NEYLAND won the Harrison Allen Bowl for the seventh time in their club’s history after they beat Whitland with the last ball of the match in a dramatic final on Saturday, August 1.

Winning Captain: Gregg Miller lifts the Harrison Allen Bowl

Needing 111 to win, Neyland struggled and Whitland capitalised taking eight wickets.

However, Sean and Patrick Hannon remained steady and Patrick hit a four with the last ball to spark scenes of joy amongst the Neyland team and supporters.

Speaking after the match and of his last ball heroics, Patrick Hannon said: “Whitland brought the field in and I was looking to hit it over the top. Thankfully it went straight over and for four.

“Whitland did fantastically well, nobody would have believed, defending 111, that Whitland could have come close. Their bowlers did extremely well so all credit to them.

“This win is fantastic and it means a lot to us. We lost someone close to us earlier in the season in Martin “Ceefax” Rees so we want to dedicate this victory to him.”

Neyland skipper Gregg Miller accepted the Harrison Allen Bowl and also dedicated the win to Martin and thought back tears as he spoke of him.

Earlier in the day, Neyland won the toss and elected to bowl first, meaning they would be batting last.

The game was played at Cresselly Cricket Club in front of a good crowd and despite a short rain break, they enjoyed a thrilling game of cricket.

Paul Davies and Dylan Blain opened the batting for Whitland and made a good start but in the third over, the pair went for two runs but Davies came up short and he was run out.

Kevin Pearce was the new man but was soon sent back as he was caught by Patrick Hannon to leave Whitland 27-2.

Blain was joined at the crease by Jonathan Thomas and the pair put on twenty runs for the third wicket before Blain departed after hitting the ball straight to Nick Koomen on the boundary who made no mistake with the catch.

Iestyn Scourfield then found Patrick Bellerby on the ropes to leave Whitland on 57-4.

Thomas and Leighton O’Connor then shared 33 for the fifth wicket to put Whitland in a good position.

However, Thomas was clean bowled by Andrew Miller and he was sent back to the pavilion having made 31.

O’Connor then hit two sixes but was unlucky on the third occasion as he picked out Nathan Banner and Whitland were now 105-6.

Nathan Banner was brought into the attack and he soon removed Whitland captain Matthew Davies before 2 wickets in as many balls reduced them to 117-9.

Whitland could only add a further eight runs, finishing on 125-9 from their opening 22 overs.

Nathan Banner started the Neyland innings like a house on fire as he made 18 in the first two overs but he was undone and Whitland had their first wicket.

Gregg Miller and Ashley Sutton then took Neyland to 59-1 in the tenth over before rain interrupted.

After taking an early tea, play resumed and it didn’t take long for Sutton to get going as he hit a six from the fourth ball of the over.

Whitland’s Wayne Howells then took two crucial wickets as first he got rid of Gregg Miller for 48 before trapping Sutton Leg before wicket.

Nick Koomen played well in a brief cameo of 24 before another cameo, including two sixes off the last two balls, of 21 from Henry Durrant took Neyland to 154-5, a lead of 29 runs.

Whitland knew they would have to bat well early on in their second innings to clear the deficit and they reached it in the fourth over having lost one wicket.

They were going along at a steady pace and reached 60-2 in the ninth over, a lead of 31.

Jonathan Thomas then hit two big sixes as Whitland looked to get going again but that momentum was soon checked.

Thomas went for another big shot but he was caught on the boundary by Patrick Bellerby.

Three more wickets fell in quick succession, two to Andrew Miller and Whitland were left reeling on 86-6.

Scott Newton and Matthew Davies looked to keep the scoreboard ticking but Newton then hit the ball straight back to Andrew Miller who took the catch.

Whitland had moved on to 115-7 but only lead by 86 and knew they would need more to have a chance of winning the game.

Gregg Sleep was the new man but he was clean bowled having made 9 but Whitland’s lead had crept up to 99.

Disaster then struck for Whitland as captain Matthew Davies, on a score of 25, went for a single but he was sent back but he couldn’t get back in time and was unfortunately run out.

Mark Lee and Wayne Howells saw out the remaining overs as Whitland finished on 139-9, meaning Neyland would need 111 to win.

Some precise bowling early on restricted Neyland to 19-0 after the first five overs and things soon got worse.

Mark Lee bowled Gregg Miller for four before Ashley Sutton hit the ball back to Lee and he was sent back without scoring with Neyland on 21-2.

Out: Gregg Miller is bowled as the momentum swung in Whitland’s favour

Nathan Banner and Nick Koomen steadied the ship taking Neyland to 51-2 after 12 overs.

Banner was then out for 17 as he was caught on the boundary having made 17.

They then took 13 off one over, Koomen hitting a six and four to move on to 44, to move on to 85-3 but the momentum soon swung back in Whitland’s favour.

Andrew Miller was caught by Wayne Howells off the bowling of Jonathan Thomas and Neyland were 85-4.

Nick Koomen was still in on 44 but he attempted a sweep shot which proved to be his downfall as he missed and was given out LBW by the umpire.

Important knock: Nick Koomen’s 44 was crucial for Neyland

With the very next ball Patrick Bellerby walked down the wicket but missed the ball completely and keeper Blain had the easiest of stumpings and suddenly, Neyland were 86-6.

Henry Durrant departed soon after as he was caught on the boundary by Kevin Pearce off the bowling of Leighton O’Connor to leave Neyland on 99-7.

Jonathan Thomas then bowled Scott Jones and Neyland were 104-8.

That meant they would need seven off the last over. Try as they might they could not remove the Hannon brothers. They took five off the first five balls of the final over and the scores were level.

Whitland brought their field right in to save the single but Patrick Hannon lofted the ball back over the bowlers head for four and Neyland had won by two wickets.

It was a closely thought game and Whitland will be disappointed to lose in the way they did but can be proud of the fact that they came close to upsetting the odds.

Whitland’s Jonathan Thomas was named man of the match for his efforts but that will come as consolation to an unlucky Whitland side.

Man of the Match: Whitland’s Jonathan Thomas was named Man of the Match

For Neyland it is their second trophy this season after winning the Duggie Morris Cup and their seventh success in the Harrison Allen tournament.