Ormond Youth Cup Final:

 

 

Hook (159 for 4 & 116 for 6) beat Whitland Youth (129 for 8 and 113 for 8) by 33 runs

 
Venue: Carew Cricket Club
Umpires: Chris Stapleton & Steve Alford
Scorers: Jon Willington & Alys John
 
Man of the Match: Joe Phillips
Adjudicator: Richard Scriven




 
Four pairs of brothers helped Hook Youth beat their battling counterparts from Whitland in the Ormond Youth Cup Final, which was played at a sun-blest Carew in front of a large and appreciative crowd.
 
Hook skipper Owen Phelps and brother Rhys were joined by Lewis and Liam Miller, Seth and Oscar Willington, Joe and Jack Phillips, who deservedly was adjudged man of the match for his all-round contribution as he played on permit from neighbours Llangwm, with the other seven also making significant contributions.
 
Whitland also had two pairs of brothers in their ranks as Jacob and Luc Owen batted and bowled well, whilst  Ollie Bujega skippered the team and was joined his younger brother Charlie, but in the final analysis perhaps it was the greater experience of their opponents in senior cricket that gave them that vital edge when it counted.
 
Hook led by 30 runs at the tea interval and maintained their advantage despite the second-innings heroics of Whitland’s Ethan Roberts, who helped reduce Hook to 21 for 4 as his four-over spell saw him return fine figures of 3 for 10 and Lewis Miller was run out.
 
But then Joe Phillips intervened with an excellent unbeaten 52 that included a massive six into the gardens alongside five fours, whilst brother Jack supported really well with 27 before he was run out in the inevitable late chase for runs.




 

Hook First Innings (159 for 4)

 
Despite the heavy overnight rain the game started on time thanks to the yeoman efforts of Carew’s groundsmen Mike Brace and Ian Sefton and after being put in to bat Hook lost Lewis Miller early as Jacob Owen took a good catch at long-off, from Cian Rees’s bowling.
 
They stood at 23 for 1 after five overs but Liam Miller (26) and Owen Phelps (27) took them to 61 in ten overs before the former batsman was caught at mid-wicket by Ollie Bujega and the latter was bowled by Luc Owen.
 
But Oscar Willington added an important 27 before his older brother Seth (three fours and two sixes in his 32 not out) and Joe Phillips (two big sixes in his unbeaten 22) supplied the vital late impetus and Hook increased their tally with 47 runs in their last four overs; a challenging score that also included 19 extras.

Whitland First Innings (129 for 9)

 
Whitland needed a good start to their response and it was supplied by big-hitting opener Harry Owen as he blitzed six fours and a six in his 36 as part of a 50 stand with Jacob Owen but both departed at that total as Lewis Miller struck with the assistance of good catches by Joe Phillips and keeper Seth Willington.
 
Joe Phillips then bowled Ollie Bujega to take Whitland to 58 for 3 and Miller also bowled the dangerous Ethan Ryan in his 3 for 23 salvo and Luc Owen departed for 12 as Miller took the catch off Oscar Willington, who bowled really well to claim figures of 3 for 15 alongside Rhys Phelps (1 for 22) and Jack Phillips (1 for 15).
Dafydd James was the pick of the Whitland batting as he came in at No 6 and stroked two boundaries and two threes in his gritty 22 before he was trapped lbw by Jack Phillips, and Charlie Bujega was not out 9 at the end as the Whitland total included 25 extras.



 

Hook Second Innings (116 for 6)

 
As Hook lurched to 21 for 4 thanks to Ryan’s efforts and some excellent fielding, it looked as if Whitland were very much back into contention, especially when Seth Willington followed with the total on 40 – but then the Phillips boys took the opposing bowlers to task as they punished anything loose and ran well between the wickets.
 
Charlie Bujega and Jacob Owen bowled well but Joe Phillips was able to despatch the ball to the boundary on five occasions and once sent it miles over the rope – and with Phillips junior giving vital support they compiled a partnership of 70 runs and added a vital 48 runs in the final five overs of the Hook innings.
 
Whitland did well under pressure to reduce their extras column to 13 but those late runs meant that they needed a very challenging 147 runs for victory.
 

Whitland Second Innings (113 for 8)

 
Whitland were desperate for more big runs from Harry Fuller but Lewis Miller gave Hook a splendid start as he bowled the Whitland all-round sportsman early on, trapped Jacob Owen lbw and then had Luc Owen superbly caught by Oscar Willington, who flung himself low down to pouch the ball one-handed for a vital wicket.
 
But  Ollie Bujega (27) certainly led by example and found support from Ethan Ryan (20) before another excellent catch, this time by Lewis Miller at deep mid-wicket as he defied the sun in his face to catch the Whitland captain off Joe Phillips, who also removed Ryan as Rhys Phelps held on to the catch.
 
Phillips completed a 3 for 13 spell as Phelps took another catch to remove Dafydd Lewis (8) before he also played a further role by bowling Cai Lewis. Rhys Jones contributed an unbeaten 10 but Whitland finished up short despite having another 24 extras added to their total.
 

And finally . . .

 
The match was a great credit to both teams in front of a crowd who enjoyed the cricket as play took place in a competitive but sportsmanlike manner – so well done boys, alongside umpires Chris Stapleton and Steve Alford.
 
Thanks to scorers Alys John (Whitland) and Jon Willington (Hook) for keeping the scoreboard ticking along and generally helping with any enquiries that cropped up from nuisances like us!
 
Well done to the Carew club for hosting the final in typical style – and I’m told the tea supplied was of the highest standard.
 
Carew president Martin Cole presented the Ormond Cup on behalf of sponsors, the family of the late Tony Pidgeon – and didn’t their former star player look smart.
 
County Club president Trefor Evans presented the individual mementoes for players and officials in his usual style.
 
Richard Scriven adjudicated the man of the match award and few would have argued when he selected Joe Phillips for 74 undefeated runs and four wickets – well done Joe!
 
‘Big Scrivs’ was also kept busy as the music player throughout the afternoon and he received help with the announcing from Lauren Arthur, the chairperson of local ladies’ cricket, and they did a great job together.
 
Master of Ceremonies for the post-match presentations was Richard Merriman, the chairman of the Pembroke County Cricket Club.