Neyland beat Lawrenny by 7 wickets in DR Morris Cup final

It was a hard fought final with a now familiar ending.

For the sixth time in seven years, Neyland were crowned winners of the DR Morris Cup as they notched a seven wicket win over Lawrenny at Burton yesterday afternoon.

Sean Hannon’s side held a 13 run lead at tea and then as they so often do in big finals, turned the screw on Lawrenny in the second innings by dismissing them for 117. This included a dramatic spell of bowling from Nick Koomen who took four wickets in five balls, including a hat trick, to leave his side chasing just 105 to win it.

And yet Joe Kidney’s team fashioned hope for themselves when Brad McDermott-Jenkins clean bowled Nathan Banner to leave the score 47-3 – but the experience of Neyland’s line up came through as Ashley Sutton and Andrew Miller ensured there were no further glitches, Sutton ending matters with a boundary with 3.3 overs still to spare.

Hannon had said beforehand that his team’s familiarity with this final would ensure there were no nerves, and sure enough Neyland’s efficiency as a unit came through with both their fielding and running between the wickets key factors as they held the edge for most of the afternoon.

Kidney and co would have been inevitably disappointed as their dangerous batting line up never really fired, bar a super knock of 68 not out from Jamie Phillips in the first innings, and although they came out fired up in Neyland’s run chase they simply left themselves too much to do as they tried to defend a 104 run lead.

They do at least though have a Harrison-Allen Bowl final to look forward to and defeat yesterday should serve as even greater motivation to capture that next month.

First innings:

Lawrenny 131-3:

Hannon won the toss and opted to bowl, and within four balls his call was rewarded Henry Durrant forced Harry Thomas into tamely chipping a catch to Andrew Miller at mid-off.

It meant Lawrenny were under immediate pressure but in the third over Kurtis Marsh broke the shackles with the first boundary of the day off Durrant, but after two more fours took him to 20 the opener perished in the sixth over, holing out to Patrick Bellerby off Andrew Miller.

That meant McDermott-Jenkins joined Jamie Phillips in the middle and the latter signalled his intent with a big straight six off Patrick Hannon, but the same bowler then reduced Lawrenny to 41-3 as a diving Bellerby was at it again to superbly catch McDermott-Jenkins on the boundary.

But then Phillips and Steve Lewis got their side back into it, building steadily before cracking 73 off the final nine overs.

It was Phillips who took the lead role as he finished with seven fours and two maximums in his unbeaten 68, while Lewis had a four and a six in his 38 not out and given the slow outfield yesterday at Oatfield Park, the total of 131-3 was a competitive one.

Lawrenny Batting:

Harry Thomas ct Andrew Miller b Henry Durrant 0

Kurtis Marsh ct Patrick Bellerby b Andrew Miller 20

James Phillips not out 68

Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Patrick Bellerby 2

Steve Lewis not out 38

Extras 3

Total (3 wickets) 131

Bowling: Henry Durrant 3-0-17-1; Nathan Banner 3-0-21-0; Andrew Miller 4-0-18-1; Patrick Hannon 3-0-23-1; Nick Koomen 4-0-28-0; Geraint Rees 3-0-23-0.

Neyland 144-5:

From the very first ball of the Neyland reply came a big moment as Rob Williams drew a nick out of Koomen but keeper Phillips couldn’t grasp the tough chance low to his right.

The opener made it count as in the third over he whipped Williams for two leg side fours and he and Bellerby went on to share 47 for the opening wicket, before Koomen missed with a pre-meditated ‘ramp’ shot and was bowled by Jamie Lewis for 37 (six fours).

Bellerby and Sutton then put on another 68, their running together a feature of the partnership as frequently pushed singles into twos, and by the time McDermott-Jenkins bowled Bellerby for 47 Neyland had reached 115 and seemed set for a healthy lead.

But after Sutton cracked a six to level the scores with 13 balls left, his only boundary, Lawrenny reigned things in late on.

A smart throw from McDermott-Jenkins saw Sutton run out for 34 - and then in the final over Ryan Morton trapped Durrant lbw and although Nathan Banner cracked four off his penultimate ball, he skied the next one and Kidney took the catch.

It meant Neyland finished 144-5, a lead of 13 at tea.

Neyland Batting:

Nick Koomen b Jamie Lewis 37

Patrick Bellerby b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 47

Ashley Sutton run out 34

Henry Durrant lbw b Ryan Morton 7

Nathan Banner ct Joe Kidney b Ryan Morton 7

Sean Hannon not out 1

Extras 11

Total (5 wickets) 144

Bowling: Rob Williams 4-0-37-0; Jamie Lewis 4-0-13-1; Ryan Morton 3-0-13-2; Harry Thomas 1-0-15-0, Kurtis Marsh 4-0-34-0; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 4-0-29-1

Second innings:

Lawrenny 117 all out:

Lawrenny were still bang in the contest as they came out to bat again as Thomas took Durrant to the fence in the first over and when Marsh did the same in the third, the small deficit was wiped out.

Thomas then later hammered Patrick Hannon back over his head for six but with the score 54-0, the breakthrough came in the ninth over when the same bowler had Marsh caught by Geraint Rees for 23 (three fours).

Thomas followed straight after for 24 as he played all around a Miller delivery and although McDermott-Jenkins briefly threatened to turn the tide with two boundaries, he then went for a big hit off Hannon and was somehow caught inside the rope by Koomen – who appeared to misjudge the catch but managed to trap the ball in his legs as he lunged forward.

From there the innings faltered and despite 20 from Kidney (one four and a six) Koomen was soon back influencing things again – and this time there was nothing fortuitous about it.

He bowled Kidney with the third ball of the 17th - an over he then finished by also skittling a seemingly injured Phillips (7) and Williams for a golden duck.

Then from the first ball of his next over (19th), he bowled James Buckle (2) to seal his hat trick and would go on to finish with 4-18 in his four overs.

Hannon finished 3-32, Miller 2-25 and a wicket also for Nathan Banner left Neyland clear favourites as they chased just 105 to win.

Lawrenny Batting:

Harry Thomas b Andrew Miller 24

Kurtis Marsh ct Geraint Rees b Patrick Hannon 23

Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Nick Koomen b Patrick Hannon 9

Ryan Morton ct Sean Hannon b Patrick Hannon 1

Thomas Cole st Sean Hannon b Patrick Hannon 8

Joe Kidney b Nick Koomen 20

James Phillips b Nick Koomen 6

Steve Lewis ct Nick Koomen b Nathan Banner 18

Rob Williams ct Sean Hannon b Nick Koomen 0

James Buckle b Nick Koomen 2

Jamie Lewis not out 1

Extras 5

Total (all out) 117

Bowling: Henry Durrant 2-0-15-0; Nathan Banner 3.2-0-12-1; Nick Koomen 4-0-18-4; Patrick Hannon 4-0-32-3; Andrew Miller 4-0-25-2; Geraint Rees 2-0-11-0.

Neyland 106-3:

Kidney’s men needed to strike early to have any hope and they did just that, Jamie Lewis bowling Bellerby (5) second over and then with the score on 29, the same bowler had Koomen caught down the leg side by Phillips to further raise hopes.

The tension increased further when in the 9th over McDermott-Jenkins got rid of a swinging banner to leave matters at 47-3.

But that brought in ‘Windy’ Miller and straight away he relieved any pressure, lofting McDermott-Jenkins back over his head for four before also pulling Marsh to the rope.

He went on to hit three further fours on route to 30 not out and Sutton also stood firm, hitting two fours and a six to help take matters to 102-3 and with just three needed, he finished matters explosively with a one bounce four off Tom Cole to ensure Neyland’s domination of the DR Morris Cup continued.

Neyland Batting:

Nick Koomen ct James Phillips b Jamie Lewis 18

Patrick Bellerby b Jamie Lewis 5

Ashley Sutton not out 36

Nathan Banner b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 12

Andrew Miller not out 30

Extras 5

Total (3 wickets) 106

Bowling: Rob Williams 4-0-27-0; Jamie Lewis 4-0-17-2; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 4-0-22-1; Kurtis Marsh 2-0-11-0; Ryan Morton 2-0-13-0; Harry Thomas 0.3-0-5-0

Koomen’s class rewarded:

The post-match presentations were conducted by Paul Webb who expressed his gratitude to Burton CC as well as the sponsors, umpires, scorers, and press, and praised both sides for their contribution to the final.

Unsurprisingly it was Koomen who took the man of the match award, judged by Steve Jones, and he now holds the rare feat of a hat trick in both a Harrison-Allen and DR Morris Cup final.

It was left to Graham Morris to again hand over the trophy to Neyland captain Sean Hannon as Neyland’s ‘Duggie’ dominance continued – and they aren’t done yet this summer with their focus now turning to cementing a 43 point lead in Division 1 and retaining their league title.

Umpires: Richard Scriven and Dave Brandon.

Scorers: John Laugharne (Neyland) and Malcolm Thomas (Lawrenny).