Town take Jubilee Cup from Neyland
PHOTOS
Jubilee Cup winners Haverfordwest
Runners-up Neyland
Haverfordwest captain Danny Potter
Umpires Steve Blowes and Arthur Brady
Scorers Natalie Thomas and John Laugharne
Simon Holliday in top form
(Haverfordwest (190 for 5) beat Neyland (186 for 7) by four wickets
Umpires: Arthur Brady and Steve Blowes
Scorers: Natalie Thomas and John Laugharne
Venue: The Racecourse, Haverfordwest
Haverfordwest completed an excellent season with victory over Neyland in the Jubilee Cup, traditionally played between the winners of the Harrison-Allen Bowl and League champions.
There were runs galore on an excellent wicket and fast outfield prepared by Mike Smith, Martin and George Thomas, with players and spectators alike seeming to enjoy the new format of 30 overs per team, with bowlers limited to no more than six overs.
Brilliant batting as Neyland hand over trophy after 23 days
A superb innings of 88 not out from opener Simon Holliday eventually steered Haverfordwest to victory and before tea there was an innings of similar quality from Nathan Banner as his score of 90 helped Neyland set a challenging target for the Town to chase down.
The Jubilee Cup has traditionally served as the curtain raiser to the league campaign - but this year organisers chose to bring it forward from April 2015 to provide a finale to the 2014 season – and it meant that Neyland, who beat Cresselly last month in a Jubilee Cup game that was postponed from April 2014, held the trophy for just 23 days.
Slow start for Neyland
In sunny conditions, it was Sean Hannon’s men who won the toss and elected to bat, but they started slowly, reaching 18-0 before Patrick Hannon (8) was caught on the boundary in the seventh over by Jonathan Strawbridge, off the bowling of Clive Tucker (1-20).
Hannon’s opening partner Nick Koomen (12) was trapped lbw by Holliday (1-21), before Avron Roulstone struck a big blow for The Town when he had the in-form Ashley Sutton (10) caught at mid off by home skipper Danny Potter.
Banner and Durrant rebuild
That left Neyland on 35-3 but then Nathan Banner and Henry Durrant rebuilt matters with a stand of 94, and the pair took 24 of one Roulstone over before Durrant was caught on the boundary by Potter off Kashif Ijaz for 41 (five fours and a six).
But Banner continued his assault, while Andrew Miller (13) provided brief support before being run out by a direct hit from Holliday, after cleverly taking quick singles to put Banner back on strike but eventually paying the price.
Visiting skipper Hannon was bowled by Roulstone (2-50) for a duck, but Banner went on to make 90, a knock that included eight fours and five massive sixes, before being bowled off the final ball of the innings by Wilment (1-26) as Neyland finished on 186-7 in their 30 overs.
Better start for The Town
In The Town’s reply, Holliday showed his intent as he hammered Patrick Hannon’s first ball to the boundary, but his opening partner Ijaz was bowled by Gary Lloyd (1-35) for 8 after hitting an early six.
No 3 Dai Davies (24) then joined Holliday in a stand of 42, before the former miscued a Durrant delivery to Lloyd at mid wicket.
Holliday and Potter shine together
However, that did little to deter Holliday as he and skipper Potter scored quickly, putting on 88 for the third wicket to take the score to 144-2 before the latter was bowled by Miller for 49, after striking six fours and a six in an entertaining innings
Jonathan Strawbridge made sure the home side didn’t lose momentum however, as he hit Nick Koomen for successive huge sixes in the 26
th over, before being caught on the boundary by Banner off Miller (2-38) for a speedy15.
Late wickets don’t deter Holliday
Ben Field was trapped lbw by Banner for 2, but Holliday kept his composure to steer The Town to 174-5 off 28 overs, leaving them needing 13 off 12 balls to win.
But with Roulstone 0 not out at the other end, Holliday needed just four deliveries to finish matters, going 4, 2, 6, 4 off Miller to settle the game and finish 88 not out, a knock that incorporated 10 fours and two sixes.
It helped give The Town their first win over rivals Neyland in four attempts in 2014, having lost out in both league games and the Duggie Morris Final.
Final thanks and a deserved tribute
After the game, Pembroke County Cricket Club chairman Tony Scourfield thanked both teams for their willingness to play the game and field strong sides, and also paid tribute to former Haverfordwest CCC president Harry McEntee, who sadly died last week.
Haverfordwest skipper Potter then received the trophy from Pembroke County Cricket Club President Dai Morris, to round off a good season of Cricket 2014.
Between innings, both sides observed a minute’s silence in memory of Harry McEntee, who was instrumental in the development of the current facilities at The Racecourse. He served as club Chairman from 1977-1983, and then took on the role of President from 1984 to the present day. All cricket lovers in Pembrokeshire will send their condolences to Harry’s family.
SCORECARD:
Neyland Batting:
Patrick Hannon ct Jon Strawbridge b Clive Tucker 8
Nick Koomen lbw b Simon Holliday 12
Ashley Sutton ct Danny Potter b Avron Roulstone 10
Nathan Banner b Josh Wilment 90
Henry Durrant ct Danny Potter b Kashif Ijaz 41
Andrew Miller run out 13
Sean Hannon b Avron Roulstone 0
Scott Jones not out 0
Extras 12
Total (7 wickets) 186
Haverfordwest Bowling:
Clive Tucker 6-0-20-1; Josh Wilment 6-0-26-1; Simon Holliday 6-1-21-1; Avron Roulstone 6-0-50-2; Kashif Ijaz 4-0-31-1; Dai Davies 2-0-33-0.
Haverfordwest Batting:
Simon Holliday not out 88
Kashif Ijaz b Gary Lloyd 8
Dai Davies ct Gary Lloyd b Henry Durrant 24
Danny Potter b Andrew Miller 49
Jonathan Strawbridge ct Nathan Banner b Andrew Miller 15
Ben Field lbw b Nathan Banner 2
Avron Roulstone not out 0
Extras 4
Total (6 wickets) 190
Neyland Bowling:
Patrick Hannon 6-1-20-0; Gary Lloyd 5-0-35-1; Henry Durrant 3-0-20-1; Nathan Banner 5-0-25-1; Nick Koomen 5-0-51-0; Andrew Miller 4.4-0-38-2.