Haverfordwest Cricket Club are now on their way to the indoor school at Lord's a week on Sunday for the UK Indoor Cricket Finals after two stunning victories at the Edgbaston Indoor School gave them a deserved place in the last four.
 
First they produced a superb performance against Cutnall Green Cricket Club, the Warwickshire champions, and played even better to fend off the strong challenge of a very determined and skill team from Elstow, the champions of Huntingdonshire.
 
 

Semi Final:

 

Haverfordwest (159 for 4) beat Cutnall Green (65 all out) by 94 runs

 
Haverfordwest produced a superb all-round display to slam Cutnall Green by 94 runs as they were asked to bat first and built up a formidable total, bowled and fielded superbly to show their mettle.

Again The Town were led by Nigel Delaney with the bat as he came in first wicket down after Ben Field had departed for 12 – and built up a useful stand with Simon Holliday before ‘The Doc’ departed for 24 (four threes and a six).

Then Delaney and skipper Danny Potter increased the tempo before the former retired on 25 and Potter was caught and bowled for 24 (six threes and a two).

The only hiccup came when Huw Scriven departed for a duck but AJ Revu, now living in Birmingham, astounded everyone with 37 priceless runs as Delaney returned to join him and they added 73 runs in the last four overs, with Delaney ending on a superb 42 not out (12 threes to show his superb judgement of tight runs) and Revu smashing seven threes, two fours and a straight six as he only ran two singles to negate the chance of his being run out!

This late onslaught clearly knocked the stuffing out of Cutnall Green, who had reached the Edgbaston play-offs before, and they were soon in deep trouble as they had to chase a mammoth 13 runs per over.
They lost their first wicket with only six runs on the board, were 42 for 3 in six overs and 58 for 5 in eight overs before the game ended in their ninth over – and The Town were deservedly through to the final.
AJ Revu proved himself an excellent strike bowler with a wicket in his first over and completed a fine performance as he also grabbed the last Cutnall Green wicket in his 2 for 18 haul.

There were two run outs as The Town kept the pressure on in the field and excellent final figures for Holliday, Delaney and Potter as Haverfordwest dominated from start to finish.
 
SCORECARD:
 
Haverfordwest Batting:
Simon Holliday b Harries 24
Ben Field ct Higgins b Lavall 12
Nigel Delaney not out 42
Danny Potter ct & b Rees 24
Huw Scriven lbw b Rees 0
AJ Revu not out 37
Extras 20
Total (4 wickets) 159
 
Cutnall Green Bowling:
Lavall 3-0-30-1; Harries 3-0-26-1; Rees 3-0-38-2; Higgins 3-0-50-0
 
Cutnall Green Batting:
Harries run out 23
Rees b AJ Revu 0
Higgins ct AJ Revu b Simon Holliday 12
Lavall run out 15
Sheppard run out 0
Salem b AJ Revu 6
Extras 9
Total (all out) 65
 
Haverfordwest Bowling:
AJ Revu 2.2-0-18-2; Simon Holliday 2-0-13-1; Nigel Delaney 2-0-16-0; Danny Potter 2-0-9-0

Final:

 

Haverfordwest (155 for 5) beat Elstow (135 all out) by 20 runs

 
Haverfordwest knew that only a huge score would do against Elstow, who had shown their prowess by beating Ramsey (Hertfordshire),  as The Town again batted first and were quickly into their stride as Simon Holliday and Ben Field both reached 25 and had to retire with 54 runs already on the board after only five overs.

Nigel Delaney maintained his amazing form as he also stroked 25 and The Town had reached 103 in the eighth over before Danny Potter was out for 13 runs.

Huw Scriven chipped in with a quick 20 and although AJ Revu failed to trouble the scorers it mattered little because Holliday came back with 41 (13 threes), Field scored a breezy 27 and Delaney was still there at the finish with 35 not (seven threes and seven twos) as this trio helped Haverfordwest score 53 runs in the final five overs.

But Elstow showed the strength of their opening batsmen as Matthew Stephens and Mark Twisson sped top 51 in five overs but when they retired the pressure built up so that Peter Johnson and Richard Thiarra departed cheaply both neatly stumped by Huw Scriven, as did Steve Robson.

Tom Wisson managed 24 but was run out – but the return of openers Stephens and Matthew Wisson gave Elstow the chance to claw their way back. But Stephens was run out after he had scored 41 and Wisson followed when he was bowled by Holliday – so that they were dismissed for 135 with  an over to spare.
So Haverfordwest earned qualification for a wonderful trip to Lords and if they can maintain this sort of wonderful form they will have as good a chance as anyone to scoop the silverware!
 
SCORECARD:
 
Haverfordwest Batting:
Simon Holliday b T Wisson 41
Ben Field b R Thiarra 27
Nigel Delaney not out 35
Danny Potter lbw b R Thiarra 13
Huw Scriven ct T Wisson b R Thiarra 20
AJ Revu ct M Wisson b T Wisson 0
Extras 17
Total (5 wickets) 155
 
Elstow Bowling:
P Johnson 3-0-41-0; S Robson 3-0-32-0; R Thiarra 3-0-43-3; T Wisson 3-0-34-2
 
Elstow Batting:
M Stephens run out 41
M Wisson b Simon Holliday 46
P Johnson st Huw Scriven b Danny Potter 0
R Thiarra st Huw Scriven b Nigel Delaney 6
T Wisson run out 24
S Robson ct Ben Field b Nigel Delaney 0
Extras 18
Total (all out) 135
 
Haverfordwest Bowling:
AJ Revu 2-0-27-0; Simon Holliday 3-0-29-1; Nigel Delaney 3-0-36-2; Danny Potter 3-0-37-1