Haverfordwest’s experience beats Carew’s youth
2018 Ken Morris Cup Final:
Carew Thirds (54 all out & 145 for 5) lost to Haverfordwest Thirds (124 for 7 & 77 for 1)
Umpires: Simon Richards & Micky Marsh
Scorers: Alison Sanders (Haverfordwest) and Kerry Waters (Carew)
Venue: The Lewis Lloyd Ground,
Haverfordwest Third XI are the winners of the 2018 Ken Morris Cup Final after beating their counterparts from Carew in a game carried over from last year after bad weather prevented its play during the latter parts of that campaign.
It was played at its traditional home at The Lewis Lloyd Ground and was organised with his usual aplomb by Richard Howell, who provided excellent trophies for players, umpires and scorers, as well as a bottle of wine for anyone else who had made the day the success it was.
Haverfordwest were worthy winners and at tea looked as if an innings' victory might be on the cards after shooting out the very young Carew side for only 54 runs and then scoring 124 for 7 - but Ashley Evans put a little hope in the Carew camp with a swashbuckling 67 not out from only 32 balls to set The Town a target of 67 runs to win.
The Town reached that target in 14 overs for the loss of only one wicket as Filgi Varghese smashed a quick-fire 45 not out to see his side win the competition once again.
Bad start for Carew as Town bowlers strike early
The day started badly indeed for The Young Rooks as skipper Jeremy Griffiths lost the toss and he was invited to bat by opposite number Jason Phillips and they were in trouble from the outset as The Town opening bowler Paul Jenkins grabbed 3 for 11 in his five overs alongside Kapila Nawaratna (2 for 15).
Only skipper Griffiths managed double figures as he belted a big six and a four in his 22 before he was bowled by Varghese (3 for 13) attempting another big hit - and Matthew Vaughan supported with 2 for 11 to reduce Carew to 54 all out in only 17 overs.
Too many extras cost Carew dearly
Haverfordwest also lost three early wickets but James Marchant (20) and Owen Jones (40) put on 44 before Marchant was run out by a direct hit - and The Town were already level with seven wickets and ten overs still in hand!
Jones eventually departed having belted five fours and a six before he was removed by talented teenager Elliott Waters - and skipper Griffiths picked up two wickets as he bowled the final over - but his team bowled a massive total of 25 wides in their tally of 28 extras to send Haverfordwest to a big lead.
Smith smashes quick runs
Carew's second innings certainly didn't get a jet-propelled start as Nawaratna dismissed Rhys Canton and Ross Grieve cheaply and Gronow was run out by a splendid direct hit from a boundary throw by Jones when he looked settled on 16.
Alex Wilks and Griffiths came and went but then Elliott Waters joined Ashley Smith to add a speedy 60-plus runs to the total, with Waters stroking four boundaries in his 26 not out and Smith plundered an unbeaten 67 from only 32 balls as he belted six fours and three big sixes, two of them from the final deliveries by Matthew Vaughan, who is normally a miserly bowler but was dispatched for 57 runs in his five overs.
Town soon celebrating nine-wicket win
It left The Town requiring a relatively small tally but always a banana skin if early wickets fall – but there was no chance of that despite the loss of Richard Davies for 13, bowled by Ashley Smith because Filgi Varghese was in imposing form.
He belted seven fours, most of them from powerful shots as he sped to 45 not out alongside an undefeated nine by John Ebeneezer – and Haverfordwest were home and dry with six overs and nine wickets to spare!
Smith awarded man of the match trophy
Man of the match adjudicator Bill Carne said afterwards that in his view the award would usually go to a member of the winning team and highlighted Haverfordwest’s all-round bowling strength alongside Owen Jones and Filgi Varghese’s batting.
But on this occasion he had decided to break that occurrence and presented the excellent glass trophy to Carew’s swashbuckling batsman Ashley Smith for his making sure that the game went into the latter stages, rather than a defeat by an innings margin.
The superb trophies were presented by members of the Morris Family and the presentations were overseen by Richard Howell, who has done so much to ensure the continued success of this popular competition.
SCORECARD:
FIRST INNINGS:
Carew Batting:
Simon Gronow ct John Ebeneezer b Paul Jenkins 4
Rhys Canton ct Richard Davies b Paul Jenkins 2
Ross Grieve lbw Paul Jenkins 0
Ashley Smith b Kapila Nawaratna 7
Alex Wilks ct Matthew Vaughan b Kapila Nawaratna 0
Jeremy Griffiths b Filgi Varghese 22
Elliott Waters ct James Marchant b Matthew Vaughan 6
Morgan Broomhall ct Richard Davies b Matthew Vaughan 0
Aaron Hinman b Filgi Varghese 0
George Waters not out 3
Archie Smith b Filgi Varghese 0
Extras 10
Total (all out) 54
Haverfordwest Bowling:
Paul Jenkins 5-0-11-3; Kapila Nawaratna 5-1-15-2; Filgi Varghese 4-0-13-3; Matthew Vaughan 3-0-11-2
Haverfordwest Batting:
Richard Davies ct Ross Grieve b Arron Hinman 7
Filgi Varghese c Matthew Broomhall b Ashley Smith 4
John Ebeneezer b Ashley Smith 4
James Marchant run out 20
Owen Jones ct Ashley Wilks b Elliott Waters 40
Ashoka Senavirathna b Jeremy Griffiths 10
Jason Phillips b Jeremy Griffiths 3
Cyril Varghese not out 7
Paul Jenkins not out 1
Extras 28
Total (7 wickets) 124
Carew Bowling:
Ashley Smith 5-0-24-2; Rhys Canton 3-0-18-0; Aaron Hinman 5-0-29-2; George Waters 4-0-28-0; Elliott Waters 2-0-21-1; Jeremy Griffiths 1-0-3-2
SECOND INNINGS:
Carew Batting:
Simon Gronow run out 16
Rhys Canton ct John Ebeneezer b Kapila Nawaratna 9
Ross Grieve b Kapila Nawaratna 3
Ashley Smith not out 67
Alex Wilks b Matthew Vaughan 2
Jeremy Griffiths run out 0
Elliott Waters not out 26
Extras 22
Total (5 wickets) 145
Haverfordwest Bowling:
Paul Jenkins 5-0-15-0; Kapila Nawaratna 5-0-13-2; Filgi Varghese 2-0-27-0; Matthew Vaughan 5-0-57-1; Owen Jones 3-0-23-0
Haverfordwest Batting:
Richard Davies b Ashley Smith 13
Filgi Varghese not out 45
John Ebeneezer not out 9
Extras 10
Total (1 wicket) 77
Carew Bowling:
Ashley Smith 5-0-19-1; George Waters 5-0-26-0; Jeremy Griffiths 2-0-5-0; Aaron Hinman 2-0-17-0