Micky's Pembrokeshire
page revision date :
PHOTOS: Proud Bowl winners Neyland CC.
Below, Neyland skipper Andrew Miller raises the Bowl aloft after receiving it from Hugh Harrison-Allen.
Runners-up Haverfordwest CC.
Man of the match Nick Koomen.
The winning team wait for the post-match presentations.
Umpires Dennis Chiffi & Arthur Brady.
Scorers Jayne Cole & John Laugharne.
Pictures taken by Bill Carne of Pembrokeshiresport.co.uk
Harrison-Allen Bowl Final:
Magnificent Koomen kills off Haverfordwest hopes
Haverfordwest (168 for 7 & 149 for 8) lost to Neyland (156 for 8 & 163 for 4)
Umpires: Arthur Brady & Dennis Chiffi.
Scorers: Jayne Cole & John Laugharne.
Man of the Match: Nick Koomen.
Adjudicators: Louisa Cole & Richard Merriman.
Venue: Cresselly.
A wonderful second innings of 81 not out in only 43 balls from Nick Koomen helped Neyland deservedly beat Haverfordwest in an action-packed final watched where they trailed by 12 runs at tea but persistently refused to crack under pressure and were rewarded as Andrew Miller raised the trophy aloft at Cresselly.
Koomen has earned a reputation for being the most improved batsman in the county and put Carew to the sword in the semi-final – and did just the same here as he blitzed eight fours and four big sixes.
Not content with that little lot, he also claimed a rare hat-trick at just the right time in The Town’s second innings as he had Dai Davies, Simon Holliday and Dan Field, all influential batsmen, caught at mid off by Patrick Hannon in successive deliveries!
Both teams will also look back on dropped catches at key times that could have taken the game in other directions but they added to the excitement of an occasion which had everything: big hitting, wickets falling, some excellent ground fielding and plenty of cheering from the crowd.
Haverfordwest make superb
start but Lloyd hauls them back
Asked to bat first, Haverfordwest made a cracking start as Simon Holliday showed why he is an ace run-maker by racing to 50 from only nine overs and racing to 79 from 63 balls, with 11 fours and two big sixes. At that stage pundits were forecasting a possible 200+ score as Adam James moved up to No 3 in the order and rapped three sixes from five scoring shots in his 28 but Gary Lloyd helped to apply the brakes with his canny off-spin as The Town managed just five runs in two overs. Lloyd had James caught by Koomen, who then had Holliday caught by Paul Miller in the deep as a vital strike for Neyland. Other Haverfordwest batsmen failed in trying to hit big and Lloyd finished with an excellent 4 for 34 haul as Koomen also picked up another wicket, so that The Town finished on 168 for 7, a good score but less than they might have expected at one stage.
Neyland start well and keep plugging away
Neyland also made a very good start via Paul Murray and Scott John (20), who scored 58 together from the first 10 overs before Holliday’s slow left-arm stuff accounted for both, Murray top scored with 48, including four fours and two sixes, and Koomen showed hiss potential with 29 (three fours and a six), with good support from Andrew Miller (15) and Gregg Miller (23, including a very big six!). Holliday finished up with a creditable 4 for 38 analysis as Adam James and Clive Tucker also claimed wickets but Neyland kept plugging away and at tea there was still all to play for as they were only 12 runs adrift.
Holliday hits out again but Koomen
claims a ‘Patrick hat-trick’
Holliday again started well for Haverfordwest after tea but then Patrick Hannon, as whole-hearted a trier as there is in local cricket, shifted Richard James and Karl Rhead cheaply – and followed up with a third scalp when he removed Adam James towards the end of his stint. In the meanwhile, Ben Field joined Holliday and played some wristy shots in his 22 before toppling over just a fraction and being superbly stumped by Sean Hannon. Dai Davies joined Holliday in a stand of 76 but they were never allowed to run away with things and Davies eventually fell in the 21st over after scoring 38 runs from 35 deliveries, with Patrick Hannon stretching backwards to catch him at mid-off. Holliday, who had five fours and three sixes in his 66 made from 62 balls, departed in identical fashion next ball and Dan Field made it three in three balls for Koomen from the only ball he faced. It left The Town with an overall lead of 161 runs, a challenge for Neyland but one that was certainly within reach.
Koomen in superb form
Scott John and Paul Murray again gave Neyland a solid start, with Murray striking five superb sixes in his 39 before both fell in successive balls to Dai Davies. Their demise brought together Andrew Miller and Koomen, who soon got into a rhythm as skipper Miller sensibly gave the strike to his young team mate as they put on 69 runs before Miller departed for 12.
Gregg Miller joined the fray and did the same, with Koomen reaching his 50 from only 30 deliveries faced and forcing Haverfordwest on the defensive, despite Holliday’s excellent 2 for 23 spell that included a return catch from Gregg Miller (11). But there was no stopping Koomen as Sean Hannon shared the pleasure of being at the crease for the winning runs as reward for his fine stumping display, with Koomen rightly swamped by Neyland players and supporters with six wickets and overs aplenty to spare!
Scorecard:
| 
