Lawrenny's self-belief pays off in tense finish (From Western Telegraph)

Lawrenny's self-belief pays off in tense finish

Lawrenny's self-belief pays off in tense finish

Cresselly (148 for 3 and 168 for 3) lost to Lawrenny (159 for 8 and 158 for 8)

Umpires: Trefor Evans and Malcolm Mills Scorers: Louisa Cole and Malcolm Thomas

Lawrenny are the Harrison-Allen Bowl winners for 2001.

The village side made the shortest trip possible as they played nearest neighbours Cresselly and at the end of a superb day's cricket had finished a journey which started over 100 years ago, skipper Rob Williams picking up the coveted Bowl from Mr Huw Harrison-Allen to give Lawrenny possession of the silverware for the first time ever.

It produced as emotional end to any game I have ever seen locally - and the culmination of one of the best finals ever as both teams give their all on a day-long roller-coaster where first one side and then the other assumed the ascendancy.

There were sixes galore and every innings was liberally sprinkled with boundaries on a superb outfield, with the major difference between two well-matched sides perhaps being the fact that Lawrenny had massive self-belief after so many hard games en route to the final.

Cresselly followers had hoped that the massive matches against previous holders Lamphey might have drained Lawrenny's fight but it had the opposite air about a team which batted second and said 'no matter how many runs we chase we are going to get them.'

This was typified best in their first innings when they had slipped from 73 without loss to 77 for 4 in pursuit of Cresselly's 148 for 3. Suddenly the target seemed huge but Andrew Cole came to the crease, hoisted his first ball for a mighty six, took 20 off the over - and suddenly the pendulum had swung their way again.

There was big hitting throughout, not least at the end of Cressellys innings as Ryan Lewis strode to the crease with the score at 112 in the 20th over - and 12 balls later walked off undefeated on 34, with four fours and two sixes, one of them a lovely straight hit of his first ball!

It provided the icing on the Cresselly cake after skipper Richard Harris had followed his policy of winning the toss and batting first with Lyn Richards and Julian Arthur as openers against the pace of Robert Williams and Simon Cole (junior), who claimed the first wicket in his third over as he bowled Arthur for 5 with the score on 18.

Cresselly had managed only 23 runs from their first eight overs but then Richards and Simon Cole (senior) began to attack, only for Cole to be run out in the 11th over, chasing a risky second to Rob Williams and paying the price with the score on 47, a body blow for Cresselly because so much is expected of the vice-captain, who had already struck a six and three fours in a speedy 22.

Richards was joined by skipper Harris and Cressellys two most experienced cricketers put on 65 as they successfully raised the tempo against Lawrenny change bowlers Steve Rees and James Buckle.

Richards looked assured of a half century but then tried to play Buckle on the charge and was bowled for 45 - although Lawrenny delight was soon changed to dismay as Lewis started his assault, Harris had an escape when he was 'bowled' by Cole (junior) off a no-ball but responded cleverly by giving Lewis the strike as often as possible as he finished on 24 not out in 34 deliveries, with Lewis taking Cresselly to a total that at one stage didnt seem likely at all.

Lawrenny's response was far brisker at the outset as Chris Vincent looked in fine fettle and Adrian Harries adopted the anchor role.

44 runs came from the first six overs (at the same stage Cresselly were 19 for 1) and when Vincent was finally out, well caught low to his right at mid-wicket by Lyn Richards off Denzil Hughes for a classy 54 (six fours), the Lawrenny score was on 73 for 1.

It swung the game temporarily back in Cresselly's favour because Harries followed, bowled by Richards for 15 (35 balls), who also shifted the dangerous duo of James Buckle and Steve Lewis, with the aid of catches by Simon Cole and Damian Arthur in the 15th over.

But Andrew Cole (junior) showed scant respect for pressure as he launched a counter-attack on former team-mate Hughes, with two sixes and a four - before Richard Harris replaced Hughes at the school end and promptly bowled Rob Williams from his first ball!

Andrew Cole (junior) became Richards' fourth victim, having slammed 38 in 20 balls, his four massive sixes a tribute to his timing. Ian Jenkins, as resolute as ever, chipped in with 29 and Lawrenny took the lead with 10 balls to go before Christian Phillips and Simon Cole (junior) took them to an eleven-run lead at the tea break.

Cresselly promoted Lewis to open alongside Richards after the deserved rest from the sun - but there was no repeat of the first innings because Lewis was bowled by Simon Cole (junior) after he had struck one four.

But Simon Cole looked as assured as in the first innings and joined Richards in taking Cresselly to 46 before Richards was adjudged LBW for 18.

Richard Harries managed only nine runs in the second innings but Cole found a new accomplice in Phil Williams, who looked the ideal foil for Simon Cole (junior), the pair putting on 92 runs in an unbroken stand, Williams finishing his neat cameo on 27 not out while Cole took charge to such an extent that he finished up on 90 not out, only time preventing him reaching a deserved century.

He reached 50 off only 42 balls but then scorched to another 40 runs in 17 balls as he struck 11 fours and another two big sixes, one off the last ball of the innings after he had been dropped at long-on by Buckle.

A target of 158 for victory seemed a big one but few around the ground had discounted Lawrenny, who suddenly were back as favourites as Vincent and Harries added a second good opening stand, this time of 57 before Vincent was caught on the mid-wicket boundary by Damian Arthur for 26, including two fours and a six.

Harries departed for 28, having two sixes in successive balls in quite different circumstances, the first a big hit over the changing rooms off Phil James and next ball as he pushed for a risky second run and there were four overthrows to go with the two runs completed!

James Buckle and Steve Lewis were evidently keen to atone for their earlier batting disappointment as they built a strong third-wicket partnership before Lewis was bowled by Richard Harris for 20.

Andrew Cole (junior) was run out by Ryan Lewis, looking for a sharp second run, but Buckle, who struck two sixes and four fours, kept Lawrenny well on course so that at 133 for 4 they looked set for victory, only for run outs to Andrew Cole (senior) and Christian Phillips (a neat throw by skipper Harris after Phillips had just plonked a six over the changing rooms) to cause a stutter, especially since Buckle was caught by Lewis off Richard Harris and Ian Jenkins was dismissed by Richards.

At 144 for 8 there was still much to be played for but an unfortunate misfield on the boundary gave Simon Cole (junior) a gift four and the all-rounder dubbed 'Chief' by his team-mates guided the winning runs through mid-wicket, with captain Rob Williams appropriately at the other end as both were engulfed by team-mates and seemingly the whole of Lawrenny village.

It was a moving moment as former players who had done so much to hold the club together joined in with the current squad in celebrating an epic win in a superb contest that had provided full value for a big crowd.

No-one in the county would deny the popular club their first success but Cresselly also deserved every credit because they played their full part in creating a final that club chairman Maurice Cole said he hoped would 'restore the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final to the status it enjoys with all cricket-lovers throughout the county.'

Opposite number Chris Williams said that 'I hope it will be a game that produces a great contest for players and spectators alike.'

Both would say that their hopes were realised because it was a wonderful days cricket and everyone involved deserves immense credit for producing a roller-coaster match that would have graced any final anywhere.