ECB Indoor Cricket Competition:

 

Neyland bow out after marathon journey

 

Neyland (68 all out) lost to Cheltenham Civil Service (72 for 1)

 
Venue: Somerset County Cricket Ground, Taunton
Umpires: Steve Dickens & Alan Prowse
Scorers: Kacey Arran (Neyland) and Matthew Turner (Cheltenham Civil Service)
 
Neyland team manager – Peter Davies
Travelling club chairman and photographer – Martin Jones
 
After being crowned Welsh Champions again, Neyland Cricket Club made the 370+ mile round trip to Taunton aiming to put in another concerted challenge to reach the final at Lord’s but found it hard going in this semi-final from the outset against a very competitive Cheltenham Civil Service Club, the Gloucestershire regional champions.
 
After being asked to bat first Neyland managed only 68 runs before their opponents lost just one wicket in reaching such a lowly target with 2.2 overs in hand.
 
To be fair to Sean Hannon’s team, they were without several players through work or holiday commitments and Hannon himself was ill with car sickness en route and didn’t or bowl, as he normally would – and his team got off to such a bad start that they never recovered and could have no complaints about their defeat.
 

Neyland in trouble from the second ball of the match

 
They were asked to bat by the Civil Service team and their ace opening partnership of Nick Koomen and Patrick Bellerby for once failed to ignite as Koomen was run out from only his second delivery and Bellerby fell to an outstanding gully catch by Bradley Attwood off Sam Bridge without troubling the scorers.
 
Patrick Hannon was bowled by Civil Service skipper George Leadbetter for 9 and although George Evans hit two fours he soon followed, run out for 13. Skipper Hannon (15) was also bowled by Leadbetter and although last man Joe John hit two sixes to be top scorer before he was run out for 20 a score of 68 all out was Neyland’s lowest score for a long time  in the competition.
 
If they were to have any chance of a win from that position Neyland needed quick wickets but Leadbetter had two fours and a six in his 16 before he was well caught by Patrick Hannon off Bellerby a solid 25 from Robbie Baker before he retired with six threes and a four to his name meant that Neyland’s brave run ended as Bradley Attwood (14) and Craig Baker (8) were there at the finish to give the Cheltenham-based team a deserved win and leave them just one step from a visit to Lord’s for the final.






 
Quotes:
 
Sean Hannon:
“We just didn’t get started today and credit for that goes to the Cheltenham Civil Service side which got us on the back foot and kept us there.
“But I would like to thank my team for their usual support and willingness to travel, as well as Kacey for scoring and both Peter Davies and Martin Jones for their usual total support.”
 
Peter Davies:
“It was disappointing to lose because we played well in the earlier rounds but they got on top of as we lost both our excellent openers cheaply – and from then on we were struggling – and Sean deserves a medal just for playing after feeling really unwell.”
 
Martin Jones:
“We have a proud record in this competition and although we hoped to have another visit to Lord’s it was not to be this time – but the boys are committed to our cause and will be aiming high again next season. We as a club are very proud of the indoor cricket exploits over so many years.”
 
 
 
SCORECARDS:
 
Neyland Batting:
Nick Koomen run out 3
Patrick Bellerby ct Bradley Attwood b Steve Bridge 0
Patrick Hannon b George Leadbetter 9
George Evans run out 13
Sean Hannon b George Leadbetter 14
Joe John run out 20
Extras 9
Total 68 (all out)
 
Cheltenham Civil Service Bowling:
Steve Bridge 3-0-18-1; Callum Wilson 3-0-17-1; George Leadbetter 3-0-24-2; Craig Baker 2-0-7-0
 
Cheltenham Civil Service Batting:
Robbie Baker retired 25
George Leadbetter ct Patrick Hannon b Patrick Bellerby 16
Bradley Attwood not out 14
Craig Baker not out 8
Extras 9
Total (1 wicket) 72
 
Neyland Bowling:
Joe John 3-0-22-0; Patrick Hannon 3-0-15-0; Patrick Bellerby 2-0-21-1; Nick Koomen 1.4-0-13-0