Western Telegraph Match Report, 2008.
Neyland Match Report
Narberth vs Neyland. Harrison-Allen Bowl Q-F, Wednesday 2nd July 2008. Umpires: Dai Morris & Les Hastings.
With Jeremy Charles understandably unavailable for cup fixtures and Henry Durrant on a trip to London to witness 'Prime
Minister's Questions', Neyland expected to be two players down for this key cup quarter-final fixture. But two down became
four down when rain lead to the game been postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday night, with Phil Sutton away with son Ashley
representing Wales, and a late phone call from Phil Davies relaying the fact that he had taken a knock to the knee during
work and was unfit to play. Last minute phone calls were made to draft in first Jay Dunsford, and then Gareth Virgo. Andrew
Miller and co. collected Virgo's kit on the way to the game and just about made it in time to complete the toss. A
significant discussion was held by the Neyland side on the merits of chasing and defending a total, ending with Andrew Miller
sticking with his instincts to bat first when winning the toss on what appeared a reasonably firm wicket despite the recent
rain, soft outfield and Narberth's tradition of slow low bouncing wickets.
Scott John and Paul Murray opened for Neyland and progressed reasonably comfortably to 15 fro 0 from the first 5 overs bowled
by Ben and Ian Hughes. In the sixth over Neyland began to cut loose, with Scott John smashing Ian over long on for 6, then
taking a single from the following delivery to watch Paul Murray stroke a boundary and then deposit a slower ball over mid
wicket for another six. Neyland had taken 17 from the over and had raced to 32 for 0 from the first 6 overs.
Richard Howell replaced Ben Hughes from the far end and after three singles from his first three balls he made the vital
breakthrough of having Paul Murray adjudged lbw for 18.
Andrew Miller replaced Murray and started slowly, with many of his best shots being well stopped by Narberth skipper and top
fielder Richie Adams. Ian Hughes continued at the clubhouse end and justified his captain's faith by conceding only a single
from his fourth over, before Howell removed Scott John for 15, with a ball which just did enough to get through what John
later admitted was a fairly wide 'gate'.
Gregg Miller managed two from five balls before also being adjudged lbw, perhaps a little unluckily, to Ian Hughes' left arm
over deliveries. Sean Hannon replaced Gregg and the taking of three wickets in four overs took a significant toll on the
scoring rate as Neyland were pegged back to only 43 after 12 overs.
Sean Hannon was bowled by Ben Quartermaine in the 16th over for 7, and was replaced by Lee Summons Two overs later Lee found
his range, launching the pick of the Narberth bowlers Richard Howell for six from his very last delivery (6-26-20. After
18 overs Neyland still appeared in trouble at only 69 for 4. Ben Hughes returned and Miller immediately smashed one through
the off side for four and Summons deposited another over the hedge for 6, taking 11 from the over but losing Summons, bowled
on the final delivery. Another Miller boundary followed in the next over, and though Jay Dunsford was run out for 2, a further
9 runs from the over took the score to a slightly more reasonable 90 from 20 overs.
Nicholas Koomen clipped a delivery neatly to fine leg for four and the pace was maintained with 10 runs from the 21st over,
bringing up the 100. In the final over Miller smashed a full toss over long on for six, with two singles and two 2's bringing
12 runs, so Neyland finished on a respectable 112 for 6, with Miller 35no and Koomen 8no. The total was not a formidable one,
but with a good finish Neyland believed it was one they could defend on a wicket which was no batsman's paradise.
Narberth showed their intentions not to hold back in the run chase as they opened with their two main run scorers Mark Hughes,
who has an excellent record against Neyland in recent years, and Tom Richards, coming into the game on the back of a century
against Llangwm at the weekend. Gary Lloyd opened the bowling with the short boundary behind him, with Patrick Hannon from the
club house end.
It became clear that Narberth were not going to start cautiously, with both batsmen willing to go after anything full. With
the run rate immediately between five and six per over, against Neyland's only two regular first team bowlers, wickets were
needed soon to slow Narberth's progress. Tom Richards hit a couple in the air, wide of mid-on, before another similar shot
off Hannon went stright to Koomen at mid-on, only for the chance to be missed.
Two overs later and a more difficult
skier from Hughes again fell to Koomen, this time to long off from Lloyd's bowling, but the result was the same. Narberth
were now getting on top, and Koomen was given the opportunity to make amends by replacing Hannon. He started well, bowled
pretty straight and at the other end Richards was well taken by Andrew Miller at long on off Lloyd for 26.
This was the breakthrough Neyland needed, and Koomen soon bowled the Narberth number three Kyle Quartermaine for just 2.
Narberth skipper Richie Adams then joined Hughes and they looked to be taking the game away from Neyland again. Gregg
Miller replaced Lloyd and proceeded to trap Adams lbw for 9. A couple of balls later Davy Johns clipped the ball to mid-on
where Andrew Miller took a decent catch low down to give Gregg his second wicket and Neyland were back in with a chance.
Ian Hughes joined brother Mark and a couple of dot balls later an easy single was refused. The next ball a nervy looking Ian
called for a run that was not on, was turned back and calmly run out by keeper Sean Hannon, collecting the ball near the
batsman's stumps, then racing Ian back to the bowlers end before securing the run out with a direct hit from close range.
Murray then uncharacteristically dropped another opportunity to remove Mark Hughes, this time at deep midwicket.
A Keane and Hughes advanced the score to within sight of victory but then a good length ball from Miller lept up from
nowhere and struck Hughes on the forehead, leaving the batsman dazed and nursing a nasty lump and cut to the head. After a
short delay Hughes confirmed he was ok to continue, but Miller then bowled Keane to give him his fourth wicket in a good spell,
and Neyland an outside chance once more.
Ben Quartermaine added eight runs, including an inside edge to fine leg for four in the penultimate over which pretty much
secured victory for Narberth. This was followed by a big hit into the leg side, initially greeted by a huge roar from the
home supporters, which was comfortably taken by Andrew Miller on the mid wicket boundary, silencing the crowd temporarily.
But it was to be Narberth's day, and Hughes deserved the credit for a gutsy innings, and finishing the job in the final over
after a nasty blow. Neyland could only reflect on what might have been, and another match in which dropped catches had cost
them dear.