2024 D.R. Morris Cup Final:

 

Carew (94 for 9 &  181 for 5) lost to Neyland (135 for 6 & 141 for 5) by 5 wickets

 
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Jonathan Willington
Scorers: Julie Davies & John Laugharne
Scoreboard and media organiser: Sarah Arran
 
Venue: Oatfield Park, Burton 
 
Man of the Match: Patrick Bellerby
Man of the Match Sponsors: Sheila & John Hayman
Adjudicators: Emma & John Summons (Johnston)
 
Neyland retained their vice-like grip on the D.R.Morris Cup as they fended off a great second-innings revival  by Carew to complete a ninth win from the last 11 seasons in this fascinating final where Carew looked down and out in their first innings, overcame a 41-run deficit to set a challenging target, looked likely winners with six overs to go – but then finally succumbed to another cracking innings by Patrick Bellerby which saw his side through with five wickets and eight balls still in hand.
 
Bellerby had snatched victory in a previous final, against Haverfordwest, when he smote a mighty six off the final ball of a game they looked likely to lose – and he also finished this topsy-turvy tussle in the same fashion with a powerful pull over deep mid-wicket to finish with four sixes and four boundaries in his unbeaten 69, ably assisted by Andrew Miller, who at 50 years of age also played an important role where he put his immense experience and skills to good use with both bat and ball.
 
Neyland’s delight was evident and the opposite was etched on the faces of their Carew counterparts – but they could say that they continued The Rooks’ reputation for never giving up in adversity, especially evident after they had been asked to bat first and were in dire difficulties at 60 for 9 – but then their last pair of James Hinchliffe and Joel Reed added  precious runs to at least give them hope.
 

Carew collapse before tail-enders battle back

 
Morgan Grieve got The Rooks off to a speedy start with a four and a big six before he was caught on the boundary by Brad McDermott-Jenkins with 11 on the board but then they lurched to 45 for 4 as John also shifted Jon Rogers, Tom Pritchard had Tim Hicks well caught by Ashley Sutton and Shaun Whitfield went for 19 off 31 balls,  the first of the Carew batsmen to be mesmerised by the canny slow stuff of Andrew Miller.
 
Miller showed his full range of slow deliveries to finish with a miserly 3 for 7 spell off four overs, trapping Brian Hall lbw and Rhys Davies, neatly stumped by his opposing captain Hannon – and at 53 for 7 Carew were deep in the cricketing mire.
 
It didn’t end there, either, as Luke Hicks was caught by Pritchard off Brad McDermott-Jenkins’ first ball and Gareth Lewis holed out to Paul Murray off the same bowler before Ashley Watkins took another good boundary catch to remove Iori Hicks so that Carew looked up the cricketing creek at 60 for 9 with five overs left.
 
But then Hinchliffe and Reed batted with a calmness not evident in some earlier batsmen as the former stroked 22 not out in only 17 balls (two fours) and Reed supported with 11 not out (in 11 balls) to see Carew to 94 for 9; still a low score – but with a glimmer of hope after their undefeated heroics.
 

Nervous start for Neyland – but ahead after only 13 overs

 
Carew made a great start as Paul Murray (1) was lbw to Reed after only 5 balls, missing a straight half-volley on his leg stump, but then Bellerby and Ashley Sutton added 36 runs before Shaun Whitfield’s pace shifted Sutton (18) with two fours and a six – although Neyland then motored on as Bellerby and Ross Hardy showed their full array of strokes in a partnership of 65 to take their team eight runs ahead before Bellerby was caught for 40 in 39 balls, including two fours and two big sixes.
 
His departure marked a slight lull in their run-rate as McDermott-Jenkins and Webster didn’t stay long, before Hardy was the last to go for a well-constructed  48 (43 balls, five fours and two sixes), and Neyland ended up on their 135 for 4 when at one stage they looked likely to score nearer 160 until Carew managed to slow them down a little towards the end of their 20 overs.
 

Carew get off to a flier as they wipe out Neyland’s led in four overs

 
A lead of 41 was not to be sneezed at after a sumptuous team provided by the Morris family but whatever Carew skipper Rhys Davies said then it worked because Grieve and Whitfield went on the attack, belting a string of boundaries,  so that the lead was wiped out with 16 overs left to build a big total.
 
Whitfield played a supporting role until he departed for 19 – and then Grieve was joined by Rogers (25) in taking the score to 90 but then the Carew keeper fell on 49 when he deserved a half century for such an important knock, having stroked six boundaries and three very big sixes, caught in the deep by Jack John from the wily slow stuff by Miller.
 
Rogers contributed 25 and then there were some late fireworks by Tim Hicks from 33 balls, including a six that dented the bonnet of  former football ref Phil ‘Shinner’ Cook, home from England to cheer his village team and just missing out on his windscreen being smashed!
 
Skipper Davies struck an excellent  31 not out and his side had done really well to set such a challenging last-innings target for Neyland, although the majority of the pundits, other than this one, felt it was not quite enough to ensure a come-back victory.



 
 

Neyland struggle with Whitfield’s pace but  Bellerby and Miller pull them through

 
Neyland raced to 28 off only two overs as Paul Murray blitzed three fours and a six in his 20 runs but then he went for another hit too many in the third over and Tim Hicks pouched the boundary catch off his young namesake Iori.
 
It resulted in a slight shifting of the balance as Shaun Whitfield steamed in from the road end and removed Sutton and Hardy for only three runs apiece and then took a terrific reflex return catch to dismiss a stunned Webster for a duck – and The Rooks were very much back in contention, especially since Brad McDermott-Jenkins needed a runner and was clearly off-balance as he managed only seven runs in 20 balls to take the score to 79 for 5 in the 13^th over, with Neyland still needing 61 in only seven overs.
 
Bellerby had watched all this unfold from the other end, quietly picking his run choices, and it was then he moved up a gear with the ageless Andrew Miller as the perfect partner, with his calm approach and ability to pick his shots in support of Bellerby’s big hitting. Such was their success that Bellerby stroked  four fours and four huge sixes, including 22 runs in the 17^th over. His winning six-hit just about summed up his 69 not out from 53 balls, as it flew over deep mid-wicket into the ladies’ section of the Neyland supporters club; a master-class lesson in how to pace an innings.
 
Sean Hannon, who has played in all nine DR Morris successes, received the magnificent trophy from Graham Morris, the son of the late donor, and they were worthy winners – but PembrokeshireSport.co.uk must give a huge part on the back to Rhys Davies and his Carew crew for their part in an entertaining game in front of a good crowd on a pitch that looked a picture after the work of Burton ground staff Jack Davies, Toby and Luke Hayman!




 

SCORECARDS:
 
FIRST INNINGS:

 
Carew Batting:
Morgan Grieve ct Brad McDermott-Jenkins b Jack John 11
Shaun Whitfield ct & b Andrew Miller 19
Jon Rogers lbw b Jack John 4
Tim Hicks ct Ashley Sutton b Tom Pritchard 1
Brian Hall lbw b Andrew Miller 9
Rhys Davies st Sean Hannon b Andrew Miller 4
Gareth Lewis ct Paul Murray b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 1
Luke Hicks  ct Tom Pritchard b Brad McDermott-Jenkins 2
James Hinchliffe not out 22
Iori Hicks ct Ashley Watkins b Ross Hardy 0
Joel Reed not out 11
Extras 10
Total: (9 wickets) 94
 
Neyland Bowling:
Tom Pritchard 4-0-17-1; Jack John 4-0-21-2; Andrew Miller 4-0-7-3; Ross Hardy 4-0-23-1; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 4-0-25-2
 
Neyland Batting:
Paul Murray lbw b Joel Read 1
Patrick Bellerby cut Jon Rogers b Shaun Whitfield 40
Ashley Sutton ct Rhys Davies b Shaun Whitfield 18
Ross Hardy ct Joel Read b James Hinchliffe 48
Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Luke Hicks b Iori Hicks 2
Alan Webster ct James Hinchliffe b Iori Hicks 3
Andrew Miller not out 7
Sean Hannon not out 1
Extras 15
Total (6 wickets) 135
 
Carew Bowling:
Joel Read 4-0-26-1; Iori Hicks 4-0-19-2;  Shaun Whitfield 4-0-22-2; Jonathan Rogers 4-0-18-0; Rhys Davies 1-0-16-0; James Hinchliffe 3-0-16-1
 
SECOND INNINGS:
 
Carew Batting
Morgan Grieve ct Jack John b Andrew Miller 49
Shaun Whitfield ct Brad McDermott-Jenkins b Ross Hardy 19
Jonathan Rogers b Jack John 25
Luke Hicks ct Paul Murray b Jack John 8
Tim Hicks st Shaun Hannon b Alan Webster 39
Rhys Davies not out 31
Iori Hicks not out 1
Extras 5
Total (5 wickets) 181
 
Neyland Bowling
Tom Pritchard 3-0-39-0’ Joe John 4-0-34-2; Ross Hardy 3-0-35-1; Brad McDermott-Jenkins 3-0-26-0; Andrew Miller 4-0-36-1; Alan Webster 3-0-16-1
 
Neyland Batting:
Paul Murray ct Tim Hicks b Iori Hicks 20
Patrick Bellerby not out 69
Ashley Sutton b Shaun Whitfield 3
Ross Hardy  ct Morgan Grieve b Shaun Whitfield 3
Alan Webster ct & b Shaun Whitfield 0
Brad McDermott-Jenkins ct Morgan Grieve b James Hinchliffe 7
Andrew Miller not out 21
Extras 18
Total (5 wickets) 141
 
Carew Bowling:
Iori Hicks 3-0-34-0; Joel Reed 4-0-16-0; Shaun Whitfield 4-0- 14-3; Jon Rogers 2-0-25-0; James Hinchliffe 3.4-1-30-1; Rhys Davies 2-0-17-0