D.R. Morris Cup Final 2017

Whitland (150 for 5 & 143 for 6) beat Haverfordwest (119 for 8 & 139 all out) by 35 runs

Whitland for the first time in the club’s history deservedly won the Duggie Morris Cup against Haverfordwest.

Whitland led by 31 runs at tea and really put the pressure on The Town when they also batted well in their second innings, and it left Danny Potter’s boys chasing a massive 175 runs in the last innings to win, which proved too much in the final analysis with Whitland deservedly picking up the silverware.

Man of the match was awarded to Whitland skipper Iestyn Scourfield, who batted and bowled superbly, and he also led his team by example to a fantastic victory.

Haverfordwest skipper Potter won the toss and invited Whitland to open the batting, with the outfield wet due to morning rain, but the wicket was in good condition.

Opener Geraint Jones played positively and struck 38 (two fours and three big sixes). Haverfordwest's young spinner Kieran O’Connor grabbed the wickets of Dylan Blain (10) and Jonathan Thomas (4), the latter caught by Dan Cole as the score stood at 21 for 2.

O’Connor took a terrific one-handed catch to get rid of Wayne Howells (5) off the bowling of Jonny White.

But Mathew Davies (48 not out, four fours) and skipper Iestyn Scourfield (28 not out, three fours) put on 70 together to take The Borderers to 150 for 5 off 20 overs.

In reply, Haverfordwest struggled to really get going and lost wickets regularly.

Simon ‘Doc’ Holliday opened and top scored with 35 (three fours and a six), experienced bowler Wayne Howells took the wickets of Holliday, Archie Thomas (10) and Dan Cole (8). Jonathan Thomas also grabbed the wickets of Potter (4), Nigel Delaney (13) and Chris Phillips (6), and The Town were behind the run rate at 83 for 6. Huw Scriven was 18 not out alongside Kieron O’Connor (1 not out) as innings closed on 119 for 8, and they were trailing by 31 runs at tea.

Second innings

Whitland opener Dylan Blain hit 51 (six fours and a six) grabbed the game by the scruff as he top scored with a fine half century, before he was run out by Holliday with the score on 123 for 4. O’Connor got the scalps of Jonathan Thomas (26), Iestyn Scourfield (28, two fours and two sixes) and Jonathan Strawbridge (10) as Whitland closed on 143 for 6.

The Town were set a tough challenge of hitting a mamouth score of 175 runs to secure victory in their final innings.

Potter’s boys found themselves always behind the run rate with the skipper knocking off a fine half century, but Borderers’ skipper Scourfield was on fire, trapping deadly opener Holliday (1) for LBW and also clean bowling Dan Cole (9), and at that stage the writing was on the wall for The Town who were eventually skittled out in 18.5 overs, 35 runs short of their target.

SCORECARD

FIRST INNINGS

Whitland

Dylan Blain b Kieran O’ Connor 10

Geraint Jones ct&b Simon Holliday 34

Jonathan Thomas ct Daniel Cole b Kieran O’Connor 2

Wayne Howells ct Kieron O’Connor b Jonny White 5

Will Spreadbury LBW Archie Thomas 12

Mathew Davies not out 48

Iestyn Scourfield not out 28

Extras 11

Total (for 5 wkts) 150

Bowling: Adam James 4-0-25-0; Kieron O’Connor 4-0-45-2; Archie Thomas 4-0-26-1; Simon Holliday 4-029-1.

Haverfordwest

Simon Holliday ct Martin Thomas b Wayne Howells 35

Archie Thomas ct Jonathan Thomas b Wayne Howells 10

Dan Cole LBW Wayne Howells 8

Adam James st Dylan Blain b Scott Newton 7

Danny Potter ct Mathew Davies b Jonathan Thomas 4

Nikhil Mathias run out 4

Nigel Delaney ct Geraint Jones b Jonathan Thomas 13

Chris Phillips st Dylan Blain b Jonathan Thomas 6

Huw Scriven not out 18

Kieron O’Connor not out 1

Extras 3

Total (for 8 wkts) 119

Bowling:  Iestyn Scourfield 4-0-23-0; Wayne Howells 4-0-20-3; Scott Newton 4-0-24-1; Mathew Davies 4-0-25-0; Jonathan Thomas 4-0-25-3.

SECOND INNINGS

Whitland

Dylan Blain run out 51

Geraint Jones ct Adam James b Jonny White 6

Jonathan Thomas ct Simon Holliday b Kieron O’Connor 26

Iestyn Scourfield ct Nigel Delaney b Kieron O’Connor 28

Scott Newton not out 9

Mathew Davies b Adam James 0

Jonathan Strawbridge st Huw Scriven b Kieron O’Connor 10

Nathan Evans not out 2

Extras 11

Total (for 6 wkts) 143

Bowling: Adam James 4-0-19-1; Jonny White 4-0-36-1; Simon Holliday 4-0-25-0; Archie Thomas 4-0-33-0; Kieron O’Connor 4-0-22-3.

Haverfordwest

Simon Holliday LBW Iestyn Scourfield 1

Dan Cole b Iestyn Scourfield 9

Danny Potter ct Dylan Blain b Jonathan Thomas 57

Nikhil Mathias run out 0

Archie Thomas b Wayne Howells 18

Adam James ct Iestyn Scourfield b Scott Newton 0

Nigel Delaney ct Nathan Evans b Mathew Davies 17

Chris Phillips ct Scott Newton b Mathew Davies 8

Huw Scriven run out 8

Kieron O’Connor b Mathew Davies 7

Jonny White not out 1

Extras 13

Total (all out) 139

Bowling: Iestyn Scourfield 4-0-19-2; Wayne Howells 4-0-32-1; Scott Newton 4-0-29-1; Mathew Davies 3.5-0-36-3; Jonathan Thomas 3-0-21-1.

Venue: Oatfield Park, Burton.

Umpires: Steve Blowes & Dave Brandon.

Scorers: Ann-Marie Jenkins & Jayne Cole.