Sport
Neyland win Duggie Morris
NEYLAND once again claimed the Duggie Morris Cup as they beat Lawrenny by seven wickets in the final on Sunday (Jul 21).
A good crowd gathered at Oatfield Park in Burton and they saw the top two teams in Division 1 put on an exciting game.
At the interval, Neyland held a 13-run lead and they then bowled Lawrenny out to set themselves 104 to win.
Ashley Sutton and Andrew Miller were the heroes for Neyland as they saw them to their target and afterwards, Nick Koomen was named as man of the match.
Neyland decided to bowl first on winning the toss and that proved to be a good decision as Henry Durrant had Harry Thomas caught by Andrew Miller for a duck.
Kurtis Marsh got the scoreboard ticking but after he reached a score of 20, he was caught by Patrick Bellerby off the bowling of Miller.
Bellerby then took a superb catch on the boundary to give Patrick Hannon his first wicket and, more importantly, dismiss Brad McDermott-Jenkins.
That left Lawrenny on 41-3 but James Phillips and Steve Lewis shared 90 runs to give their side a decent first innings total.
Lewis finished unbeaten on 38 while James Phillips hit seven fours and two sixes in his score of 68 not out.
That saw Lawrenny to their total of 131-3 and they very nearly picked up a wicket as Neyland began their reply.
Koomen edged behind but keeper James Phillips could not take the catch.
He and Bellerby went on to share 47 runs for the first wicket but Koomen was then bowled by Jamie Lewis on a score of 37.
Bellerby and Ashley Sutton then shared 68 runs for the second wicket but Brad McDermott-Jenkins struck as he bowled Bellerby on a score of 47.
Lawrenny began to hit back as Henry Durrant was trapped leg before by Ryan Morton and the same bowler then had Nathan Banner caught by Joe Kidney.
Sutton finished unbeaten on 34 as Neyland reached 144-5 in their first twenty overs, giving them a 13-run lead at tea.
Lawrenny knew they would need to bat well to set Neyland a challenging target and they made a good start as openers Harry Thomas and Kurtis Marsh shared 54 runs for the first wicket.
Marsh made his way to a score of 23 but he then hit the ball to Geraint Rees off the bowling of Patrick Hannon.
Thomas was then bowled by Andrew Miller on a score of 24 and Hannon then had Brad McDermott-Jenkins caught by Nick Koomen.
Hannon then had Ryan Morton caught by brother Sean who then stumped Thomas Cole to give Patrick his third wicket.
Nick Koomen then bowled Joe Kidney for a score of 20 and with the last two balls of the same over he bowled James Phillips and had Rob Williams caught by Sean Hannon for a golden duck.
With the first ball of his next over he had bowled James Buckle to claim an excellent hat trick.
Steve Lewis made a late score of 18 before he was caught by Koomen off the bowling of Nathan Banner but Lawrenny were bowled out for 117.
That meant they Neyland would need just 105 to win but Lawrenny made the breakthrough early on as Jamie Lewis bowled Patrick Bellerby.
Koomen made a score of 18 but he was then caught by James Phillips off the bowling of Jamie Lewis and when Brad McDermott-Jenkins bowled Nathan Banner, Lawrenny had hope with Neyland on 47-3.
However, Neyland had other ideas as Ashley Sutton and Andrew Miller steered their side towards victory.
Miller finished unbeaten on 30 while Sutton was not out on 36 as Neyland won the Duggie Morris for the sixth time in seven years.
Afterwards, Pembroke County Cricket Club Chairman Paul Webb thanked Burton for hosting the final as well as the scorers, umpires, sponsors and press and praised both teams for putting on an excellent final.
Speaking to the Herald, Neyland Captain Sean Hannon said: “Obviously delighted with the win, although we’ve won it a few times recently we don’t get bored of winning.
“Lawrenny are a good side so we were wary of the their threat. Being experienced in finals helped us I think as we knew how to handle the occasion, our players once again stood up in a big game.
“We fielded really well all day and that together with our running between the wickets was a big factor in the win. Lawrenny did well to restrict us to a 13 run lead as we were heading for a 20-30 run advantage so credit to them for that.
“The third innings was always going to be key and although their openers started well once the first wicket fell we knew we had to keep the pressure on and we did as the bowers done their job to leave us with a getable target.”
Sport
South-West Wales Athletes Aiming to Shine at the Summer Olympics
Two of the finest athletes in south-west Wales are dreaming about bringing home medals from the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris.
Track cyclist Emma Finucane and sailing star Micky Beckett will head to France in a buoyant mood after enjoying a successful build-up to their respective events.
Welsh athletes collected a record-equalling 11 medals at the Tokyo 2020 Games and hopes are high that the tally could be beaten this year.
The Carmarthen-born rider cemented her rapid rise up the sprint ranks by winning a gold medal at the 2023 UCI Track Cycling World Championships in Glasgow.
She became Great Britain’s first women’s sprint world champion since Becky James in 2013 and is now on track to chase more medals at the Olympics across three events.
The 21-year-old has yearned to compete at the Summer Games since watching Team GB sparkle at London 2012 and she is eager to make her mark this summer.
“It’s a massive dream of mine and it’s pretty cool that I’m kind of living my dream,” Finucane said. “I’m just trying to enjoy the journey and hopefully I’ll get selected and compete for my country.
“And it’s exciting because as the Team GB women’s sprint. I feel like we’re in a really good place to do well at the Olympics, not just compete as Olympians.”
Pembrokeshire-born sailor Beckett will also head to Paris with his sights firmly set on winning gold in the hugely competitive ILCA 7 class.
He will renew rivalries with Australian Matt Wearn, who controversially claimed the World Championship title ahead of Hermann Tomasgaard and Beckett earlier this year.
Online bookmakers rate Wearn as the favourite to emerge victorious this summer, but Beckett’s recent form gives him every chance of turning the tables.
Several new sports betting sites in Australia cut the Welsh sailor’s Olympic odds after he completed a trio of World Cup successes at a recent event in Palma.
Beckett believes the hard work he has done over the past few months gives him every chance of toppling Wearn when the action gets underway this summer.
“There is still plenty of work to do and managing form is probably the most important thing of any athlete’s job,” Beckett said. “There is no point being the best in the world unless you are the best in the world when it counts.
Sport
Kilgetty and Carew Share Spoils in End-of-Season Showdown
In the picturesque setting of Kilgetty, under the soft glow of the evening sun, local football fans were treated to an enticing clash between Kilgetty and Carew in the Pembrokeshire League Division 1. With the season winding down, both sides took to the pitch amidst numerous squad rotations, following a hectic week of multiple fixtures.
The match kicked off in a leisurely pace, resembling more of an end-of-season friendly than a fierce competition. Kilgetty seized the early initiative, with the trio of Josh Bevan, Richard Tebbut, and Richard Cope causing headaches for the Carew defense, skillfully led by Gareth Lewis. It was Jac Waters who broke the deadlock for the home side, putting Kilgetty ahead 1-0 as the first half came to a close.
However, Carew emerged revitalised after the break, with Jonty Bennett, James Hinchcliffe, and Zac Rowell putting in the hard yards to level the score. The introduction of Harvey Drummond for the ineffective Sam Christopher added further depth to Carew’s attacking prowess, culminating in an equaliser courtesy of the excellent Hinchcliffe.
As tensions rose, the game took on a newfound intensity, marked by needless bookings, after a clearly offside goal and a few heated moments on the field. Despite the fatigue evident from their recent fixture congestion, both teams showcased their competitive spirit, treating the fans to an entertaining second half.
In the end, neither side could break the deadlock, with Kilgetty and Carew having to settle for a well-fought 1-1 draw. While neither team was at their absolute best, the match provided a fitting conclusion to their respective seasons.
Sport
The stage is set – Senior Cup Final
It’s the time of the year again, Saturday see’s Bridge Meadow host the senior cup final. The sun has been shining and both teams will be dying to get on the pitch. This year the final will be contested by Goodwick United and Clarbeston Road.
League champions Goodwick will go into the final as favourites, and most around the county expect a Goodwick win. It has been an outstanding season for Goodwick however cup success has evaded them so far. Clarbeston Road have impressed everyone this season and really deserve their place in this years final.
Neill Crawshaw will referee the game, with Tudor Walters and Stefan Jenkins running the line.
There will be a unique contest on the pitch as brothers Will Haworth and Laurie Haworth come face to face on opposing teams. Adrian their father was a great player in the county, and played in many cup finals himself.
The stage is set, Clarby will feel less pressure than Goodwick and will be a threat with Haworth, John and Davies in attack. Meanwhile Goodwick are also blessed with quality players in every department, there is no weak link in O’Sullivans team. Cup football and finals in particular never go as people predict. On paper Goodwick are firm favourites, Clarbeston Road will be happy the game will be played on grass though and not paper, anything can happen! Hopefully it’ll be a good crowd down at the Meadow for the show piece of Pembrokeshire football.
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