Ormond Youth Cup Final:

 
 

Carew/Lawrenny Youth (155 for 3 & 125 for 5) lost to Hook Youth (93 for 6 & 188 for 4) by 6 wickets

 
Umpires: Ian Gow & Huw Simpkins
Scorers: Julie Davies & Matthew Holder
Venue: Carew Cricket Club
 
Man of the Match: Liam Miller (Hook)
Adjudicator: Steve Cole (Chairman, Carew CC)
 
An astounding second innings of 106 by Liam Miller sent Hook Youth to victory over their combined counterparts from Carew and Lawrenny after they had trailed by 62 runs at tea, leaving them with a mammoth challenge of scoring 188 in 20 overs to take the trophy for the second time in three years, which they did from the very last ball of that allowance, when gritty wicketkeeper / batsman Ifan Williams pushed a ball down to fine leg before he and 13 year old Charlie Holder scampered the necessary two runs and players and supporters alike celebrated their great comeback.
 
It left the combined team desperately disappointed, and understandably so because they had played a massive part in a game regarded by many who are regular followers of this competition to say it was one of the greatest on record and a credit to all three clubs involved. It was also unusual in the fact that four players are likely to feature in some capacity in the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final when Lawrenny take on Saundersfoot in a few weeks’ time, which would have been scant consolation at the finish because the terrific team spirit in both camps, fostered by excellent coaches, meant that defeat for either team would have been hard to bear.
 

Carew/Lawrenny build a big total

 
After being asked to bat first, Carew/Lawrenny overcame the early loss of Rhys Eynon, who had struck two fours but then edged a Rhys Phelps’ delivery into Williams’ gloves – but they produced an excellent come-back as Oscar Lewis and Logan Hall put on 131 runs in good time, the hundred coming up after only 14.3 overs. Hall also fell to Phelps, adjudged lbw  with 63 to his name, with two fours and a six), with skipper Finley Lewis soon following, caught by Phelps off Manny Davies for a single – but there was still time for Oscar Lewis and Connor Davies to add a few late runs, with Davies putting a six over the boundary and Lewis having a four and two sixes in his undefeated 61.
 

Hook struggle to maintain any momentum

 
Hook also suffered a body blow as Liam Miller was caught early on by Logan Hall off Oscar Lewis before Rhys Phelps (22) and Jack Phillips (21) advanced the score alongside Ifan Williams (18) but the run rate increased as the combined side bowled and fielded so well that Hook were still 81 runs adrift with only four overs left.
 
Rhys Eynon (2 for 10) had support from bothers Fin and Oscar Lewis, Hall and Noah Williams as only Charlie Holder managed double figures as Carew/Hook  kept a firm grip on events.
 

Hook try hard to keep in contention

 
Hook knew they had to prevent the opposition from adding a big second score with a 62-run deficit already in the bag and their hopes rose as Oscar Lewis and Hall departed quickly as Kieran Sinclair and Harri Evans bowled well – but Rhys Eynon made sure the scoreboard ticked over fairly regularly despite the fact that only Fin Lewis managed double figures alongside him.
 
Eynon was eventually caught by Manny Davies off Liam Miller for 57, including six fours and two sixes, as Miller ended on 2 for 8 alongside Evans (2 for 20), with the score only on 55 at the half-way stage but increasing significantly in the second ten-over spell of the innings as another 70 runs were added.
 
But there was a sad moment during the innings as Carew/Lawrenny No 5 Connor Davies, who had scored 11 not out in the first innings, badly twisted his knee whilst batting again and was unable to continue, but perhaps of greater significance was the fact that with both teams having a care 11 players because of other commitments and injuries, it meant that they would have to field the final innings with a man short.
 

Hook start well - and Miller takes complete charge

 
Liam Miller and Rhys Phelps knew that Hook needed a very good start and this experienced pair, who are regulars in the Hook first team, put 70 before Phelps departed for 29, superbly caught one handed by bowler Noah Williams, who then struck another vital blow a run later as Finley Lewis caught Jack Phillips in front of the gardens for a duck.
 
Miller had survived a possible chance very early on and he began to make Carew/Lawrenny pay the price as he sped to 60 before they downed a second chance – and then the runs really flowed as he belted 12, 14 and 16 runs in successive overs before reaching 106 from 59 balls, with six fours and five mighty sixes.
 
Ifan Williams was the perfect foil by then with 161 on the board before Miller went for another big hit into the gardens but sliced the ball into the grateful hands of  George McDonald in the gully – and suddenly the pendulum had swung and the combined team was back in with  a good chance.
 
Kieran Sinclair hit two boundaries and a few wide deliveries didn’t help but then Sinclair was run out off the penultimate ball and into the fray came Holder, perhaps the youngest on view, but it was Williams who was at the striker’s end – and his sweep shot paid dividends because it saw Hook home against all the early odds.
 

And finally . . .

 
The presentations were led by David Brandon, the chairman of Pembroke County Cricket Club, before Steve Cole had the final word and said what a magnificent final it had been before announcing the man of the match, the easiest decision of the day because it was Liam Miller who would have been the unanimous choice.
 
Everyone from Hook celebrated and in the final innings a special cheer was raised for one of their coaches in Jamie Phelps, sitting on the mid-wicket boundary with his wife Clair, and when a Miller six-hit flew towards him he casually took a two-handed catch to go with the hat-trick he had achieved the previous day, whilst playing for Hook Seconds.





 

SCORECARDS:

 
First Innings:
 
Carew/Lawrenny Batting:
Oscar Lewis not out 61
Rhys Eynon ct Ifan Williams b Rhys Phelps 8
Logan Hall lbw b Rhys Phelps 63
Finley Lewis ct Rhys Phelps b Manny Davies 1
Connor Davies not out 11
Extras 11
Total (3 wickets) 155
 
Hook Bowling:
Rhys Phelps 4-0-27-2; Jack Phillips 4-0-25-0; Kieran Sinclair 4-0-21-0; Liam Miller 4-0-38-0; Charlie Holder 2-0-22-0; Manny Davies 2-0-19-1
 
Hook Batting:
Liam Miller ct Logan Hall b Oscar Lewis 6
Rhys Phelps lbw Rhys Eynon 22
Jack Phillips ct Owen Grieve b Noah Williams 21
Ifan Williams ct Oscar Lewis b Logan Hall 18
Kieran Sinclair b Rhys Eynon 0
Charlie Holder b Finley Lewis 10
Manny Davies not out 5
Harri Evans not out 1
Extras 10
Total (6 wickets) 93
 
Carew/Lawrenny Bowling:
Oscar Lewis 4-0-16-1; Finley Lewis 4-0-14-1; Logan Hall 4-0-26-1; Noah Williams 4-0-23-1; Rhys Eynon 4-1-10-2
 
Second Innings:
 
Carew/Lawrenny Batting:
Oscar Lewis lbw b Kieran Sinclair 1
Rhys Eynon ct Manny Davies b Liam Miller 57
Logan Hall ct Jack Phillips b Harri Evans 8
Finley Lewis b Harri Evans 13
Connor Davies retired hurt 5
Noah Wiliams b Liam Miller 9
Carter Heywood not out 6
Madoc Evans not out 8
Extras 18
Total (5 wickets) 125
 
Hook Bowling:
Jack Phillips 4-0-22-0; Kieran Sinclair 4-0-19-1; Rhys Phelps 4-0-28-0; Harri Evans 4-0-20-2; Liam Miller 2-0-8-2; Manny Davies 2-0-23-0
 
Hook Batting:
Liam Miller ct George McDonald b Finley Lewi 106
Rhys Phelps ct & b Noah Williams 29
Jack Phillips ct Finley Lewis b Noah Williams 0
Ifan Williams not out 27
Kieran Sinclair run out 9
Charlie Holder not out 0
Extras 17
Total (4 wickets) 188
 
Carew/Lawrenny Bowling:
Oscar Lewis 4-0-31-0; Finley Lewis 4-0-42-1; Rhys Eynon 4-0-25-0; Noah Williams 4-0-33-2; Logan Hall 4-0-51-0