The Ken Morris Memorial Cup’s 2026 season was successfully rounded off on Sunday as the four top teams from the qualifying series of matches met at Narberth, the traditional home of the competition, with Pembroke beating Haverfordwest and Carew overcoming Cresselly in the other semi-final to set up a final watched by a large crowd. (Writes Bill Carne)
 
Organised as usual by Narberth stalwart Richard Howell, the final went on very late into the evening before Pembroke won the third-team silverware as reward for their commitment and never-say-die approach to a long day where, under the well-used cliché, local cricket really was the winner!
 





 

Semi-Final One:

 
 

Pembroke power passed shell-shocked Town

 
 

Pembroke (109 all out) beat Haverfordwest (69 all out) by 40 runs

 
 
Pembroke won the toss and decided to bat first against Haverfordwest but the positive approach soon back-fired as they lost  opener Harry Pennikett and No 3 Will Randell to The Town’s opening bowler Sidek Mahey, who is only 16 but later removed other key batsmen Dan Scourfield (10)  and Toby Bradley-Watson (14), including the only six of the innings) to finish with fine figures of 4 for 13 in his five overs.
 
Opener Kevin Truswell, who looked in good nick as his 13 in only nine balls included three fours, but then he was run out – and with Ollie Domohoe falling cheaply to Steffan Bridger (1-27) and Hassan Azziz becoming the second run-out victim there were obvious problems for Pembroke at 68 for 7, but with plenty of time still to build a decent score.
 
Appan Maheshwari (17) and Arjun Mahesh (16) helped stage a mini fight-back with his 16 runs but fell to 14 year-old Harri Atyeo (1 for 20) as  Tom Baker (2 for 20) wrapped things up for The Town – but Pembroke passed the three-figure mark to at least set a challenge if their bowlers could come up with the goods!
 
And accept the challenge they did after Town openers Richard Davies (15) and Graham Jenkins (10) put on 25 for the first wicket – but then chaos ensued as L Pennington steamed in alongside Hassan Hazziz and grabbed 4 for 15 and suddenly Haverfordwest had lurched to 34 for 4 and even worse at  46 for 7 in the ninth over as Azziz supported really well with 3 for 31.Only talented teenager Atyeo and Tom Baker, with eight runs apiece, went close to double figures and the father and son duo of Steve and Ollie Donohue grabbed 1 for 8 and 1 for 9 in the respective short spells as The Town were shot out in only 14-2 overs – and Pembroke had created their own version of ‘The Great Escape’ by a massive 40 runs!
 
Umpires: Huw Simpkins and Ian Gow
Scorers: Ginny Davies & Simon Williams





 



 

Semi Final Two:

 

Carew cruise to local-derby victory

 
 

Cresselly (124 for 3) lost to Carew (128 for 3) by 7 wickets

 
 
Cresselly lost only three wickets in their 20 overs against Cresselly but their final tally was less than they might have expected because they reached three figures in the 14^th over but only managed 23 runs from their final eight overs as neighbours Carew tightened their bowling and fielding to limit The Doves to a target that was well within their reach.
 
Tom Rowlands led the Cresselly batting as he stroked six fours in his undefeated 51 and was part of an opening stand of 61 with Ollie Toy, who struck three boundaries in his 24 before he was well caught by the keeper Elliott Waters off the bowling of James Harries – and then Damien Arthur chipped in with 16 before he was caught by Jac Scourfield off Rhys Grigg.
 
Another old-timer in Stef Jenkins failed to trouble the scorers in the inevitable chase for late runs, caught by Jac Scourfield off Ash Smith but Cresselly’s final tally was boosted by 24 runs from ‘Mr Extras’.
 
Just how much that slow finale to their innings cost them could be gauged by the fact that Carew went off at a rate of knots through teenager Rhys Lewis, who blitzed 35, and ageless opener Nick Scourfield, who looked a cert for a half century as he reached 41 but then was run out. Ash Smith chipped in with 15 not out and although Jac Scourfield late on a tally of 30 extras took The Rooks to a relatively easy win and a final against Pembroke.
 
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Ian Gow
Scorers: David Cleverley & Julie Davies



















 
 

Ken Morris Cup Final:

 

Pembroke play well to win first Ken Morris Cup Final – in a thrilling finale!

 
 

Pembroke (145 for 5) beat Carew (144 for 9) by one run

 
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Huw Simpkins
Scorers: Ginny Davies & Julie Davies
 
Man of the Match: Ollie Donohoe
Adjudicator: John Owen (former Narberth all-rounder)
 
 
Pembroke and Carew fought out a thrilling finale to this season’s Ken Morris Memorial Cup that befitted both teams, their supporters, and the memory of Ken Morris, an ardent supporter of the host club for many years before he passed away – and since then the competition has been kept alive by Richard Howell, another great club stalwart, and his wife Rhian.
 
Pembroke started the final as underdogs but with skipper Toby Bradley-Watson to the helm they batted first, built a challenging total and managed to defend it – by the narrowest of margins -with the father and son duo of Shaun and Ollie to the fore. Ollie produced figures of 5 for 23, the bowling performance of his career, three of them clean bowled as proof of his accuracy, and then dad Shaun was given the responsibility of bowling the final over, with The Rooks needing nine runs for victory.
 
They managed to scramble seven of them off the first five balls to leave one run for a tie and two for victory as Shaun bowled the final ball of the match - and it was straight and missed by the batsman and ended with both Carew players at one end – so Pembroke celebrated in style!
 
When they batted, Pembroke lost an early wicket as Kevin Truswell was run out and Harry Penniket also departed early - but Will Randell and particularly Dan Scourfield batted really well, with both despatching the loose deliveries and taking sharp singles. Skipper Bradley-Watson also maintained the momentum and the Pembroke total was dramatically improved by 33 extras which included a heavy number of wides, with Ash Smith as the pick of their bowlers.
 
Carew’s response also suffered at the start as Nick Scourfield departed for a duck, bowled by Azziz, but Rhys Lewis continued his good form from the semi-final alongside Ash Smith in a stand of 58 before teenager Lewis was Ollie Donohoe’s first wicket and the start of The Rooks’ demise once he’d also shifted Smith (57) with a terrific catch by Bradley-Watson after an excellent innings where Smith had rapped nine fours and a six.
 
From there, Carew lost wickets at key times to set up that tantalising final over and the incredible last-ball scenario. It came as no surprise when Ollie Donohoe was chosen as man of the match by John Owen, and it was appropriate that the Ken Morris Cup, and the excellent individual trophies, were presented by his grand-daughters Chelsea, Shelley and Chloe, plus grandsons Dominic and Jay.





 

SCORECARDS:

 
Pembroke Batting:
Kevin Truswell run out 3
Will Randell ct Elliott Waters b Ash Smith 29
Harry Penniket ct Elliott Waters b Rhys Grigg 7
Dan Scourfield lbw b Jamie Heaps 43
Toby Bradley-Watson ct Elliott Waters b Ash Smith 25
Ollie Donohoe not out 1
Arjun Mahesh not out 4
Extras 33
Total (5 wickets) 145
 
Carew Bowling:
James Harries 5-0-23-0; Ianto Hicks 3-0-26-0; Rhys Grigg 2-0-18-1; Ash Smith 5-0-25-2; Jamie Heaps 5-0-44-1
 
Carew Batting:
Nick Scourfield b Hassan Azziz 0
Rhys Lewis b Ollie Donohoe 29
Ash Smith ct Toby Bradley-Watson 57
Jac Scourfield b Ollie Donohoe 6
Ianto Hicks b Shaun Donohoe 7
Rhys Grigg b Ollie Donohoe 0
Jamie Heaps b Ollie Donohoe 0
Elliott Waters run out 13
Rhys Cadogan run out 9
James Harries not out 5
Extras 17
Total (9 wickets) 144
 
Pembroke Bowling:
Hassan Azziz 5-0-30-1; Lewis Pennington 5-0-48-0; Ollie Donohoe 5-0-31-5; Shaun Donohoe 5-0-27-1