The triumphant Stackpole side celebrate with the Alan  Brown Trophy






Crymych CC


PHOTOS:
Richard MacKay holds the silverware aloft
Stackpole Skipper Richard MacKay receives the Alan Brown Trophy from Paul Webb
Man of the Match Josh Davies receives his trophy from  adjudicator Martin Scourfield
The scorers
Pictures by Brian McKehon
 

Alan Brown Cup Final:

 

Stackpole (183 for 3 & 154 for 5) beat Crymych (125 for 8 & 123 for 7)

 
Umpires: Trefor Evans & Allan Hansen
Scorers: Claire Cox & Ollie Gouldstone
Announcer: Paul Webb       
Electronic Scoreboard: Huw Davies
Venue: Whitland CC
Man of the Match: Josh Davies
Adjudicators: Tony & Martin Scourfield
 
The big-hitting exploits of opening bat Josh Davies and skipper Richard MacKay proved to be hugely influential in helping Stackpole gain an easy win over a Crymych side which battled hard but never recovered from a 58-run interval deficit.
 
Davies blasted an undefeated 93 and looked assured of a century but lost the strike in the last three overs, where he faced only four deliveries, but it mattered little because Stackpole had compiled a massive 181 for 3 from their allotted 20 overs, with Davies smashing eight fours and seven very big sixes.
 
Rob Mathias had joined him at the start with 13 runs, Huw Cox provided vital support with a typically hard-hitting 45 (five fours and a six) and John Williams belted the last ball of the innings for six as Dai Jenkins, Harry Dunn and Mark Thomas claimed a wicket apiece when Crymych chased leather aplenty!
 

Need of a strong reply ruined early on

 
The north-county side needed a big start to their reply but suffered an early set-back when key batsman Richard Thorne was run out for only two runs and after talented teenager Marcus Adie bowled Mark Thomas (13) and Tom Lewis for a single there was only Sam Kurtz to stem the tide.
 
Kurtz is renowned for his big hitting but at the other end Simon Bevan's slow stuff caused mayhem in a 4 for 9 spell in his five overs before Kurtz became his fourth victim for an excellent boundary-sprinkled 52.
 
Chris Gibbs (1 for 33) and Adie (2 for 35) also bowled well and at 125 for 8 the writing was already on the wall for Crymych before both teams, officials and many supporters enjoyed a superb tea organised by Janice and Matthew Webb!
 

Early Crymych hopes soon fade as Mackay goes on the rampage

 
Crymych's only hope was a crash of epic proportions from the Stackpole batsmen and their hopes were raised early on as Josh Davies was caught by keeper Thorne for only four runs, off the bowling of Andrew Thomas.
 
But Stackpole skipper Richard MacKay took up the reins with some powerful batting, assisted by Huw Cox (14), John Williams (11), Simon Bevan (13) and Rob Mathias (11), who produced cameos that allowed Mackay free rein to blitz 10 fours and two sixes en route to a splendid 77 not out.
 
Thomas ended up with 2 for 28 and there was a wicket each for Jenkins, Ioan Davies and Alan Luke - and Crymych were forced to bring on 12th man Ollie Gouldstone after Harry Dunn was struck on the knee by a typically powerful hit by MacKay and had to leave the field in considerable discomfort.
 

Insurmountable challenge

 
MacKay's huge hitting left Crymych with the almost insurmountable challenge of scoring 213 for victory from 20 overs - and they were quickly reduced to 16 for 3 as Kurtz, Thomas and Luke could muster just five runs between them.
 
Thorne showed his capabilities with a classy 50 before he was bowled by Josh Davies, who was later adjudged man of the match by county club Tony Scourfield and his son Martin, and Ioan Davies chipped in with 17 but as Stackpole used six bowlers Crymych struggled to 125 for 8.
 
There was no doubting who were worthy winners as Stackpole skipper Richard Mackay was presented with the Allan Brown Cup by sponsor Paul Webb, of Tavernspite Nurseries, who do such a marvelous job of making it a day to remember for the protagonists every year, along with excellent hosts Whitland Cricket Club.
 
SCORECARDS:
 
First Innings
 
Stackpole Batting:
Josh Davies not out 93
Rob Mathias b Dai Jenkins 13
Richard MacKay ct Tom Lewis b Harry Dunn 4
Huw Cox b Mark Thomas 45
John Williams not out 6
Extras 22
Total (3 wickets) 183
 
Crymych Bowling:
Andrew Thomas 5-0-29-0; Dai Jenkins 5-0-41-1; Alan Luke 5-0-40-0; Harry Dunn 4-0-59-1; Mark Thomas 1-0-7-1
 
Crymych Batting:
Richard Thorne run out 2
Sam Kurtz b Simon Bevan 52
Mark Thomas b Marcus Adie 13
Tom Lewis b Marcus Adie 1
Nick Bevan lbw b Simon Bevan 1
Iwan Davies not out 14
Alan Luke ct Rob Mathias b Chris Gibbs 17
Rhodri Lewis b Simon Bevan 2
Andrew Thomas b Simon Bevan 1
Harry Dunn b Simon Bevan 1
Dai Jenkins not out 1
Extras 20
Total (8 wickets) 125
 
Stackpole Bowling:
Chris Gibbs 5-0-33-1; Richard Mackay 2-0-10-0; Dewi Roberts 3-0-20-0; Marcus Adie 5-0-33-2; Simon Bevan 5-0-9-4
 
** Stackpole lead on first innings – 58 runs **
 
Second Innings:
 
Stackpole Batting:
Josh Davies ct Richard Thorne b Andrew Thomas 4
Huw Cox ct Nick Bevan b Dai Jenkins 14
Richard MacKay not out 77
John Williams lbw b Andrew Thomas 11
Simon Bevan ct Nick Bevan b Alan Luke 13
Rob Mathias ct & b Ioan Davies 11
Richard Gibby not out 1
Extras 23
Total (5 wickets) 154
 
Crymych Bowling:
Andrew Thomas 5-0-28-2; Dai Jenkins 5-0-53-1; Ioan Davies 5-1-27-1; Mark Thomas 2-0-16-0; Alan Luke 3-0-26-1
 
Crymych Batting:
Sam Kurtz b Chris Gibbs 1
Mark Thomas run out 1
Richard Thorne st Owen Cox b Josh Davies 50
Alan Luke b Simon Bevan 3
Ioan Davies ct Richard MacKay b Marcus Adie 17
Tom Lewis not out 21
Nick Bevan b Huw Cox 4
Rhodri Lewis ct Marcus Adie b Huw Cox 0
Extras 26
Total (7 wickets) 123 for 7
 
Stackpole Bowling:
Chris Gibbs 4-0-29-1; Dewi Roberts 3-0-29-0;  Marcus Adie 5-0-33-1; Simon Bevan 5-0-14-1; Josh Davies 1-0-8-0; Huw Cox 2-0-10-0
 
** Stackpole won by 89 runs **