Haverfordwest beat Burton in Harrison-Allen Bowl semi final

The action defied the weather, but Burton couldn’t defy the odds as Haverfordwest made it through to a second straight Harrison-Allen Bowl final with a comprehensive win at Imble Lane.

After being put into bat, the Division 2 side looked well set on 61-0 but The Town soon took hold of things to restrict them to 119-9 in 22 overs, before 62 not out (in 37 balls) from Adam James made sure of victory with eight wickets, and ample time, to spare.

Dai Davies and co now have the chance to become the first side to retain The Bowl since Cresselly did so in 2006, and an enticing final lies in store on August 29th when they will meet rivals Neyland.

Pitching in at the Dock:

After a morning plagued by persistent rain throughout the county, the fact the game got underway on time was down to a remarkable effort from the ground staff at Imble Lane. With the pitch well covered and club members working tirelessly to remove the water from the outfield, umpires Jonathan Willington and Allan Hansen were decisive and positive in their decision to get things going.

Still, it was undoubtedly a day to field first, and after winning the toss Davies opted to do just that.

Burton openers Toby Hayman and Jonathan Venables carried the fight to The Town though. With the surface still playing well despite the conditions, it was Venables who signalled early intent by cracking James back over his head for a first over boundary before also cutting Jonny White to the fence.

He did survive a run out scare when Lee Summons narrowly failed with an attempt at a direct hit and after Hayman also got going with a couple of boundaries, Venables survived again after Jack Scriven missed a stumping chance off Clive Tucker.

The pair took Burton to 51-0 in eight overs and then Simon Holliday, back playing after shielding during Covid-19, was given a welcome when his first ball full toss was hammered over the rope by Hayman.

But it was the all-rounder who along with Tucker, began to stifle matters and the latter enticed Venables into a lofted drive that was well caught by Davies – the opener going for 29 (five fours).

The Town turn the tide:

Moments later Holliday trapped No 3 James Davies LBW as he attempted a slog sweep and when Toby Hayman was caught on the boundary by Jake Merry for 34 (two fours and a six), giving Tucker another wicket, Burton had gone from 60-0 to 71-3.

From there they never really recovered, and although Luke Hayman announced his arrival by cracking Tucker for six he then also fell to Holliday, after being spectacularly caught by a diving Summons at deep point.

James returned to clean bowl Morgan Scale and Jack Davies was run out cheaply - before another diving catch in the deep, this time from Merry of White’s bowling, removed Dan Ridge.

Will Ridge hit Summons for a maximum as he and Matthew Webb tried to scramble late runs - but with the score at 116-7 heading into the final over, James skittled Ridge for 8 and then did the same to Iestyn Evans to take figures of 3-22, alongside Tucker’s 2-25, Holliday’s 2-34, and White’s 1-27.

James and Potter punish early indiscipline:

It was the kind of weather which could make a 120 chase a tricky one, but although clearly fired up the Burton bowlers needed early inroads and instead, offered up too many gifts.

The first over from James Davies went for 10, including one ball which went for five wides – and Webb also strayed down leg before James got going by pulling him for four and at 18-0 after two overs, The Town were away.

Potter’s first boundary came in the fourth over when he drove a Webb full toss through cover, but it was the fifth over which did the damage.

James flicked another Davies delivery away for four and followed it up with a six over cow corner, and another boundary, five wides, and further runs followed as the over went for 24 – taking the score to 52-0.

Toby Hayman gave his side hope in the seventh over though by clean bowling Potter for 17 (two fours), just one ball after he’d survived being put down by Dan Ridge at square leg.

James hammers Haverfordwest home:

That brought in Holliday and at 60-1, he and James then put on 54 to effectively end matters.

The ‘Doc’ stroked three fours in his 22 to shake off any ring-rust before with six needed for victory, he holed out to Will Ridge off Dan Llewellyn’s first ball.

By that point though, James had passed 50 with four more sixes, including two in an over off Jack Davies and one which cracked a tile on a roof of a house behind Imble Lane.

And fittingly, with skipper Davies not needing to face a ball at the other end, he finished the job with his sixth maximum off Llewellyn to knock off the target in just 12.3 overs.

It meant the end of a good cup run for Burton, who were left to rue not building on a positive start, but for Haverfordwest a fourth Bowl final in seven seasons.

Scorecards:

Burton:

Toby Hayman ct Jake Merry B Clive Tucker 34

John Venables ct Dai Davies B Clive Tucker 29

James Davies LBW Simon Holliday 3

Morgan Scale B Adam James 9

Luke Hayman ct Lee Summons B Simon Holliday 9

Dan Ridge ct Jake Merry B Jonny White 9

Jack Davies run out 4

Matthew Webb not out 7

Will Ridge B Adam James 8

Iestyn Evans B Adam James 1

Extras: 7

Bowling: Adam James 6-0-22-3; Jonny White 3-0-27-1; Clive Tucker 6-0-25-2; Simon Holliday 6-0-34-2; Lee Summons 1-0-10-0.

Total: 119-9 off 22 overs.

Haverfordwest:

Adam james not out 62

Danny Potter B Luke Hayman 17

Simon Holliday ct Will Ridge B Dan Llewellyn 22

Dai Davies not out 0

Extras: 19

Bowling: James Davies 3-0-38-0; Matthew Webb 3-0-18-0; Luke Hayman 3-1-24-1; Morgan Scale 2-0-16-0; Jack Davies 1-0-14-0; Dan Llewellyn 0.3-0-6-1.

Total: 120-2 in 12.3 overs.

Umpires: Jonathan Willington and Allan Hansen.

Scorers: Hayne Cole and Cerys Griffiths.