D.R. Morris Cup Final (18.07.21)

 
 

Carew (154 for 5 & 109 for 8) lost to Lawrenny (182 for 2 & 82 for 2) by 8 wickets

 






Umpires: Glyn Cole & Allan Hansen
Scorers: Julie Davies & Malcolm Thomas
 
Venue: Oatfield Park, Burton
Man of the Match: Kurtis Marsh
Adjudicators: Richard Hayman and Martin Fair
 
Lawrenny added another piece to their long cricketing history as they deservedly beat Carew to win the D.R. Morris Cup for the first time with a clinical performance led by Kurtis Marsh as he scored a magnificent 100 not out in the first innings to set up their success.
 
It was very much a day for the Marsh brothers as Kyle shared a huge 150 opening stand with his powerful 65 and the pair contributed 22 apiece in the second innings as they opened with 49 that more or less sealed success after opening bowler James Lewis had finally smashed Carew hopes with a terrific 5 for 17 spell at the start of their second innings.
 
It was also a case of third time lucky because in their only other appearances in the final they lost to Carew in 2006 and Neyland in 2019 – and their success was clearly enjoyed by their fantastic support from their families and former players as they relished playing on a splendid pitch provided by Brian Griffiths, of Burton.



 

Carew start well and post a par score for Lawrenny to chase

 
To be fair to Carew they showed total commitment under fit-again skipper Shaun Whitfield and after taking first use of the wicket they started well as Nick Davies looked in good fettle and Lewis Hicks played the anchor role in an opening stand of 39 before Davies departed for 22 (four classy fours), adjudged lbw to Lewis.
 
Ian Sefton chipped in with 17 but was caught at deep square leg by Ryan Morton, trying to sweep Kurtis Marsh and paying the price – and Carew looked a little less assured on 62 for 3 when skipper Whitfield was well caught by keeper James Phillips off Harry Thomas.

Thomas went on to return fine figures of 3 for 24 as he also shifted Rhys Davies (16), superbly caught at long off after Kyle Marsh made 20 yards to reach what looked a certain boundary - and Luke Hicks for a hard-hitting 26 (two sixes) before he was bowled.
 
Iori Hicks chipped in with a late 12 not out and Lewis Hicks’ 53 not out (five fours and a six) provided the base from which Carew posted 154 for 5, which pundits felt was a par score on
a great strip and lightning fast outfield.

Marsh brothers on fire

 
And chase it they certainly did as Kurtis and Kyle Marsh were immediately in the groove as they ran well between the wickets on such a hot day and punished anything remotely loose by sending it to or over the boundary.
 
Runs flowed to such an extent that their 50 came up in the sixth over and they were still together when the total reached three figures in the 11^th over.
 
The reached 150 in the 16^th over as a couple of chances were downed and it became evident that something special was needed to separate them – and it came in the form of skipper Whitfield as he held a blinding return catch to get rid of Kyle for 65, which included eight fours and two sixes.
 
At this stage a score of 200+ seemed a possibility but Carew kept plugging away and another wicket fell seven runs later as Ryan Morton departed for a single and the run rate dropped as Rhys Davies conceded only two runs in the 18^th over.
 
James Phillips landed one big six and Lawrenny settled on 182 for 2 – and in the euphoria it was only after they had walked in that announcer Dave Brandon told the large crowd that Kurtis Marsh had reached exactly 100 not out, a fantastic innings that contained ten fours and a six!




 

SCORECARDS – FIRST INNINGS:

 
Carew Batting:
Nick Davies lbw b Jamie Lewis 22
Lewis Hicks not out 51
Ian Sefton ct Ryan Morton b Kurtis Marsh 17
Shaun Whitfield ct James Phillips b Harry Thomas 0
Rhys Davies ct Kurtis Marsh b Harry Thomas 16
Luke Hicks b Harry Thomas 26
Iori Hicks not out 12
Extras 10
Total (5 wickets) 154
 
Lawrenny Bowling:
Rob Williams 4-0-26-0; Jamie Lewis 4-0-26-1; Kurtis Marsh 4-0-37-1; Harry Thomas 4-0-24-3; Ryan Morton 4-0-38-0
 
Lawrenny Batting:
Kurtis Marsh not out 100
Kyle Marsh ct & b Shan Whitfield 65
Ryan Morton ct Ceri Brace b Sam Harts 1
James Phillips not out 13
Extras 3
Total (2 wickets) 182
 
Carew Bowling:
Shaun Whitfield 4-0-40-1; Rhys Davies 4-0-30-0; Iori Hicks 3-0-29-0; Ceri Brace 2-0-22-0; James Hinchliffe 3-0-24-0; Sam Harts 4-0-36-1
 



 

Lewis kills off Carew hopes

 
Trailing by 28 runs, Carew needed a good start to their second innings but James Lewis had other ideas as he sped up the slope from the pavilion end and reduced them to the tatters of 29 for four as he shifted Nick Davies and Ian Sefton with respective catches from Rob Williams and Kurtis Marsh – and clean bowled Luke Hicks and Rhys Davies.
 
Lewis then completed an amazing 5 for 17 spell as he had the dangerous Luke Hicks caught by skipper Kidney – and it was left to experienced batsman Nick Scourfield and skipper Whitfield to try to set a target for Lawrenny as they put on 46 runs before Whitfield was bowled by Morton for 23.
 
Scourfield revived memories of the days when he was rightly regarded as one of the best opening batsmen in the county as he stroked five boundaries in his a gritty 34 before he was caught on the fence by Rob Williams off Kurtis Marsh.
 
Iori Hicks fell to a diving catch by keeper Phillips off a skied shot and it was left to James Hinchliffe to take Carew to 109 for 8 – and leave Lawrenny with only 82 runs for victory.
 

Fourth innings formality

 
Carew would never surrender – it’s not in their DNA – but they needed a spell like Jamie Lewis had inflicted on them, but it never came as the Marsh brothers went on the attack again from the first over.
 
38 runs came in only five overs and they had compiled an impressive 49 before Kyle was well caught by Rhys Davies in the deep off Ceri Brace for 22 – and brother Kurtis was clearly disappointed when he touched a Sam Harts’ special into Nick Davies’ gloves on the same score but at 68 for 2 in ten overs it was all over bar the shouting and the music supplied throughout the day by keen DJ Richard Scriven.
 
Harry Thomas (18 not out) and James Phillips (14 not out) were there to apply the coup de grace in the 12^th over and it was clearly a job well done by Joe Kidney and his team – and especially by Kurtis Marsh, Kyle Marsh and Jamie Lewis!
 

SCORECARDS – SECOND INNINGS:

 
Carew Batting:
Nick Davies ct Rob Williams b James Lewis 3
Lewis Hicks b James Lewis 5
Ian Sefton ct Kurtis Marsh b James Lewis 3
Rhys Davies b James Lewis 8
Nick Scourfield ct Rob Williams b Kurtis Marsh 34
Luke Hicks ct Joe Kidney b James Lewis 4
Shaun Whitfield b Ryan Morton 23
Iori Hicks ct James Phillips b Ryan Morton 2
James Hinchliffe not out 17
Ceri Brace not out 3
Extras 7
Total (8 wickets) 109
 
Lawrenny Bowling:
Rob Williams 4-0-17-0; Jamie Lewis 4-0-17-5; Harry Thomas 4-0-27-0; Kurtis Marsh 4-0-29-1; Ryan Morton 4-0-15-2
 
Lawrenny Batting:
Kurtis Marsh ct Nick Davies b Sam Harts 22
Kyle Marsh ct Rhys Davies b Ceri Brace 22
Harry Thomas not out 18
James Phillips not out 14
Extras 6
Total (2 wickets) 82
 
Carew Bowling:
Shaun Whitfield 4-1-21-0; Rhys Davies 2-0-18-0; Ceri Brace 3.1-0-29-1; Sam Harts 2-0-14-1
 

And finally . . .

 
Joe Kidney received the D.R.Morris Cup from Graham Morris, presenting it on behalf of his family, whilst Richard Hayman and Martin Fair, selecting the man of the match award on behalf of sponsors Sheila and John Hayman, chose Kurtis Marsh for his excellent all-round performance with bat and ball.
 
It was a popular choice but as Joe Kidney told PembrokeshireSport.co.uk it was an excellent team performance which saw them able to take the magnificent trophy back to their clubhouse for the first time – and with this relatively young squad it might not be the last time either!