National  Village Cup – Zone Final:

 

Neyland (227 for 8) beat Cresselly (189 for 8) by 38 runs

 
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Neil Thomas
Scorers: John Laugharne & Teagan Cartwright
 
Neyland proved worthy champions of the Dyfed region as they eased through against old rivals Cresselly in a match where both teams were without a couple of key players but produced a high-quality tussle nonetheless - and are likely face to the winners of the Herefordshire or Powys regions as their reward.
 
After skipper Sean Hannon’s positive decision  to bat first, Neyland’s hopes of a flying start were dampened as in-form opener Patrick Bellerby was caught at ‘cow-corner’, seeking a big six, by Alex Bayley off Ryan Lewis’s tantalising slow stuff.
 

 Koomen and Sutton build well . . .

But Nick Koomen and Ashley Sutton advanced the score from 20 to 89 before Sutton was bowled by Simon Cole for 24, which included a four and a six, made from 46 deliveries as he cleverly gave Koomen the strike whenever possible
.
Cole, bowling his own brand of spin, also claimed a key second wicket as he tempted Ross Hardy out of his crease when he had scored only 4 runs, and teenage keeper Jamie Goldsworthy took a neat stumping so that at 96 for 3 they looked a little vulnerable.
 

. . . Before Koomen and Banner go on the attack

 
But Koomen found a willing ally in Nathan Banner, who also looked in fine fettle  as they advanced the score to 166 by the 33^rd over, both running well between the wickets and punishing the poor delivery as they raised the tempo.
 
Koomen looked a candidate for three figures but when he had scored 81 from 62 balls (eight boundaries) he holed out to Matthew Morgan at point off pace man Tom Murphy.
 
Brad McDermott-Jenkins departed for a duck, bowled by Tom Arthur as part of a 2 for 47 analysis where he also removed Banner, who reached his half century in a typically aggressive 38 balls and reached a vital 73 from 52 deliveries as he stroked seven fours and a six before holing out to skipper Izzard at  long off.
 

Skipper Hannon’s interval thoughts

 
Skipper Hannon compiled a late 16 before he and twin brother Patrick fell to good respective running catches by keeper Goldsworthy and Morgan to give Tom Murphy fine figures of 3 for 47.
 
With 22 extras, including 16 wides, Neyland skipper Hannon admitted at tea that he was satisfied by their final tally, but not delighted since there were a couple of relatively quiet periods where they might have added a few more runs.
 

Slow Cresselly start before Cole and Izzard start redressing the balance

 
Cresselly clearly had decided that a solid broad-based start was vital but they only mustered 22 in their first ten overs as Patrick Hannon and Nathan Banner bowled well and were backed up by tight fielding.
 
 
Phil Williams eventually lost patience and was well caught by Lewis Page, low down at mid-on, for only five runs – and Patrick Hannon completed useful 2 for 25 figures in his eight overs as he also trapped Matthew Morgan lbw for 22.
 
Simon Cole was joined by skipper Iwan Izzard as they advanced the scoreboard by 53 runs before the former was well caught by teenager Jack John for 25 as part of a useful 3 for 39 stint by McDermott-Jenkins, who also shifted Alex Bayley (21 in 23 balls) and Dan James (13, including a six).
 

Izzard top scores but can’t see his side home

 
Izzard went on to top score with 47 from 52 balls, including three fours and a six, but departed to a George Evans’ catch off Nick Koomen’s bowling – and Koomen rounded off a man of the match performance as he also shifted the dangerous Ryan Lewis, who belted three big sixes in his 29 from only 17 deliveries before he went for one big hit too many
 
From there it was always going to be a deserved victory for Neyland as they again demonstrated their all-round strength in depth but credit is also due to Cresselly for pushing their opponents hard but perhaps missing their absent colleagues just a little more!.
 

SCORECARDS:

 
Neyland Batting:
Nick Koomen ct Matthew Morgan b Tom Murphy 81
Patrick Bellerby ct Alex Bayley b Ryan Lewis 6
Ashley Sutton b Simon Cole 24
Ross Hardy st Jamie Goldsworthy b Simon Cole 4
Nathan Banner ct Iwan Izzard b Tom Arthur 73
Brad McDermott-Jenkins b Tom Arthur 0
Sean Hannon ct Matthew Morgan b Tom Murphy 16
Patrick Hannon ct Jamie Goldsworthy b Tom Murphy 1
George Evans not out 0
Extras 22
Total (8 wickets) 227
 
Cresselly Bowling:
Tom Murphy 8-0-47-3; Ryan Lewis 8-0-24-1; Tom Arthur 6-0-47-2; Simon Cole 8-1-28-1; Dan James 8-0-50-0; Alex Bayley 1-0-11-0; Charlie Arthur 1-0-14-0
 
Cresselly Batting:
Phil Williams ct Lewis Page b Patrick Hannon 5
Matthew Morgan lbw b Patrick Hannon 22
Simon Cole ct jack John b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 25
Iwan Izzard ct George Evans b Nick Koomen 47
Alex Bayley b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 21
Ryan Lewis ct Patrick Bellerby b Nick Koomen 29
Dan James b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 13
Tom Murphy run out 6
Jamie Goldsworthy not out 7
Charlie Arthur not out 6
Extras 8
Total (8 wickets) 189
 
Neyland Bowling:
Nathan Banner 8-1-26-0; Patrick Hannon 8-0-25-2; Ross Hardy 5-0-22-0; Jack John 6-0-35-0; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 8-0-39-3; Nick Koomen 5-0-40-2