Indoor Cricket Final Week:

Haverfordwest Cricket Club go forward to the Welsh Indoor Cricket Finals after beating current champions Neyland A at Tenby Leisure Centre after a seismic collapse by the hot favourites that saw them shot out for only 38 runs from only six of their ten allotted overs.

It was typical of Sean Hannon and his Neyland side, however, that they battled hard until the final run was scored and at times had The Town nervously scratching around and taking daft risks with running between the wickets as they applied good pressure.

The trophy was presented to Haverfordwest skipper Kieran O’Connor by Pembroke County Cricket Club chairman Paul Webb, in attendance as ever, and thanking organiser Peter Davies, who was sadly ill and unable to attend, plus regular umpire Neil Croucher for his consistent contribution, and scorer Ian Milsom.

Match Four – Neyland A (38 all out) lost to Haverfordwest (39 for 1)

With only five teams in the competition this season, three of them from Neyland, the season was inevitably truncated but when the two top teams took to the sports hall with unbeaten records a real battle was expected – but after being asked to bat first by young Haverfordwest captain Kieran O’Connor Neyland were soon in trouble.

Henry Durrant was trapped lbw by Simon Holliday in the first over with contributing a run before key run maker Paul Murray was gifted a ‘life’ as O’Connor dropped the simplest of chances and usually would make people pay for such an error.

But a superb piece of fielding by Holliday that included a direct hit on the stumps, left umpire Neil Croucher raising his finger to send Murray back to the balcony with only eight runs to his name.

Nick Koomen used his experience to try and steady the ship but lost Steve Murray for a duck, caught at mid-off by Danny Potter off Chris Phillips’ bowling, followed by O/Connor running out his opposite number Hannon for only three runs.

Potter bowled a few wides in his only over but then got one to straighten as he bowled Geraint Rees for just a single, leaving Koomen on his own until he reached 20, when Potter took a low return catch to his left to finish with excellent figures of 2 for 6 alongside Holliday (1 for 8) and Phillips (1 for 4).

Even chasing such a low total, The Town made a nervous start via Ben Field and Holliday, who needlessly ran himself out for 5 runs before O’Connor managed to settle in from a shaky start to hit a six and three from successive deliveries by Durrant.

Field made sure he was there to provide the experience necessary to take his side through and although O’Connor finally departed for 21 (including a six and four), caught by Steve Murray off Rees, Field was joined by Archie Thomas in finishing matters off in 5.3 overs.

Match One - Neyland B (164 for 1) beat Neyland C (115 for 3)

There were runs galore as Neyland B beat their C team in the opening match, with George Evans leading the way with a terrific 51 not out that included four sixes and four fours.

He found excellent support from Gavin Rowlands (28) and Lewis Page (27) alongside 20 not out from Ben Fairbairn as William Hughes was the only wicket to fall, run out for 10 runs, and 28 extras certainly helped boost the final total.

The C team's hopes of beating such a large score was stifled by the fact that Sam Laugharne (8), Ben Mathias-Milsom (0) and Jake Booth (14) were run out by good fielding by Fairburn and Hughes, and although Callum Power (29 not out) and Nathan Sutton (26 not out) and Jason Oatley (30 not out) all batted well they were 49 runs short at the finish!

Match Two - Neyland A (162 for 3) beat Neyland B (51 all out)

Neyland A showed their B team how to bat in a huge win that was led by 44 not out from opening bat Paul Murray that included four sixes and four fours. only skipper Sean Hannon suffered the ignominy of a duck, caught and bowled by Fairburn, as Henry Durrant (26), Nick Koomen (29), Geraint Rees (19) and Steve Murray (23) were joined by 'Mr Extras'  (21) as George Evans (2 for 40) and Fairburn (1 for 35) were the wicket takers for the B team.

The pressure was on from the outset as the B team had George Evans and Louis page quickly departed for ducks before Gavin Rowlands and William Hughes scored 11 runs each. Ben Fairbairn was the top scorer with 23 as Sean Hannon (2 for 9), Steve Murray (1 for 6) and Nick Koomen (1 for 14) were the A team's best bowlers in a victory by 111 runs.

Match Three – Haverfordwest (149 for 1) beat Neyland C (67 for 1)

Haverfordwest were comfortable winners against Neyland C as a warm-up to the main clash of the day, although there was something of a record as Ben Field managed to score nine runs from one ball as he benefitted from three lots of overthrows, whilst Callum Power managed seven runs from one delivery as Neyland batted, in similar circumstances!

The Town sped to 149 for only one wicket as Potter (29), Field (30) and O’Connor (27) were joined by ‘Mr Extras’ (33) in decent scores alongside Chris Phillips (17) and Holliday (15 not out) as Jason Oatley claimed the only scalp for Neyland C, assisted by a useful stumping from Callum Power.

Power opened the Neyland C innings with Sam Laugharne, who ended up respectively with 28 and 27, but they were unable to raise the tempo as Potter grabbed the only wicket late on for Haverfordwest as they won by 82 runs.

Umpires: Neil Croucher and Paul Webb

Scorer: Ian Milsom

Venue: Tenby Leisure Centre