Burton Ladies beat Cresselly Ladies in Clive Huxley Cup

The class of Burton captain Finola Scale ultimately proved the difference in the Clive Huxley Cup final as she led her side to a seven wicket win over Cresselly - and a first cup win since they beat the same opposition back in 2014.

Scale, who also took the player of the match award, helped her side chase down a total of 127 for victory with a superb knock of 68 not out, having earlier made 49 not out before her side bounced back from a 15 run deficit at tea.

Cresselly had batted first in scorching conditions and made 117-3 thanks mainly to 45 from Megan Arthur.

Burton responded with 102-2 before the Doves tried to press home their advantage, Lucy Johnson top scoring with 41 as their second innings total of 111-2 set up a tense finish.

But Scale held her nerve as she and Rebecca Barton got Burton home in the 18th over, rounding off a hard fought final in front of a big crowd at Bosherston and Stackpole.

Significantly it was a very positive day for ladies cricket in Pembrokeshire, and Pembroke County Cricket Club President Nick Evans alluded to that in post-match presentations as he noted the amount watching and praised the sponsors and Stackpole ground staff for their contributions.

For the first time ever match programmes with player profiles were also available at the final, that had been put together by Clive James.

Members of the Huxley family presented the medals and trophy and it was Scale and her Burton teammates who got to lift the silverware, but Lauren Arthur and her Cresselly side could also reflect on a valiant effort after a final that was in the balance for much of the afternoon.

Cresselly first innings 117-3:

It was Burton skipper Scale who won the toss and had no hesitation in opting to field first.

By the 12.30pm start time the conditions were already sweltering, but it was Cresselly opener Megan Arthur who defied the heat more than most as she top scored with 45.

It was her and Lucy Johnson who got the Doves off to a good start with the latter reaching 27 (four fours) before her top edge off Rhiannon Morgan was well caught by Olivia James.

One wicket quickly became two when Cresselly captain Lauren Arthur skied one high in the air off Llawella Scale and this time it was Sarah Morris who held her nerve under the high ball.

But then Leah Raymond joined opener Arthur and the pair put the pressure on as they punished loss balls and ran hard between the wickets.

As a measure of that Raymond made 26 not out (two fours) with 18 of her runs coming in singles or two’s, while Arthur’s knock only included three boundaries before she was stumped from the final ball after charging and missing a Lilly Thomas delivery.

For Burton, it was Morgan who finished with the best bowling figures of 1-15 in four overs.

Scorecard:

Megan Arthur st Rebecca Barton b Lilly Thomas 45

Lucy Johnson ct Olivia James b Rhiannon Morgan 27

Lauren Arthur ct Sarah Morris b Llawella Scale 0

Leah Raymond not out 26

Extras: 19.

Total: 117 for 3 in 20 overs.

Bowling: Olivia James 4-0-26-0; Lilly Thomas 4-0-23-1; Rhiannon Morgan 4-0-15-1; Llawella Scale 4-0-18-1; Anna Ridge 2-0-8-0; Finola Scale 2-0-21-0.

Burton first innings 102-2:

It was Scale and Rhiannon Morgan who then opened up the Burton innings, and they took matters to 27-0 before Morgan was well caught by Jessica Lewis at mid-off, giving her captain Lauren Arthur the first wicket.

Scale and Lilly Thomas then built steadily, but at 72-1 after 16 overs a big tea time deficit seemed on the cards before the pair began to motor and put 26 in the next three overs.

But Cerys Jones bowled an excellent final over to finish things off, conceding just four runs while the bowler also helped run out Thomas for 32 (two fours) off the final ball.

Scale finished agonisingly on 49 not out (three fours) – but her team went into the interval still well in the game as they trailed by just 15.

Scorecard:

Finola Scale not out 49

Rhiannon Morgan ct Jessica Lewis b Lauren Arthur 8

Lilly Thomas run out 32

Extras: 13.

Total: 102 for 2 wickets in 20 overs.

Bowling: Lucy Johnson 4-0-16-0; Leah Raymond 4-0-21-0; Lauren Arthur 4-0-14-1; Teagan Cartwright 4-0-22-0; Megan Arthur 3-0-19-0; Cerys Jones 1-0-4-0.

Cresselly second innings 111-2:

The Doves went with the same opening partnership in the second innings and it paid dividends, with Megan Arthur signalling her intent by hitting Olivia James to the fence in the first over.

Both batswoman had scares though, Arthur dropped in the second over and Johnson surviving a near run out after a brilliant direct hit from James.

However the pair soon settled and Johnson produced one of the shots of the day in the 9th over, cracking a Lilly Thomas ball back over the bowler’s head for a ‘one bounce’ four.

The score passed 50 in the 11th over and Johnson survived a chance to Barton behind the stumps to reach 41 (five fours).

But she was also beginning to visibly struggle in the searing heat and after her and Arthur pushed a three to take things to 89-0 in 16 overs, the opener was forced to retire after struggling to stay on her feet.

That prompted a Burton fightback and from the last ball of the 18th over Llawella Scale finally bowled Arthur for 38, and then from the first ball of the 20th put herself on a hat trick by also skittling Cerys Jones (3).

But skipper Lauren Arthur came in and added a vital 6 not out from the last five balls, while Leah Raymond finished 9 out as Cresselly set Burton 127 to win in their final innings.

Scorecard:

Megan Arthur b Llawella Scale 38

Lucy Johnson retired 41

Leah Raymond not out 9

Cerys Jones b Llawella Scale 3

Lauren Arthur not out 6

Extras: 14.

Total: 111 for 2 wickets in 20 overs.

Bowling: Olivia James 4-0-19-0; Rhiannon Morgan 4-0-16-0; Llawella Scale 4-0-22-2; Lilly Thomas 4-0-21-0; Anna Ridge 4-0-30-0.

Burton second innings 127-3:

It was then that Scale took the game by the scruff of the neck, as she hit three boundaries off Johnson’s first over to immediately put her side on the front foot.

In the second over though Raymond struck a blow as she bowled Morgan (1), meaning Llawella Scale joined her sister at the crease at a crucial time.

And the pair took command as they ticked the score over with some rapid running between the wickets and in an eventful 7th over, bowled by Lauren Arthur, Burton went past 50 as Finola slog swept for four before Llawella was given a lifeline when she was dropped.

In the 8th over the sisters ran a ‘four’ off Jones as they continued to capitalise on any fumbles, but two balls later they pushed their luck too far as Llawella was run out by Raymond – who impressed all day in the field.

That left the score at 64-2 but Lilly Thomas came in and again there was ‘four’ ran as Cresselly began to tire in the field, and her and Scale took the score to 113 before Thomas (20) was trapped lbw by the returning Johnson.

But from the last three overs Burton needed just 10 runs, and Scale timed a straight drive off Megan Arthur to knock off four of them before three more left Barton on strike, and with 13 balls to spare her leg glance also brought three runs to seal the win.

Scale finished 68 not out, with seven boundaries to her name – and as well as being able to lift the silverware was unsurprisingly also named player of the match by adjudicator Sam Rossiter.

Scorecard:

Finola Scale not out 68

Rhiannon Morgan b Leah Raymond 1

Llawella Scale run out 23

Lilly Thomas lbw b Lucy Johnson 20

Rebecca Barton not out 8

Extras: 7.

Total: 127 for 3 wickets in 17.5 overs.

Bowling: Lucy Johnson 3-0-24-1; Leah Raymond 3-0-15-;, Lauren Arthur 4-0-33-0; Cerys Jones 3-0-19-1; Teagan Cartwright 2-0-15-0; Megan Arthur 3-0-16-0.

Cresselly squad: Lauren Arthur (capt), Lucy Johnson, Chrissy Toy, Megan Arthur, Teagan Cartwright, Lucy Neale, Lauren Williams, Helen McMillan, Jessica Lewis, Leah Raymond, Cerys Jones, Chelsea Morris (12th).

Burton squad: Finola Scale (capt), Liz Kother, Bronwen Jones, Rebecca Barton, Llawella Scale, Olivia James, Lilly Thomas, Rhiannon Morgan, Sarah Morris, Anna Ridge, Lauren Owens, Ella Williams (12th).

Player of the match: Finola Scale.

Umpires: Martin Jones and Nick Evans.

Scorers: Diane Morris (Burton) and Josh Lewis (Cresselly).