Ormond Youth Cup Final:

Herbrandston/Neyland (79 & 79 for 8) lost to Carew/Saundersfoot (133 for 9 & 27 for 1) by 9 wickets

The combined team of Carew and Saundersfoot proved too strong for their counterparts from Herbrandston and Neyland and were worthy winners by nine wickets on a Carew ground that looked an absolute picture.

Sponsored as ever by Carew stalwart Tony Pidgeon, it was the powerful batting of Tom and John Mansbridge that helped Carew/Saundersfoot establish a 54-run first innings lead – and the bowling skills of Max Brindley and Tudor Hurle, plus the rest of their accurate bowlers, through the two innings, that proved the vital difference.

Disappointing start for Herbrandston/Neyland

H/N’s hopes of setting a strong challenge in their first innings were soon in ruins as they lost four of their ‘big guns’ with only 24 on the board and only Jack Nicholas was able to battle through to 38 (three fours) before he became one of Brindley’s three wickets in a fiery spell.

William Hughes was the next highest scorer with nine runs as Iori Hicks, Tudor Hurle and Rhys Canton all picked up a wicket brace apiece, and a tally of 79 all out in 19.5 overs was fewer than they would have hoped for.

Mansbridge boys shine for Carew/Saundersfoot

In sharp contrast, C/S got off to a terrific start via brothers Tom and John Mansbridge, who took their side into the lead before John went for 34 (four fours and a six), well caught by Geraint Rees off Harry Nicholas’s bowling.

Max Brindley chipped in with double figures but it was Tom Mansbridge who took total control with six fours and two big sixes in his 57 runs, until he became Harry Nicholas’s second victim as reward for his persistence in a 3 for 25 spell.

At this stage it seemed as if a score of 160+ was possible but it says much for the H/N durability that only Iori Hicks (13) stayed long as William Hughes slow stuff caused the remaining batsmen all sorts of trouble and he finished with fine figures of 5 for 17.

Herbrandston/Neyland soon in trouble again

H/N needed a powerful surge to wipe out the 51-run deficit they faced after the first innings but again it was Max Brindley who broke the back of their response in a splendid 3 for 9 spell of sustained pace as John Mansbridge was the perfect foil with 1 for 10 from his three miserly overs.

It left H/N in tatters at 19 for 4 but again they battled hard through Harry Nicholas (27 not out), Lewis Page (12) and Ben Mathias-Milsom (12) but C/S cut off any big hitting with some masterful fielding as only five boundaries came from the allotted 20 overs.

Tudor Hurle was again the pick of the support bowlers as Harry Cook also bowled well but a H/N score of 79 for 8 meant that C/S needed just 26 runs in the final innings.

Max finishes things off in style

There was an early surprise when John Mansbridge departed for a duck to give Harry Nicholas another scalp but Tom Mansbridge stroked two boundaries in his 12 not out and Max Brindley finished things off in style with a huge six and a four off successive deliveries to seal success.

Although the combined Carew/Saundersfoot team were comfortable winners, both teams deserve praise for their committed approach that was always in the spirit of the game, with umpires Denis Chiffi and Richard Merriman maintaining a quiet control.

The trophy was presented to skipper Iori Hicks by Gethin Evans, the president of host club Carew, with Tom Mansbridge chosen as man of the match by Micky Marsh, of Kilgetty Cricket Club.

SCORECARD:

First Innings:

Herbrandston/Neyland Batting:

Jake Booth b Max Brindley 0

Geraint Rees b Iori Hicks 5

Jack Nicholas ct Tudor Hurle b Max Brindley 38

Harry Nicholas ct Morgan Grieve b Harry Cook 1

Zak Davies ct Max Brindley b Iori Hicks 1

William Hughes b Tudor Hurle 9

Ben Mathias-Milsom ct Morgan Grieve b Rhys Canton 0

Jamie Smith b Rhys Canton 1

Lewis Page ct Iori Hicks b Tudor Hurle 8

Ben Fairburn b Max Brindley 1

Kieran Arran not out 0

Extras 15

Total (all out) 79

Carew/Saundersfoot Bowling:

Max Brindley 4-0-19-3; John Mansbridge 2-0-6-0; Harry Cook 4-0-16-1; Iori Hicks 4-0-9-2; Tudor Hurle 4-0-18-2; Rhys Canton 2-0-10-2

Carew/Saundersfoot Batting:

Tom Mansbridge ct Ben Mathias-Milsom b Harry Nicholas 57

John Mansbridge ct Geraint Rees b Harry Nicholas 34

Max Brindley ct Ben Fairburn b William Hughes 10

Morgan Grieve ct & b William Hughes 0

Iori Hicks ct Ben Mathias-Milsom b Harry Nicholas 13

Harry Cook not out 0

Tudor Hurle b William Hughes 5

Rhys Canton ct Jake Booth b William Hughes 0

Carl Thomas b William Hughes 0

Elliott Waters st Jack Nicholas b Ben Fairburn 0

Rhys Grigg not out 5

Extras 9

Total (9 wickets) 133

Herbrandston/Neyland Bowling:

Jamie Smith 4-0-21-0; Geraint Rees 4-0-34-0; Jake Booth 3-0-30-0; Harry Nicholas 4-0-25-3; William Hughes 4-1-17-5; Ben Fairburn 1-0-5-1

Second Innings:

Herbrandston/Neyland Batting:

Zak Davies ct Harry Cook b John Mansbridge 5

Jack Nicholas b Max Brindley 1

Geraint Rees lbw b Max Brindley 2

William Hughes ct John Mansbridge b Max Brindley 1

Harry Nicholas not out 27

Lewis Page b Harry Cook 12

Ben Mathias-Milsom ct Morgan Grieve b Tudor Hurle 12

Jamie Smith b Tudor Hurle 2

Jake Booth run out 2

Extras 15

Total (8 wickets) 79

Carew/Saundersfoot Bowling:

Max Brindley 4-1-9-3; John Mansbridge 3-0-10-1; Iori Hicks 4-0-20-0; Harry Cook 4-1-10-1; Tudor Hurle 3-0-12-2; Rhys Canton 2-0-16-0

Carew/Saundersfoot Batting:

Tom Mansbridge not out 12

John Mansbridge ct William Hughes b Harry Nicholas 0

Max Brindley not out 12

Extras 3

Total (1 wicket) 27

Herbrandston/Neyland Bowling:

William Hughes 2.5-0-21-0; Harry Nicholas 2-0-6-1

Umpires: Denis Chiffi & Richard Merriman.

Scorers: Julie Davies & Ian Milsom.

Venue: The Recreation Ground, Carew.

Man of the Match: Tom Mansbridge.

Adjudicator: Micky Marsh (Kilgetty).