former Neyland player David ‘Dessie’ Haynes, who now plays for Fishguard and was holidaying with his wife Louise and daughter Darcy in Fuerteventura. He had texted PembrokeshireSport.co.uk to wish Neyland all the best and was using the site, via his new phone, to keep in touch until we published the result – and he texted again to say he was over the moon. I bet it made Dai’s holiday!

**There was naturally a great deal of delight in the Neyland camp but none more so than for Gary Lloyd. ‘Gadge’ has, over many years of involvement, earned the reputation of being one of the best spin bowlers in the county and this was his first appearance in a final at the tender age of 48! He played a key role, especially in the first innings and we join the Neyland contingent in saying ‘Well done Gary” because it is proof that loyalty really can pay off in the end!

**We asked a number of local pundits for their views and only David Gibbs and Richard Merriman got it right. David, who is well-known as a cricket writer, was adamant from the outset that Neyland would win whilst Richard, who is chairman of the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers, also went for them without much hesitation. Well done fellers – you were spot-on!

** Mr Merriman also joined Louisa Cole, the captain of Cresselly Ladies cricket team, as Man of the Match adjudicators. The trophy is provided by the Cole family in memory of Louisa’s grandfather John, a legend in Cresselly Cricket, and they decided to give it to Nick Koomen, whose second innings certainly swung the game around. It was a popular choice and the likeable youngster seemed surprised – but it was one of the best innings I’ve seen in a final for many years!

**The other major claimant to the award was Simon Holliday, who had innings of 79 and 66, as well as taking 4 for 38 and 2 for 23. It was an all-round performance that would have taken the trophy in any other year – but few outside The Town camp would argue with the final decision!

** Nick Koomen was also able to claim a hat-trick on the day, leaving pundits to scratch their heads over whether the feat had ever been achieved before. What is for certain is that it is unlikely to be matched in the same way because Koomen’s three successive deliveries to Dai Davies, Simon Holliday and Dan Field flew to Patrick Hannon at mid-off. Our Paddy pouched them all and in future whenever the Bowl Final is discussed in Neyland it will surely be known as the ‘Koomen/Patrick hat-trick’!

**Patrick Hannon and twin brother Sean certainly played key roles in the field for Neyland as they were involved in a number of dismissals. Sean enjoyed no fewer than four stumpings and a catch whilst Patrick claimed his three catches and also grabbed four wickets. Well done Paddie and Seannie!

David Gibbs - got the result right. **It was very much a brotherly occasion in the Neyland camp because skipper Andrew Miller and vice-captain Gregg Miller were joined by younger brother Paul in the team – and mum and dad were also there to watch them help win the Bowl.

**The match sponsors were Thomas Scourfield and Sons, with the teas sponsored by Hugh Harrison-Allen, and both Mike Scourfield and Hugh were there to help with the presentations conducted by David Loosmore.

**We hope you enjoy the excellent action pictures on our ‘Photos of the Week’ section, which were taken by outstanding young sports photographer Joseph Kiff, of Llangwm. Thanks Joe – you did a brilliant job in capturing the atmosphere!

** Announcers Paul Webb and Phil Thomas did a good job of keeping the spectators informed of scores etc, taking spells to use the microphone throughout the afternoon.