Welsh Cup Quarter-Final:

 

 

Neyland (122 for 8) lost to Newport (127 for 4) by 6 wickets

 
Umpires:  Jeff Evans (Drefach) & Ceri Evans (Ynystawe)
Scorers: John Laugharne & Mike Wanklin
Venue: The Athletic Ground, Neyland
 
Neyland’s hopes of a second Welsh Cup Final appearance were halted by a very strong Newport side which is second in division one of the South Wales Premier League and showed their experience to good effect in a terrific battle in a much-reduced period of play at a wet Athletic Ground.
 
Indeed, the fact that the game managed to be played over 16 overs, rather than the planned 40 overs each was a tribute to the patience of both teams and match officials – and great work by groundsman Rob Bellerby and his team for getting any play at all.
 
The game was due to start at 1pm but persistent rain all morning scotched any idea of that – but umpires Ceri Evans and Jeff Evans, who up until last season had officiated at over 200 first-class games and 100 T20 matches, as well as several women’s internationals, agreed to delay the start until 5pm over 20 overs per side.



 

Showers disrupt Neyland charge

 
Even then, play was halted by two showers that didn’t help Neyland’s cause after being asked to bat first by Newport skipper Mark Wallace, who was Glamorgan’s wicket-keeper for 14 years, because of the inevitable disruption to concentration – and after 14 overs in the middle had to go back out again having just been told they had only two overs left.
 
Neyland had made a cracking start via Nick Koomen and Patrick Bellerby, who had scored 105 the previous day and continued where he left off with some massive hitting that saw three sixes and a boundary in one four-ball spell as they sped to 87 at the start of the 11^th over.

Bellerby goes – and wickets tumble

 
A big score seemed in prospect as the visitors downed a couple of catches but then Bellerby was bowled by Charlie Stewart having blitzed four fours and four big sixes, one on the changing room roof, in his 63 runs – and Stewart added another scalp at the same score as Ashley Sutton was caught by Mujahid Ilyas without scoring.
 
Ilyas then had Koomen stumped by Nick Berry for 21 and Neyland, in almost the blink of an eye, had added only five runs for the loss of three wickets!
 
Ilyas also shifter Banner cheaply and although Ross Hardy did plant a six on the roof he was caught behind for 16 off Chris Hardy, who also had Paul Murray removed in identical fashion – and with the pressure well and truly on Hasnain Nawaz got in on the act in the final over as he bowled Gregg Miller and Sean Hannon in successive balls.
 
It meant that Neyland had lost eight wickets 31 runs but they were still determined to keep fighting.
 

Newport held back at the start of their reply . . .

 
In sharp contrast to Neyland’s start, Newport could only muster 13 runs from their first four overs as Ross Hardy and Nathan Banner were backed up by good fielding – and skipper Hannon took a cracking catch to remove Imran Hassan cheaply in the process.
 
Hardy had 1 for 9 from his first three overs and Nathan Berry in particular found it hard going against him – but Michael Clayden, who has played for Glamorgan 2nds, started to increase the tempo and Berry finally broke loose with two big sixes in successive balls from Andrew Miller in his only over, but was then bowled for 24 by Patrick Hannon.

. . . But big hitting pays dividends

 
Clayden and Ilyas then featured strongly as Newport added 51 runs from overs six to ten before both fell to Nick Koomen from spectacular catches – the former to a low catch at long on by Banner with five fours and a six in his vital 43 runs, and Ilyas (3 sixes and a four in his 24) to an even more testing catch by Scott Jones, running in from the fence and diving low in front of him to scoop the ball up.
 
At this stage there was still the sniff of a chance for Neyland but a catch went down and Chris Hardy punished the error with two massive maximums in his 24 not out, one of which actually flew over the top of the changing rooms!
 
It meant that Newport were home and dry by six wickets with an over to spare but the actual contest was far tighter that the final margin of victory suggests and Neyland might have bowed out but they showed they are capable of competing at this high level nonetheless!
 

SCORECARDS:

 
Neyland Batting:
Nick Koomen st Nathan Berry b Mujahid Ilyas 21
Patrick Bellerby b Charlie Stewart 63
Ashley Sutton ct Mujahid Ilyas b Charlie Stewart 0
Ross Hardy ct Nathan Berry b Chris Hardy 16
Nathan Banner st Nathan Berry b Mujahid Ilyas 3
Paul Murray ct Nathan Berry b Chris Hardy 2
Gregg Miller b Husnain Nawaz 4
Scott Jones not out 2
Sean Hannon b Husnain Nawaz 0
Patrick Hannon not out 0
Extras 11
Total (8 wickets) 122
 
Newport Bowling:
Stefan Kelly 2-0-11-0; Michael Clayden 2-0-15-0; Chris Hardy 3-0-24-2; Husnain Nawaz 2-0-17-2; Mujahid Ilyas 4-0-26-2; Charlie Stewart 3-0-22-2
 
Newport Batting:
Michael Clayden ct Nathan Banner b Nick Koomen 43
Imran Hassan ct Sean Hannon b Ross Hardy 5
Nathan Berry b Patrick Hannon 24
Mujahid Ilyas ct Scott Jones b Nick Koomen 24
Chris Hardy not out 24
Mark Wallace not out 1
Extras 3
Total (4 wickets) 124
 
Neyland Bowling:
Nathan Banner 3-0-28-0; Ross Hardy 4-1-29-1; Patrick Hannon 3-0-23-1; Andrew Miller 1-0-15-0; Nick Koomen 3-0-11-2; Scott Jones 1-0-20-0