Town make Merry at Ormond Plate Final

Ormond Youth Cup Plate Final:

Haverfordwest (94 for 6) beat Stackpole (93 for 8) by four wickets

Umpires: John Austin & Rob Cousins
Scorers: Keith Thompson & Phil Tallett
Venue: Lawrenny Cricket Club
 
Jake Merry was the toast of his Haverfordwest Youth team-mates and supporters as his all-round performance with both bat and ball inspired The Town to victory over a battling Stackpole team on an excellent wicket at Lawrenny CC.
 
Merry bowled a miserly spell when Stackpole batted and then held the Haverfordwest innings together after an early batting slump had seen their first three batsmen shout out with only 12 runs on the board in pursuit of Stackpole’s 93 for 8, coming in at No 5 and appropriately still at the crease with 29 not out when The Town reached their target.
 

Stackpole held back by steady Town bowling

 
Put in to bat first, Stackpole opener Gregg Thompson contributed 13 runs alongside No 3 batsman Marcus Adie, who top scored with 22 before he was bowled by Warren Evans – but no-one else was able to make an impact as they finished their 20 overs on 93 for 8.
 
For Haverfordwest, Warren Evans claimed 2 for 12 and was supported in little bowling cameos by Archie Thomas (1 for 21), Kieran O’Connor (1 for 20), Merry (1 for 8), Lewis Rhead (1 for 8) and Varun Nambeer (1 for 7).

Merry keeps Town batting on task

 
Merry was joined by Jack Wilson in halting the early fall of wickets before the latter departed for an important 22 runs – and there was also support provided by Rhead (11) and Nikhil Mathias (10) against useful bowling by Thompson (2 for 10), Adie (1 for 26), Jake Corbett (1 for 20) and Dewi Lewis (2 for 20).
 
But Merry stayed firm to take his team to success and he deservedly received the man of the match plaudits, to the delight of coaches Simon Williams and Nitin Mathias.
 
The match was sponsored by the Lloyd Family in memory of their late father DR Lloyd, who had been the first Assistant Secretary of the Pembroke County Cricket Club from 1955 to 1960 and then took over as Hon Secretary for 15 years.