2025 Duggie Morris Cup Semi-Finals - Reports and Pictures
Saundersfoot seal a final place in heated contest
Saundersfoot (143 for 8) beat Neyland (136 for 7) by 7 runs
Venue: Imble Lane, Pembroke Dock
Umpires: John Willington & Chris Stapleton
Scorers: Adge John & Sarah Arran
Saundersfoot sealed their place in the 2025 Final of this important cup competition as they held their nerve in the final stages of their tussle with Neyland after looking in control for much of the match but then having to resist a determined fight back by the current holders.
It was a game that was a credit to local cup cricket, other than for a short but angry moment when a disagreement over a single decision led to an unsavory outburst involving bad language, but luckily the umpires spoke to both captains and order was restored.
The umpires also deserve credit for making sure the game finished, because an irritating drizzle for some periods made it difficult for players and spectators, but there were a few misfields that led to boundaries.
The Seasiders batted first and openers Tom Mansbridge and Simon Stanford got them off to a decent start before the former departed for 15 and the latter was unluckily run out after pulling a leg muscle attempting a quick single.
John Mansbridge and Nick Cope then added 40 runs in good time before Andrew Miller came on and bowled his typically canny slow stuff to remove Cope (17) and the dangerous Sam Franklin for a duck in his 2 for 25 spell from four overs.
John Mansbridge did well to hold the innings together as he stroked 8 fours and a straight six his 51 before he was cleverly stumped off a Jack John wide as John eventually collected three wickets - but a late flurry of runs from Gareth Edwards (13) and Gareth Helmich (13 not out), assisted by 16 extras, saw The Seasiders to their final tally.
It was perhaps fewer runs than they might have hoped for after being 80 for 2 in 12 overs and with eight wickets in hand but Pritchard (1-16, including a late 6), and Sean Hannon (1 for 23) and Ross Hardy (0 for 31) bowled quite well in their four-over stints.
But that score suddenly seemed hugely challenging proportions as Neyland were reduced to 14 for 3 as Greg Miller was adjudged lbw to Sam Franklin, who also had Murray superbly caught at first slip by Nick Cope - and at the other end Dai Davies fell leg before to Tom Mansbridge so three of their really ‘big guns’ were back in the hutch.
It says much for Neyland’s resilience, however, that Ross Hardy and Andrew Miller set out to redress the balance as they used all their huge experience to keep the scoreboard ticking over with singles and punishing anything remotely loose.
They added 109 runs to put Neyland very much back in contention as they needed 22 in the 17th over but Nick Cope trapped Miller lbw for 39, including three boundaries and a lot of well-judged singles.
It was a vital break-through as fortunes again swayed - and another huge blow befell Neyland when Prasanth Gautam had Hardy caught on the boundary as part of a vital three-wicket haul after Hardy had previously belted him for three sixes and 24 runs in the 14th over!
Alan Webster smashed a huge six but also fell to Gautam before the final balls ticked away and Saundersfoot were able to celebrate their first visit to Oatfield Park, Burton, to play in the D.R.Morris Cup Final.
Carew win well after controversial halt in play
Cresselly (92 all out) lost to Carew (93 for 4) by six wickets
Venue: Kingsmoor, Kilgetty
Umpires: Huw Simpkins & Neil Thomas
Scorers: Julie Davies, Jess Lewis, Phoenix Phillips & Christie Toy
Carew reached the DR Morris Cup Final since 2021 as they deservedly beat near neighbours Cresselly on a beautifully-manicured pitch at Kingsmoor in a game where they dominated after Rooks’ skipper Rhys Davies had invited their opponents to bat and saw keeper Morgan Grieve take two superb catches to get rid of openers Morgan Lewis and Tom Murphy for ducks, the first from a splendid dive and the second as he stood up to the stumps as early as the second over.
It allowed Carew to control play from then on to limit Cresselly to a disappointing score and then recover from some minor set-backs to ease home with wickets and overs to spare.
Indecision finally ended after lengthy delay
But the major danger to their place in the final came from an umpiring decision when they stood at 78 for 4, just 15 runs short in the 14th over, when the officials decided the rain, which had fallen for some time, was too heavy and brought the players off.
It led to 22 minutes of chaos and no little anger or disbelief from players and spectators before an upset skipper Tom Arthur was instructed to lead his Doves’ players back out to play and there was an air of anti-climax as The Rooks knocked off those few runs to take their fully-merited place in the final, and no matter what anyone thought of the way it was achieved - and there were plenty of those opinions, including this pundit, who felt that in the final analysis it was the right result, if an unnecessary way of achieving it!
Of the game itself, those first two wickets had an inevitable influence on the game because Lewis is a big hitter who can provide a powerful start and Murphy is the in-form batsman before they fell respectively to Sam Arthur after five balls and Iori Hicks, from the third ball of the second over.
Carew bowlers remain on top throughout
Charlie Arthur blasted four boundaries and a big six en route to 25 but fell to an lbw decision which gave Sam Arthur a second scalp against his former team-mates, which was part of a splendid 3 for 23 haul as he also shifted the dangerous Kyle Quartermaine (7).
James Hinchliffe also looked sharp for his 2 for 18 figures, bowling Alex Bailey (16) and having Dan James (15) beautifully caught by Harts – and Shaun Whitfield waded in with 3 for 14 in four overs before the innings with Christian Phillips being run-out and Cresselly having to settle for a lack-lustre 92 all out in exactly 20 overs.
Whitfield and Davies steer The Rooks home
Carew start cautiously but gain momentum after Tom and Charlie Arthur both opened with maiden overs but lost skipper Rhys Davies with only 18 runs on the board – only for Noah Davies (18) and Morgan Grieve (11) to redress the balance by the time the score advanced to 42.
Then Dan James shifted them both and later followed by having Brian Hall lbw to finish with 3 for 27 but there was no denying Shaun Whitfield and Nick Davies as they took control until 8.20 arrived and off they went!
But at 8.42 they finally came back and Davies finished on 18 not out with two late boundaries and Davies belted a six to set the seal on a Carew win – and a measure of revenge because they had recently lost to Cresselly in the Harrison-Allen Bowl and league games!
