Ken Morris Cup Final: Carew (120-8 and 102 all out) lost to Haverfordwest (142-7 and 81-2) by 8 wickets

Haverfordwest 3rds retained the Ken Morris Cup by beating old adversaries Carew 3rds at the Lewis Lloyd Ground in Narberth, the traditional home of a competition The Town have now won ten times.

Carew were asked to bat by opposing skipper Paul Jenkins and lost an early wicket as Simon Gronow pushed a Matthew Vaughan delivery straight back to the bowler for a duck - but co-opener Tom Scourfield redressed the balance with Rhys Canton in a stand of 66.

Canton did well to give the strike to Scourfield, who blasted six fours and four sixes in racing to 58 from only 34 balls before Matthew Vaughan gained a measure of revenge after being dumped for 19 runs the previous over, aided by a cracking catch by David Haynes in the covers.

Vaughan completed a 3-27 haul by bowling Ashley Smith for a duck and from 87-2 Carew fell to 89-6 as Rhys Canton was bowled for 18 (one four and one six) by Danny Dewstowe, who claimed 2-18 alongside Richard Davies (1-25).

The Town lost teenage opening bowler William Phillips with a nasty hand injury but he bravely returned after some pain killers and ice - and did well to run out Carew skipper Jeremy Griffiths for 11 with a boundary throw that allowed keeper Ieuan Crawshaw to remove the bails. Ashoka Senavirathna bowled the last three balls of Phillips' over and departed for 15 runs!

Carew could only muster 14 runs from overs 15 to 18 and in the final analysis their final tally of 120 for 8 owed plenty to 20 extras.

Haverfordwest start well

Haverfordwest made a strong start to their response as David Haynes and Neil Crawshay reaching 40 before Crawshay, who had belted four boundaries in his 20, went for one big hit too many and was well caught in the deep by Jamie Heaps off Ashley Smith, who then clean bowled Graham Jenkins for a duck next ball.

But Haynes found another ally in Ashoka Senavirathna in a stand of 63 where the latter played some lovely cover and extra cover drives, with four boundaries in his classy 31 before he was adjudged lbw to George Waters - and when the total had reached 83-2 in 13 overs the teams were carrying identical totals.

Jason Phillips fell at the same tally without troubling the scorers and when Haynes departed for 39 (six boundaries), well caught at mid-off by Elliott Waters off Canton, The Town hit a flat spot at 107-5.

But Danny Dewstowe smashed a six in his 12, as did Vaughan in his 10 not out and with 17 extras The Town reached 142-7, and a 22-run interval lead

Scourfield again off to a flier

Carew promoted Rhys Canton to open their second innings and again he batted well alongside Scourfield, who smashed 36 in 19 balls, including seven boundaries, when he drove a ball from Matthew Vaughan straight to Richard Davies.

Simon Gronow again went cheaply to Vaughan and there was a further blow to Carew's hopes when Canton was bowled by Will Phillips for 20, both with the score on 60. Even worse was to follow as Ashley Smith was caught by Ieuan Crawshay off Phillips and George Waters also departed to earn Vaughan fine figures of 3-21, for the addition of only another five runs.

The Town bowlers, supported by good fielding, made sure that their stranglehold was maintained and Ross Grieve went as Jason Phillips took a good catch off his son William before Tudor Hurle was stumped by Ieuan Crawshay off Paul Jenkins' slow stuff to have Carew 93-8 in the 17th over.

Jeremy Griffiths played a captains' innings of 13 but Carew were dismissed for 102 in their 18th over, leaving Haverfordwest a modest target of 81 to win.

Rooks push The Town all the way

Carew didn't throw in the towel and bowlers Tudor Hurle and Ashley Smith put The Town openers under so much pressure that they managed only 16 runs in seven overs before Crawshaw departed for 8 (two fours), clean bowled by Smith.

Hurle was twice no-balled and so was taken out of the attack, with skipper Griffiths having to bowl one ball which produced a single - and then he put down a catch at mid-wicket which gave Haynes a life - as the score stood at 26 on 10 very nervy overs.

It was just the boost that Haverfordwest needed as Haynes rasped three boundaries to release the pressure as he and Graham Jenkins progressed the score to 60 in the 15th over; Jenkins slamming an unbeaten 18 so that although Rhys Canton had him caught by Elliott Waters in the gully for an excellent 30 it was clear that Haverfordwest were close to victory.

It was appropriate that Ashoka Senavirathna should join Jenkins in hitting the winning runs with three overs remaining and skipper Paul Jenkins received the trophy from members of the Morris family, who were introduced by competition organiser Richard Howell.

He thanked everyone involved, including players, umpires, scorers, tea providers, local press and sponsors the Lawrenny Arms and Station House, but omitted his own hard work. Alongside wife Rhian, over the years has produced a competition in which every third team in the county is delighted to be involved.

SCORECARDS:

First Innings:

Carew 3rds Batting:

Tom Scourfield ct David Haynes b Matthew Vaughan 58

Simon Gronow ct & b Matthew Vaughan 0

Rhys Canton b Danny Dewstowe 18

Ashley Smith b Matthew Vaughan 0

Elliott Waters ct Danny Dewstowe b Richard Davies 2

Ross Grieve not out 8

Jamie Heaps b Danny Dewstowe 1

Jeremy Griffiths run out 11

Tudor Hurle b Paul Jenkins 0

George Waters not out 2

Extras 20

Total (8  wickets) 120

Bowling: William Phillips 4.3-0-22-0; Matthew Vaughan 5-1-27-3; Ashoka Senavirathna 0.3-0-15-0; Richard Davies 5-0-25-1; Danny Dewstowe 4-0-18-2; Paul Jenkins 1-0-7-0.

Haverfordwest 3rds Batting:

David Haynes ct Elliott Waters b Rhys Canton 39

Neil Crawshaw ct Jason Heeps b Ashley Smith 20

Graham Jenkins b Ashley Smith 0

Ashoka Siranvirathna lbw b George Waters 31

Jason Phillips ct Archie Smith b George Waters 0

Danny Dewstowe lbw b George Waters 12

Richard Davies run out 7

Matthew Vaughan not out 10

Ieuan Crawshaw not out 6

Extras 17

Total (7 wickets) 142

Bowling: Tudor Hurle 5-1-22-0; Ashley Smith  5-1-39-2; Rhys Canton 5-0-40-1; George Waters 5-0-33-3

Second Innings:

Carew 3rds Batting:

Tom Scourfield ct Richard Davies b Matthew Vaughan 36

Rhys Canton b William Phillips 20

Simon Gronow lbw b Matthew Vaughan 2

Elliott Waters run out 4

Ashley Smith ct Ieuan Crawshay b William Phillips 4

George Waters b Matthew Vaughan 0

Ross Grieve ct James Phillips b William Phillips 8

Tudor Hurle st Ieuan Crawshaw b Paul Jenkins 5

Jeremy Griffiths lbw b Paul Jenkins 13

Archie Smith not out 1

Extras 8

Total (all out) 102

Bowling: Richard Davies 4-0-40-1; Matthew Vaughan 5-0-21-3; William Phillips 5-0-29-3; Paul Jenkins 3.4-1-11-2.

Haverfordwest 3rds Batting:

David Haynes ct Elliott Waters b Rhys Canton 30

Neil Crawshaw b Ashley Smith 8

Graham Jenkins not out 18

Ashoka Siravinathna not out 9

Extras 16

Total (2 wickets) 81

Bowling: Ashley Smith 5-0-14-1; Tudor Hurle 3.5-0-8-1; Jeremy Griffiths 0.1-0-1-0; George Waters 4-0-18-0; Rhys Canton 4-0-35-1.

Umpires: Dave Brandon and Mervyn John.

Scorers: Chelsea Morris and Alison Sanders.

Man of the Match: William Phillips.

Adjudicator: Huw Simkins.