Harrison-Allen Bowl Final 2020:

 

Neyland (142 for 9 and 214 for 7) beat Haverfordwest (134 for 7 and 103 all out) by 119 runs

Umpires: Dave Brandon and Steve Blowes
Scorers: John Laugharne and Jayne Cole
Venue: Cresselly Cricket Club

Man of the Match: Ashley Sutton (Neyland)
Adjudicators: Both umpires

Neyland are Harrison-Allen Bowl winners for 2020 after inflicting perhaps the heaviest defeat ever on previous holders Haverfordwest; a final margin of 119 runs.

Yet Sean Hannon and his multi-talented side would be the first to admit that the first innings lead of eight runs showed how hard-fought the final was until then but in  two vital periods either side of the picnic tea interval, both teams enjoying the sandwiches provided by their respective clubs, the game swung momentously in their favour.

Vital moments swing it Neyland’s way . . .

After a slightly delayed start Neyland had scored 142 for 9 after being asked to bat first by The Town’s debutant skipper Dai Davies and it looked like a score that was well with his side’s ability to build a decent lead as they stood at 108 for 4 with seven overs left.

But then Neyland collectively gritted their teeth and in Andrew Miller, Ross Hardy and Nick Koomen they had bowlers who conceded only 26 runs as The Town’s middle order found it hard going under such pressure.

Miller was typically the catalyst after going for 28 runs from his first three over but in his second triple he claimed an influential 1 for 8 analysis alongside Hardy (only 15 runs in six overs) and Koomen 1 for 9 from his two overs.

. . . Sustained onslaught by Bellerby and Sutton – and Banner’s blitz killed off Town hopes!

Then, The Town started their second stint in the field well as Koomen, undoubtedly one of many danger men in this Neyland side, departed early but a sustained onslaught saw Sutton blitz a half century to earn man of the match plaudits and Patrick Bellerby smashed 49 as they added a three-figure partnership in double quick time.

Hardy also hit a rapid 18 but then Nathan Banner produced the innings of the day, a game-changing howitzer that included four fours and five massive sixes as he sped to 64 in only 22 balls, scoring off every ball he faced.

His controlled hitting inflicted grievous bodily harm on Haverfordwest hopes as they were set a soul-destroying 224 runs to win.


 

Neyland First Innings (142 for 9):

Yet Haverfordwest made a bright start as they applied early pressure and in a complete mix-up between openers Koomen and Bellerby over a possible second run a good throw in by Danny Potter saw Jack Scriven remove the bails as Bellerby departed for only five runs.

Koomen was caught by Simon Holliday off Johnny White for 15 and at 27 for 2 in seven overs Neyland looked shaky – but catches dropped by normally safe fielders like James and Davies let them off the hook as Sutton (32, including four big sixes), Hardy (26 from only 15 balls, with three fours and a six) and Banner (18, another big six included).

Simon Holliday gave The Town hope as he dismissed all three and added the scalp of Scott Jones in a 4 for 28 haul as young keeper Jack Scriven claimed his second stumping.

Lee Summons also raised morale as he ran in from the boundary to take a superb diving catch to halt a threatening assault by Hardy.

Johnny White removed another potent threat in Brad McDermott-Jenkins as part of his 2 for 41 analysis and Archie Thomas chipped in with a late 2 for 11 spell as Neyland finally finished up on their final total: a decent one but perhaps a little less than they would have hoped for.
 

Haverfordwest First Innings (134 for 7):

Haverfordwest had high expectations of Adam James hitting power after the previous year’s match-winning exploits and ‘The Viking’ again sent tremors through the Neyland camp despite the early loss of Danny Potter, neatly stumped by Sean Hannon off his twin brother Patrick.

But they still shared an opening stand of 37 as James launched five big sixes over the boundary but the big feeler went for one big hit too many and gave Nick Koomen a catch in the deep, to the clear relief of his Neyland team mates, with the score on 41.

Archie Thomas was pushed up the order to try and maintain the momentum and he did manage a six but a shoulder injury hampered him and Koomen took a second catch, this time off Banner.

Simon Holliday and Dai Davies settled things back down and added 39 runs together before ‘The Doc’ departed for 32, again stumped by Sean Hannon, this time off Miller’s canny slow stuff.

Ben Field and Lee Summons came and went as The Town were put under pressure and that late pressure saw them have to settle for trailing by eight runs at the interval – but still very much in the game.




 

Neyland Second Innings (214 for 7):

Koomen again departed cheaply as he was trapped lbw by Holliday with the score on 17 after 3.2 overs but this early success wasn’t maintained as further chances were spilled.

Veteran off-spinner Clive Tucker downed a sharp return catch off Sutton, who repaid such generosity by smashing the next two balls over the long-on boundary.

Jake Merry also failed to pouch a difficult catch at cow corner and suddenly the score had increase massively to 96 for 1 in only 10 overs.

Sutton sped to 53 with three fours and five magnificent maximums and his team mates were talking of a century but he also went for a big hit too many and was bowled by Lee Summons.

Any hope of a respite for The Town soon disappeared, however, as Hardy (18) slapped a six and four before he became Summons’ second scalp but Bellerby stroked seven boundaries in a cultured 49 before he was adjudged lbw to Adam James, who soon afterwards sadly suffered a second fall in his delivery stride and had to leave the field injured.

But then came that innings which finally doomed Haverfordwest hopes as Banner began to exert his considerable influence with his ability to hit straight and hard – and punish anything loose on the leg side.
He struck four fours and five monster sixes as he faced only 22 balls in scoring 64 runs, one of the memorable innings that recalled similar knocks from some of the county’s greats over many years and could be measured by the fact that The Town’s miserly ‘spin twins’ Holliday and Tucker departed for a combined 83 runs in seven overs!

Suddenly, Haverfordwest needed 224 runs to win!
 

Haverfordwest Second Innings (103 all out):

Adam James bravely opened the innings with Potter having adopted his regular view that if you hit the ball hard you don’t have to run too much and a straight drive off Hardy emphasised that opinion – but he tried a second shot and a low sliding catch by Koomen at long-off saw him go for 10 runs, and when Holliday came and went for a single, caught by man of the match Sutton off Henry Durrant, it was all over bar the presentation of the trophy by the ever-popular Hugh Harrison-Allen.

Potter played some nice shots in his 37 but also fell to Durrant’s left-arm stuff in a 2 for 17 spell and Ben Field chipped in with 21 before he became part of a typical four-wicket haul by Andrew Miller.

His 4 for 24 emphasised the fact that every member of the Neyland team had made a contribution and they won their fifth Bowl Final in ten seasons as proof of their success and strength in depth.

Richard Merriman, the new county club chairman, rounded off the occasion by thanking all involved, especially Cresselly for the way they had organised the final in such difficult circumstances before Sean Hannon duly raised the coveted silverware aloft.

Umpire Steve Blowes announced that Ashley Sutton deservedly pocketed the man of the match trophy and Haverfordwest were left to reflect on what might have been on a different day before the winners departed to celebrate their triumph back in their home town!

(** More details of this part of the day will be covered in our ‘Bowl Snippets’ feature tomorrow!**)







 

SCORECARDS:
 
First Innings:

 
Neyland Batting:
Nick Koomen ct Simon Holliday b Johnny White 15
Patrick Bellerby run out 5
Ashley Sutton ct Adam James b Simon Holliday 34
Ross Hardy ct Lee Summons b Simon Holliday 26
Nathan Banner st Jack Scriven b Simon Holliday 18
Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Dai Davies b Johnny White 0
Scott Jones st Jack Scriven b Simon Holliday 11
Henry Durrant b Archie Thomas 7
Sean Hannon not out 9
Andrew Miller ct Simon Holliday b Archie Thomas 2
Patrick Hannon not out 0
Extras 15
Total (9 wickets) 142
 
 
Haverfordwest Bowling:
Adam James 6-0-24-0; Johnny White 5-0-41-2; Clive Tucker 3-0-36-0; Simon Holliday 6-0-28-4; Archie Thomas 2-0-11-2
 
Haverfordwest Batting:
Adam James ct Nick Koomen b Nathan Banner 34
Danny Potter st Sean Hannon b Patrick Hannon 7
Simon Holliday st Sean Hannon b Andrew Miller 32
Archie Thomas ct Nick Koomen b Nathan Banner 9
Dai Davies b Nick Koomen 27
Ben Field b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 7
Lee Summons run out 6
Jake Merry not out 5
Jack Scriven not out 2
Extras 5
Total (7 wickets) 134
 
Neyland Bowling:
Patrick Hannon 2-0-20-1; Nathan Banner 3-0-39-2; Ross Hardy 6-1-15-0; Andrew Miller 6-0-31-1; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 3-0-20-1; Nick Koomen 2-0-9-1
 

2^nd Innings:

 
Neyland Batting:
Nick Koomen lbw b Simon Holliday 8
Patrick Bellerby lbw b Adam James 49
Ashley Sutton b Lee Summons 53
Ross Hardy b Lee Summons 18
Nathan Banner ct sub (Mike Jones) b Clive Tucker 64
Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Jake Merry b Simon Holliday 7
Andrew Miller run out 5
Scott Jones not out 0
Extras 10
Total (7 wickets) 214
 
Haverfordwest Bowling:
Adam James 3.5-0-27-1; Simon Holliday 5-0-53-2; Lee Summons 4-0-37-2; Clive Tucker 2-0-34-1; Johnny White 2.1-0-38-0; Dai Davies 3-0-25-0
 
Haverfordwest Batting:
Adam James ct Nick Koomen b Ross Hardy 10
Danny Potter ct & b Henry Durrant 37
Simon Holliday ct Ashley Sutton b Henry Durrant 1
Dai Davies run out 0
Ben Field ct Patrick Bellerby b Andrew Miller 21
Lee Summons ct Sean Hannon b Andrew Miller 5
Archie Thomas b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 2
Jake Merry b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 3
Jack Scriven ct Nathan Banner b Andrew Miller 7
Johnny White b Andrew Miller 10
Clive Tucker not out 1
Extras 6
Total (all out) 103
 
Neyland Bowling:
Ross Hardy 6-0-20-1; Nick Koomen 2-0-24-0; Henry Durrant 3-0-16-2; Andrew Miller 5-0-24-4; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 4-0-17-2