2024 Welsh Indoor Cricket Cup Final:

 






 

Neyland (121 for 4) beat Felinfoel (38 all out) by 83 runs

 
Venue: Neyland Community Hub
Umpires: Jonathan Willington & Chris Stapleton
Scorers: Kirsty Hannon and Ben Noden
 
An incredible spell of bowling by skipper Sean Hannon saw Neyland crowned Welsh Champions for the eighth time in the last ten years as they beat an experienced Felinfoel by the biggest margin ever known at this level as the captain bowled three overs, two of them maidens and with just one run in his final over to give him figures of 5 for 1- something that will never be repeated!
 
But this was anything but a one-man show as Neyland paced their innings well against some very accurate bowling by Andrew Dyer and Isaac Thorne for Felinfoel, who were able to claim the catch of the day as Gareth Smith stood at mid-on and somehow managed to hold onto a fierce shot by Paul Murray that had the batsman looking anguished because a boundary had seemed certain.
 
But Murray certainly gained revenge when he later donned the keeper’s gloves because he took two brilliant stumpings and a catch as part of an all-round team performance as the experience of the Hannon twins, Murray and Ross Hardy were likely to be important but Jack John, one of the new brood of young players, featured with bat and ball, whilst Lewis Page is the club’s ‘cheeky chappie’ from across the border and after being woken up to play on Sunday morning because of a late withdrawal, scored a few quick runs, fielded well and took an excellent catch to give his captain his fourth wicket!
 

Neyland start well – and build a challenging tally

 
Murray and Hardy led the Neyland batting after Felinfoel skipper Andrew Dyer had won the toss and put them in, and the commitment was continued by the rest of the team so that Felinfoel had to chase a total that was unlikely to be easy with the ball swinging around and good field settings being utilised.
 
Murray reached 18 as the openers took the score to 49 at the start of the fifth over and Hardy drove his way to the retirement score, as did Jack John after skipper Hannon had grafted his way to double figures before being adjudged LBW to his opposite number.
 
Patrick Hannon (4) was run out alongside Page (9) but it was a bonus for Neyland because their ‘big guns’ Hardy and John came back and fired a couple of sixes apiece that, along with 15 from ‘Mr Extras’ gave Neyland their solid final tally.
 

Felinfoel blitzed by Neyland bowling attack

 
Like Neyland, Felinfoel had lost only one game in the Swansea Indoor League and had players who had earned representative honours but Jack John set the tone for their innings as he conceded only one run in their opening over and another miserly three runs from the third over, which left them with only 15 runs but not having lost a wicket.
 
But then the carnage began as opener Isaac Thorne (3) was stumped by Murray and in the next two deliveries Murray took a soft catch to dismiss Rhys Brown for a ‘golden duck’ and Andrew Thomas was caught off the side wall by Patrick Hannon from the next delivery to give his twin brother his ‘magic moment’!
 
15 for 3 soon became 21 for 4 as opener David Williams (15), who had bravely battled on after a sharp delivery from  Hardy,  gave him a glancing blow to the side of his head after deflecting off his shoulder, but  then he went for a big hit which flew to the roof but the ubiquitous Page judged the rebound perfectly
 
Then Gareth Smith (0) became Murray’s second stumping off Hannon and it was left to Felinfoel’s captain Dyer, coming in at No 6, who straight drove Ross Hardy for Hardy for two sixes, to almost double their scoring but then he misjudged a ball from skipper Hannon and it was perhaps appropriate the skipper should also take a low catch, diving forward, to give his team an amazing success and a tribute to the total commitment of all the Neyland players!
 

Martin nicely rounds things off

 
Martin Jones, the vice-chairman of Pembroke CCC and also heavily involved at Neyland CC, undertook the official duties afterwards and congratulated both teams on reaching the final, as well as thanking umpires Chris Stapleton and Jonathan Willington, scorers Kirsty Hannon and Ben Noden, plus PembrokeshireSport.co.uk for providing the only external coverage of the final.
 
He presented the trophy to Neyland captain, Sean Hannon and afterwards there was also an excellent buffet provided by the caterers at Neyland Community Hub.
 

SCORECARDS:

 
Neyland Batting:
Paul Murray ct Gareth Smith b Isaac Thorne 18
Ross Hardy not out 36
Sean Hannon lbw b Andrew Dyer 10
Jack John not out 29
Lewis Page run out 9
Patrick Hannon run out 4
Extras 15
Total (4 wickets) 121
 
Felinfoel Bowling:
Andrew Dyer 3-0-23-1; Gareth Smith 3-0-38-0; Isaac Thorne 3-0-21-1; Rhys Brown 3-0-35-0
 
Felinfoel Batting:
Isaac Thorne st Paul Murray b Sean Hannon 3
David Williams ct Lewis Page b Ross Hardy 15
Rhys Brown ct Paul Murray b Sean Hannon 0
Andrew Thomas ct Patrick Hannon b Sean Hannon 0
Gareth Smith st Paul Murray b Sean Hannon 0
Andrew Dyer ct & b Sean Hannon 16
Extras 4
Total (all out) 38
 
Neyland Bowling:
Jack John 2-0-4-0; Patrick Hannon 1-0-8-0; Sean Hannon 3-2-1-5; Ross Hardy 2-0-22-1