Cresselly and Narberth Youth teams will contest this season’s Ormond Youth Cup Final after both won epic encounters away from home respectively to Hook and Whitland – with both games a tribute to their club and individual performances . . .
 
 

Charlie stars as Cresselly ease home

 

Cresselly Youth (146 for 2) beat Hook Youth (133 for 5) by 13 runs

 
Umpires: Arthur Brady & Rob Bellerby
Scorers: Cerys Jenkins & Jonathan Willington
Venue: Hook Cricket Club
 
Charlie Arthur was the undoubted star of the match between Cresselly and Hook as he top scored when Cresselly batted, with an unbeaten half century, and he then bowled really well to claim three key Hook batsmen for next to nothing as he spearheaded his team’s attack.
 
Arthur joined Archie Hillier-Wood in a productive opening partnership of 57 before the Pembroke Dock youngster departed for 20, with three boundaries before he was bowled by Lewis Miller, who caught the eye for Hook with his pace bowling and top score of the evening with the bat that marks him as an outstanding all-rounder.
 
In a repeat of last season’s final, Ollie Berry also contributed 29 (a four and a six included) in another excellent partnership of 65 before Miller was again involved with the catch off Jack Phillips’ bowling as Cresselly ramped up the scoring in each five-over block of their innings.
 
There was still time for Morgan Lewis to chip in with a six out of his 15 not out as Arthur ended up with an undefeated 51 (four fours and a six) in his 51 not out - and 36 runs came off the final three overs as the Cresselly overall tally was helped by 31 extras.
 

Arthur strikes with the ball as Hook never give up trying

 
It says much for Hook’s quality play that they were clearly up for the chase but on 28 suffered a blow when they lost Owen Phelps for six runs, bowled by Ollie Berry – before opener Miller and Harry Makepeace (27, including two fours and a six) shared an excellent partnership of 53 before the latter became the first of Charlie Arthur’s victims in a 3 for 19 spell.
 
Then Arthur struck a speedy second blow by bowling key run-maker Seth Willington with the addition of a run – and as Joe Phillips gave Miller support with his 15 not out Hook were clearly in with a shout as Hook refused to lie down.
 
Miller moved sweetly to 58, including eight excellent boundaries, but as the pressure inevitably ramped up in the later stages he was caught by Cresselly keeper Jamie Goldsworthy off Arthur and Hook fell 14 runs short of their target to round off a competitive tussle which was a credit to both sides.
 
SCORECARDS:
 
Cresselly Youth Batting:
Archie Hillier-Wood b Lewis Miller 20
Charlie Arthur not out 51
Ollie Berry ct Lewis Miller b Jack Phillips 29
Morgan Lewis
Extras 31
Total (2 wickets) 146
 
Hook Youth Bowling:
Joe Phillips 4-1-13-1; Harry Makepeace 3-0-21-0; Lewis Miller 4-0-31-0; Dom Asson 4-0-27-0; Owen Phelps 3-0-28-0; Jack Phillips 2-0-16-1
 
Hook Youth Batting:
Lewis Miller ct Jamie Goldsworthy b Charlie Arthur 58
Owen Phelps b Ollie Berry 6
Harry Makepeace b Charlie Arthur 27
Seth Willington b Charlie Arthur 0
Joe Phillips not out 15
Jack Phillips b Morgan Lewis 3
Charlie Wilson not out 1
Extras 23
Total (5 wickets) 133
 
Cresselly Youth Bowling:
Ollie Berry 4-0-24-1; Morgan Lewis 4-1-22-1; Josh Lewis 4-0-27-0; Charlie Arthur 4-0-19-3; Corey Lewis 3-0-26-0; Rhys Daley 1-0-12-0
 
 

Skipper Will steers Narberth home

 

Narberth (136 for 3) beat Whitland Youth (135 for 6) by 7 wickets

 
Umpires: Tony Walsh & Robert Ridge
Scorers: Richard Howell & Rob Benjamin
Whitland Cricket Club
 
Narberth reached the Ormond Youth Cup Final for the first time since 2010 as they made the short journey up the toad to Whitland and had skipper Will Nicholas to thank for victory in a pulsating finale as his 61 not out was a keynote feature.
 
Whitland batted first and made a good start via Harry Fuller and Harry Jones, who reached 13 in an opening stand of 53 before he gave a return catch to Ifan Jones – and there was another good partnership of 54 for the second wicket as Jacob Owen contributed 25 (including a six and a four), whilst Fuller was finally out for an excellent 53 that contained six fours and two sixes.
 
Both wickets fell to Shay Norcross with the respective assistance of Harri Harries and Jack Thomas – and Norcross finished with fine figures of 3 for 14 as he also bowled Ollie Bujega for six runs.
 
He was well supported by McKenzie McDonald (2 for 13) as 23 from ‘Mr Extras’ boosted the Whitland final tally to 135 for 6.

Nicholas leads by example with the bat

 
Narberth didn’t make as good a start as their opposition as Finley Davies (6) was bowled by Luc Owen and Charlie Phillips (15) was adjudged lbw to Dafydd Jones but Will Nicholas and Norcross gradually got into a rhythm until the latter was run out for 16.
 
But, try as they might, the Whitland bowlers couldn’t shift Nicholas as he stroked nine boundaries in his undefeated 61 and it was a key factor in Narberth getting home right at the end of their overs as McDonald (15 not out) and another 23 from ‘Mr Extras’ saw them win a pulsating contest.
 
SCORECARDS:
 
Whitland Youth Batting:
Harry Jones ct & b Ifan Thomas 13
Harry Fuller ct Jake Thomas b Shay Norcross 53
Jacob Owen ct Hari Harries b Shay Norcross 25
Luc Owen ct Elliott Evans b McKenzie McDonald 5
Ollie Bujega b Shay Norcross 6
Ethan Ryan b McKenzie McDonald  9
Cai Lewis not out 1
Extras 23
Total (6 wickets) 135
 
Narberth Bowling:
Jake Thomas 4-0-21-0; Elliott Evans 3-0-30-0; Ifan Thomas 4-0-28-1; Will Nicholas 2-0-24-0; Shay Norcross 4-0-14-3; McKenzie McDonald 3-0-13-2
 
Narberth Youth Batting:
Charlie Jones lbw b Dafydd James 15
Finley Davies b Luc Owen 6
Will Nicholas not out 61
Shay Norcross run out 16
McKenzie McDonald not out 15
Extras 23
Total (3 wickets) 136
 
 
Whitland Youth Bowling:
Luc Owen 4-0-18-1; Ollie Bujega 4-0-18-0; Dafydd James 2-0-19-1; Cai Rees 4-0-26-0; Jacob Owen 4-0-28-0; Ethan Ryan 2-0-17-0