DR Morris Cup Final: Neyland (124-9 and 164-7) beat Kilgetty (135-9) and 86 all out) by 68 runs

For the fifth time in six seasons, Neyland were crowned DR Morris Cup champions at Burton - but they were forced to fight hard by a Kilgetty side which held the upper hand up until the tea interval.

And although the final margin of victory looked comfortable for Sean Hannon and co - they had to battle back to be just 11 runs adrift after the first innings - as Kilgetty responded to Neyland's tally of 124-9 by racing to 73-0 in only seven overs.

But Neyland's experience in pressure finals told and only 16 runs came from the next seven overs and they ended up 135-9, as only Liam Cullen managed double figures after Kurtis Marsh and skipper Ross Hardy had continued on their form of the previous day, when both had scored impressive centuries.

But after tea it was Neyland who showed their batting strengt, despite the absence through injury of key all-rounder Nathan Banner, with Paul Murray leading them to 164-7 to set Kilgetty a target of 154 .

Ross Hardy's men needed more fireworks from their opening pair but Kurtis Marsh departed for a duck and from then on it was one-way traffic despite 31 from Toby Poole and 29 from Dafydd Bowen, giving Neyland victory by 68 runs.

First Innings:

After being invited to bat first Neyland started well with 18 off the first two overs but then Ashley Sutton was caught on the long-on boundary by Kurtis Marsh after blitzing a six and four but going for another big hit.

At the other end Marsh featured with his spin bowling as he trapped Paul Murray (13) and Andrew Miller (8) and his carefully-set field kept a tight rein on runs and forced Neyland's key run-getters to take chances as they stood at 43 for 3.

Kurtis Marsh finished his four-over stint with 2-10 and also bowling well was Jack Parkinson, with 3-25 as he followed his early wicket with the key scalps of Patrick Bellerby (17) and Scott Jones (6) from excellent respective catches by Toby Poole and Kurtis Marsh.

Nick Koomen was kept quiet as he managed just 12, all singles, before he fell to Toby Poole from a good boundary catch by Richard Cope, who also bowled well but was then removed after 2.1 overs after receiving his second warning from umpire Dave Bonner for fast high full tosses, his bowling place being taken by Kyle Marsh.

Henry Durrant looked dangerous with a four and big six in his 24 and skipper Sean Hannon chipped in with 13 but Neyland were unable to build big partnerships - and although Kyle Marsh had a bit of late stick he grabbed 3-23 in less than two overs, including Hannon and George Evans from successive balls.

Geraint Rees came in at No 11 for Neyland and hit ten runs out of 16 in the final over with Patrick Hannon and although Neyland might not have been happy with their final total it was certainly more than they looked like getting against a Kilgetty side who fielded well and, one missed chance apart, really took their catches.

Neyland Batting:

Paul Murray lbw b Kurtis Marsh 13

Ashley Sutton ct Kurtis Marsh b Jack Parkinson 10

Andrew Miller b Kurtis Marsh 8

Nick Koomen ct Richard Cope b Toby Poole 12

Patrick Bellerby ct Toby Poole b Jack Parkinson 17

Scott Jones ct Kurtis Marsh b Jack Parkinson 6

Henry Durrant b Kurtis Marsh 24

Sean Hannon ct Jack Parkinson b Kyle Marsh 13

George Evans ct Tom Lewis b Richard Cope 4

Patrick Hannon not out 2

Geraint Rees not out 10

Extras: 9

Total (9 wickets) 124

Kilgetty Bowling: Ross Hardy 4-0-27-0; Jack Parkinson 4-0-25-3; Kurtis Marsh 4-0-10-2; Richard Cope 2.1-0- 9-0; Toby Poole 4-0-28-1; Kyle Marsh 1.5-0-23-3.

Kilgetty went on the attack from the outset and after a steady start, where eight runs came from the first two overs, Kurtis Marsh and Ross Hardy exploded into a flurry of big hitting that saw them add 65 runs in the next five overs.

At 73-0 a huge tea-time lead looked likely but Neyland called on their experience to stem the run rate as Hardy was well caught by Sean Hannon, standing up to Nick Koomen's bowling, for a splendid 39 that included seven fours and a six.

Toby Poole was caught off a top edge by sub Steve Murray off Andrew Miller for a single and the loss of Kurtis Marsh, adjudged lbw to Nick Koomen, for an excellent 37 that included five fours and a six, saw Neyland back in business.

Liam Cullen slammed two sixes after his side had managed only 16 runs in seven overs but no-one else managed double figures against Patrick Hannon (2-35), Durrant (1-42), Geraint Rees (2-23), and especially Nick Koomen (2-17) and Andrew Miller (2-11) with George Evans pouching three catches.

Kilgetty Batting:

Kurtis Marsh lbw b Nick Koomen 37

Ross Hardy ct Sean Hannon b Nick Koomen 39

Toby Poole ct sub b Andrew Miller 1

Liam Cullen ct George Evans b Henry Durrant 18

Richard Cope b Andrew Miller 0

Dafydd Bevan ct George Evans b Geraint Rees 8

Kyle Marsh b Patrick Hannon 6

Tom Lewis not out 7

Josh Gorman b Geraint Rees 6

Jack Parkinson ct George Evans b Patrick Hannon 2

Extras 11

Total (9 wickets) 135 for 9

Neyland Bowling: Patrick Hannon 4-0-35-2; Henry Durrant 4-0-42-1; Geraint Rees 4-0-23-2; Nick Koomen 4-0-17-2; Andrew Miller 4-0-11-2.

Second innings:

Neyland started their second innings with a deficit of 11 runs but lost Patrick Bellerby for 11,caught by Ian Poole, who then pulled off a great stumping of Ashley Sutton down the leg side off Richard Cope.

Paul Murray had already looked in good form for his 56 (six fours and three sixes) and was joined in a stand of 55 by Nick Koomen (47, including five fours and a six) to respective bowlers Kyle Marsh and Toby Poole.

Neyland reached three figures in the 13th over as Henry Durrant also chipped in with 17 before he was run out seeking an improbable second run and Neyland lost wickets searching for vital late runs as Ross Hardy (2 for 19) and Kyle Marsh (1 for 25) were the pick of the Kilgetty bowlers.

Neyland reached 164-7, setting Kilgetty 154 for victory.

Neyland Batting:

Paul Murray ct Josh Gorman b Kyle Marsh 56

Patrick Bellerby ct I Poole b Jack Parkinson 11

Ashley Sutton st Ian Poole b Richard Cope 1

Nick Koomen b Toby Poole 47

Henry Durrant run out 17

Scott Jones b Ross Hardy 9

Sean Hannon ct Jack Parkinson b Ross Hardy 4

Andrew Miller not out 2

George Evans not out 4

Extras 13

Total (for 6 wickets) 164

Kilgetty Bowling: Ross Hardy 4-0-19-2; Jack Parkinson 4-0-36-1; Kurtis marsh 4-0-42-1; Richard Cope 2-0-18-1: Kyle Marsh 3-0-21-1; Toby Poole 3-0-25-1.

After the loss of Kurtis Marsh in Patrick Hannon’s first over, one of two good catches in the innings by sub Steve Murray, Kilgetty were desperately in need of a big innings from skipper Hardy but although he crashed two boundaries he was bowled by Andrew Miller for 15, followed by Liam Cullen as he became the first of Sean Hannon’s victims behind the stumps, over-balancing as he tried to get after Miller’s bowling.

Toby Poole 31, (including two sixes and a four) was joined by Daf Bevan (two sixes in his 21) but both were stumped by Hannon of Miller and Geraint Rees respectively.

From then on Kilgetty’s hopes drifted and Sean Hannon caught Kyle Marsh and then stumped three players in Richard Cope, Tom Lewis and Josh Gorman – and veteran keeper Poole couldn’t bat because of a calf injury so Kilgetty’s brave battle was over.

So yet again it was Hannon who received the silverware from sponsor Graham Morris on behalf of the family – and Koomen received the man of the match award, sponsored by Sheila and John Hayman.

County Club chairman Paul Webb helped conduct the presentations as he thanked everyone involved, including Brian Griffiths for his work on the Burton ground at Oatfield Park.

Kilgetty Batting:

Kurtis Marsh ct sub b Patrick Hannon 0

Ross Hardy b Andrew Miller 15

Toby Poole st Sean Hannon b Andrew Miller 31

Liam Cullen st Sean Hannon b Andrew Miller 1

Dafydd Bevan st Sean Hannon 29

Kyle Marsh ct sub b Henry Durrant 1

Richard Cope st Sean Hannon b Henry Durrant 0

Tom Lewis ct Sean Hannon b Geraint Rees 0

Josh Gorman st Sean Hannon b Geraint Rees 4

Jack Parkinson not out 2

Ian Poole DNB (injured)

Extras 3

Total (all out) 86

Neyland Bowling: Patrick Hannon 4-0-23-1; Nick Koomen 4-0-11-0; Andrew Miller 4-0-20-3; Geraint Rees 4-1-13-2; Henry Durrant 3-0-16-3.

Umpires: Simon Richards and Dave Bonner.

Scorers: John Laugharne and Hazel Poole.

Man of the Match: Nick Koomen (Neyland)

Man of the Match Adjudicators: BE and WMB Griffiths (Burton)