2024 Alec Colley Cup Final:

  

Carew 2nds (174 for 3 & 182 for 2) beat Lawrenny 2nds (104 for 7 & 85 all out)

 

Umpires: Jonathan Williams & Ian Gow

Scorers: Julie Davies & Chris Williams 

Announcer: Richard Merriman

 

Man of the Match: Simon Wood

Adjudicator (Martin Jones (Neyland)

 

Venue: Treleet, Pembroke Cricket Club

Carew 2nds confirmed their right to be considered hot pre-match favourites in their quest to retain the Alec Colley Cup as they were asked to bat first and amassed two huge totals, and were better in the field as their bowling was supported by good catching and fielding.

Simon Wood led their batting with a two-innings tally of 150 runs without getting out, and was assisted in the first innings by a half century from the equally-experienced skipper Nick Scourfield and an exciting blitz innings by talented youngster Ethan Hall en route to his unbeaten half century.

It was a similar story in the bowling as old-timer Barry Evans and young Mark White were the most successful bowlers – and some very experienced Carew players weren’t called upon to use bat or ball!

It was to Lawrenny’s credit that they never gave up trying, despite playing their cricket two divisions lower than their opponents, and their large crowd of supporters were as brilliant as ever, mixing with old friends from Carew to produce an atmosphere that was a credit to local cricket.

First Innings:

Carew build a huge total

Carew were clearly intent on making a huge tally to apply pressure on the less-experienced Lawrenny from the outset as Scott Richards and Nick Scourfield sped to 43 in the sixth over before Richards played on to a good ball by teenager Noah Williams, having hit a four and six in his 13 runs.

His demise brought Welsh international senior player Simon Wood to the crease and this pair added a further dimension to the run rate as they added 57 runs in quick time before Scourfield, who looked in excellent nick, was caught on the long-off boundary for 57, trying to add to his five fours and a six.

The pressure on Lawrenny not only continued but actually increased as Nick Davies belted two fours and two sixes in his speedy 29 as he and Wood added a further 54 runs before he was caught on the boundary at the Railway End by Alfie Buckle off Stewart Prosser, who had the distinction of bowling the only maiden of the 20 overs.

‘Woody’ by now had raced past his half century with a big six and he ended the innings on 61 not out thanks to hitting six fours and another six in a peerless that showed he still has the quality to thrive at this level.

Lawrenny battled hard with the ball and in the field but there were a few fielding errors and a couple of dropped catches as Carew finished up on such a massive score.

Lawrenny unable to break the shackles

Lawrenny knew they needed a rapid start if they were to get anywhere near such a massive tally but after they had an opening stand of 24 by Steve Campbell and Johnny Beff they lost both on that total as Campbell (11) was trapped lbw by Sam Harts and Beff fell to the canny slow stuff

of Barry Evans with the aid of a Jacob Knox catch.

Jamie Lewis belted 33, including a big six) and Alfie Buckle chipped in with 21 but the former fell to Mark White and Buckle was run out as he was initially given out stumped to Evans but it was later revised to run out, to the evident dismay of the canny slow bowler!

From then on, only No 7 Noah Williams (14) managed double figures as White (3 for 28), Evans (2 for 29) and Knox (2 for 11) were the principal bowlers. It left Lawrenny on 104 for 7. Trailing by a massive 70 runs at an excellent tea provided, as usual, by the Pembroke Club.

Second Innings:

Wood and Hall share unbroken stand of 123

Lawrenny hopes of clawing their way back from a 70-run tea-time deficit was to bowl out The Rooks cheaply but although they shifted Scott Richards for 11 again and Scourfield for 14 Carew already had 59 on the board because Wood was already moving towards top gear.

‘Woody’ then found a willing ally in teenager Ethan Hall and the mayhem really began as this duo launched a full-frontal assault on the Lawrenny bowling, with the Welsh Seniors international seemingly able to find the gaps at will, with Hall playing calypso-type cricket way beyond his tender years as he sped to 57 not out in only 34 balls.

Wood had reached a peerless 89 not out from only 53 deliveries and they took Carew to 182 for 2 and set Lawrenny an almost impossible target of 253 runs to win in 20 overs!

Pressure tells as White and Evans strike

Pressure soon told as Lawrenny went in to bat as Sam harts took a wicket and George Waters claimed two more before No 4 batsman Alfie Buckle launched a ferocious counter-attack which almost everyone applauded, slamming five fours and a massive six into the road in his 29 runs before he was calmly caught by Waters on the boundary.

From then on wickets fella t regular intervals as White grabbed three more wickets and the ultra-experienced Evans trundled his slow stuff well in also claiming three wickets for next to nothing.

Only Lawrenny skipper James Buckle (14 not out) joined his son in double figures as his side was dismissed for 85 in 17.3 overs but although they were well-beaten they gave it everything against a very strong Carew side which played to its potential and deserved every credit for retaining the trophy.

And finally . . .

The Alec Colley Cup was presented to skipper Nick Scourfield by Kevin Jenkins, the president of Pembroke Cricket Club, with Martin Jones presenting the man of the match award to Simon Wood on behalf of Neyland Cricket Club in memory of Martin ‘Ceefax’ Rees.

County Club chairman Dave Brandon rightly praised Pembroke groundsman Jonathan Davies and his staff for the lovely condition of their Treleet Ground and thanked a good crowd for its outstanding support, which was a credit to all in attendance.

Also worthy of a mention were the members of the Pembroke players’ and ladies’ teams who provided a superb service at their burger stand throughout a long and hot afternoon!

SCORECARDS:

First Innings:

Carew Batting:

Scott Richards b Noah Williams 13

Nick Scourfield ct James Buckle b Stewart Prosser 57

Simon Wood not out 61

Nick Davies ct Alfie Buckle b Jamie Lewis 29

Ethan Hall not out 1

Extras 13

Total (3 wickets) 174

Lawrenny Bowling:

Jamie Lewis 5-0-35-1; Noah Williams 5-0-38-1; Steve Cole 2-0-20-0; Stewart Prosser 4-1-32-1; Tyler Lewis 3-0-33-0; James Buckle 1-0-11

Lawrenny Batting:

Steve Campbell lbw b Sam Harts 11

Johnnie Beff ct Jacob Knox b Barry Evans 8

Jamie Lewis c Sam Harts b Mark White 33

Alfie Buckle run out 21

James Buckle ct Scott Richards b Mark White 0

Luke Cole lbw b Barry Evans 4

Noah Williams ct Barry Evans b Mark White 14

Rhydian Eynon ct Nick Scourfield b Jacob Knox 0

Stewart Prosser b Jacob Knox 2

Steve Cole 2

Extras 7

Total. (7 wickets) 104

Carew Bowling:

Sam Harts 5-0-23-1; George Waters 2-0-12-0; Barry Evans 5-0-29-2; Mark White 5-0-28-3; Jacob Knox 5-0-11-2

Second Innings:

Carew Batting:

Scott Richards b Noah Williams 11

Nick Scourfield st Johnny Beff b Steve Cole 14

Simon Wood not out 89

Ethan Hall not out 57

Extras 11

Total (2 wickets) 182

Lawrenny Bowling:

Jamie Lewis 4-0-46-0; Noah Williams 5-0-33-1; Steve Cole 3-0-36-1; Stewart Prosser 2-0-15-0; James Buckle 3-0-22-0; Taylor Lewis 3-0-25-0

Lawrenny Batting:

Steve Campbell b Sam Harts 2

Johnny Beff ct Nick Davies b George Waters 6

Jamie Lewis b George Waters 9

Alfie Buckle ct George Waters b Mark White 29

Noah Williams ct Scott Richars b Mark White 1

Rhydian Eynon ct Scott Richards b Mark White 6

Luke Cole st Nick Davies b Barry Evans 1

Tyler Lewis b Barry Evans 3

James Buckle not out 14

Stewart Prosser b Barry Evans 2

Steve Cole lbw b Mark White

Extras 10

Total (all out) 85

Carew Bowling:

Sam Harts 4-0-34-1’ George Waters 5-0-20-2; Mark White 4.3-0-18-4; Barry Evans 3-0-13-3