An inspirational innings of 92 from just 65 balls by stroke playing Carew opening batsman Ian Sefton set up a four wickets win for his team against Haverfordwest in the final of the Thomas Scourfield and Sons Harrison-Allen Bowl at Cresselly.

In the first innings of 22 overs, Haverfordwest reached a total of 145-8.

Carew had sprung a surprise by not fielding crafty leg spinner Ceri Brace who was left as an onlooker in the pavilion watching the all pace Carew bowling attack.

Initially, the decision seemed justified as prolific scoring opening batsman Simon Holliday was caught by Ian Sefton off the bowling of Tom Davies without having scored a run after the first ball he faced was a wide.

The Carew bowlers continued to have degree of success as David Davies was bowled by Tom Davies for 13, with the total on 24, and Stephen Phillips fell, bowled by Scott Helmich with the total on 40.

When Phil Kirkby was the fourth wicket to fall with the total on 47, Carew were on top.

Opener Karl Rhead had held thing together at the other end and he was helped by Daniel Field who scored 24 before being run out as the pair added 63 for the fifth wicket.

Although Rhead fell with the total on 114, after five fours and a six in an excellent innings of 51, the burly figure of Adam James strode to the crease and scored 32 from 18 deliveries including three sixes in the last over to lift spirits in the Haverfordwest camp.

Tom Davies took 2-27 and Scott Helmich 2-56.

For some reason, Simon Wood, who took five wickets in the semi-final against Cresselly, was not called into the attack.

Carew were given a good start by reliable openers Ian Sefton and Nick Scourfield who put on 47 for the first wicket when Scourfield fell for 22 after spinner Nick Dyer held on to a return catch.

Sefton fell two runs later for 20 and although Simon Wood scored 23 and Robert Hicks 18, wickets began to fall at regular intervals.

Following the departure of Robert Hicks on 99, five more wickets fell for the addition of just 17 runs, but the last wicket pair of Scott Helmich and Aled Griffiths took the total up to 126 before Carew were dismissed 19 runs behind.

Haverfordwest had opened the attack from the school end, with off spinner Clive Tucker who conceded just 12 runs in four overs and he was followed by fellow spinner Nick Dyer, who took 4-32, whilst all-rounder Phil Kirkby had an incisive spell of 4-11 in three overs.

In the Haverfordwest second innings after the tea interval, Carew adopted different tactics in the composition of the bowling attack and in the field settings under the leadership of Phil Jones, to plug gaps which had appeared in the first innings.

The change in tactics soon drew caprine nods of approval from the former Carew captains herded in the Carew corner near the pavilion.

Karl Rhead scored 26 in an opening stand of 37, with Simon Holliday who was the third wicket to fall for 25 with the total on 63.

David Davies scored 16 and Adam James had a lusty innings of 29 from 15 balls with two sixes and 20 fours, but Haverfordwest were held to 133-7 leaving Carew to chase the target of 153 to win.

One of the turning points happened with the total on 57 when Phil Kirkby struck a ferocious drive off the bowling of Rhys Davies and the ball had six written all over it as it flew head high towards the long off boundary.

It was not to be as Brian Hall raced over from in front of the pavilion, dived and stuck out his left hand to hold on to a miraculous catch which clearly had an uplifting effect on his team mates.

Hall also motivated his colleagues with his unique chirpy comments when fielding on the boundary.

Rhys Davies was the pick of the bowlers with 4-27 in an excellent display of seam bowling with Tim Hicks and Scott Helmich being the other wicket takers.

Carew needed another good start in their second innings and it was duly delivered by Sefton and Scourfield who put on 75 for the first wicket before Scourfield was bowled by Nick Dyer for 19.

Sefton had a couple of lives, including a rare missed stumping by Haverfordwest skipper and wicket-keeper Huw Scriven, acknowledged to be one of the best in the county.

A player of Sefton's ability needs no second bidding and he destroyed the Haverfordwest bowling attack in a brilliant innings of 92 from 65 deliveries which included eight sixes and five fours.

Although Sefton hits the ball far and wide, especially off the front foot, it is all through excellent timing and he seems to caress the ball to and over the boundary.

The opening pair dominated the innings and the only other batsman to reach double figures was Simon Wood who scored 13 before being stumped by Huw Scriven off the bowling of Josh Wilment.

A 'Seffie' century seemed on the cards, but he was caught and bowled by Nick Dyer just nine runs short of the target which caused some jitters in the Carew camp with both Robert Hicks and Tim Hicks falling with the total on 149.

However, skipper Phil Jones was there at the end and Rhys Davies hit a straight four off the bowling of Wilment to seal a fine victory.

Nick Dyer was the leading wicket taker with 4-56 and he varied his deliveries cleverly with changes in pace, flight, length and degree of spin.

However, he persisted in bowling around the wicket to Ian Sefton often giving the batsman a free hit to the leg side which Sefton duly put away.

Josh Wilment took 2-29.

After the match, County Club chairman Trefor Evans, of Whitland, congratulated both teams on reaching the final and Carew for winning the competition.

He thanked Glyn Cole and the rest of the Cresselly ground staff for their efforts in preparing the pitch which produced such good cricket.

In addition, he thanked the umpires and scorers for the way in which they carried out their duties, the ladies who had provided such an excellent tea and Philip Thomas, together with Paul Webb, for operating the excellent public address system.

He also thanked Mr. Hugh Harrison-Allen for sponsoring the tea as he does each year, the new competition sponsors, Thomas Scourfield and Sons, and the former competition sponsors, Graham Jewson, for their invaluable financial support.

He added that he was most grateful to all the members of the county executive committee for their work in connection with the final, especially county secretary Bill Marchant, plus the local media for their cricket coverage.

Mr. Hugh Harrison-Allen presented the Harrison-Allen Bowl to a beaming Phil Jones, the Carew captain, and the winners medals were presented to the Carew team by Mr. Michael Scourfield, of Thomas Scourfield and Sons.

The runners-up medals were presented to the Haverfordwest team by Mr. Hugh Harrison-Allen.

Commemorative medals were also presented to the umpires Huw Davies, of Whitland, and Rob Bellerby, of Neyland, together with medals to the two scorers Michael Scourfield, of Carew, and Jayne Cole, of Haverfordwest.

Adjudicators, Meyrick Rowlands, of Whitland, and Philip James, of Cresselly, nominated Carew opening batsman Ian Sefton as the man-of-the-match for his superb batting display.

Ian Sefton was presented with the John Cole Memorial Man-of-the-Match Trophy by Mr. Glyn Cole, the son of the late Mr. Cole.

Speaking to Observer Sport after the presentation ceremony, skipper Phil Jones said: "We had a strategy for Simon Holliday, but it went out of the window with the first two balls of the innings, but we hit plan B straight away.

"Karl Rhead is a dangerous batsman, but we kept chipping away, taking wickets at vital times and were happy to keep it down to 145-8.

"In reply, we made the mistake of trying to match their total by scoring too quickly but with the special atmosphere of the Bowl final we lost wickets at silly time as we tried in vain to clear the clubhouse.

"The little runs at the end by Scott Helmich and Aled Griffiths got us up to 19 behind which is not bad.

"In the Haverfordwest second innings, Karl Rhead again played well and Simon Holliday stayed around for a while but again we kept chipping away to take the wickets of the big players.

"We dropped a couple of chances, but were relived to be chasing 153 as we thought it would be more like 170.

"The way we played in the last couple of overs was disappointing, but we were still happy with the target.

"We got off to a good start, but it was a massive stumping miss by Huw Scriven which was so unlike him and Ian Sefton played well after that. Once he gets going he is a dangerous character.

"A scoring rate of seven per over was gettable and the sixes now and again helped us a lot.

"We had a bit of a wobble near the end when the nerves got to us, but we just village cricketers and eventually Rhys Davies got us over the line.

"We worked hard this year as last year hurt a lot and when I became captain I was determined to make a few changes. We really want the league as well but winning the Bowl is a huge boost and a big bonus.

"I'm still in a state of shock. I had father's medal in my pocket (his father Cliff, was a Harrison-Allen winner with Narberth in the '50s) and I looked up when I lifted the Bowl and from time to time during the match.

"I had the medal in my pocket, but lost it when fielding and I could not believe it when umpire Rob Bellerby picked up it and gave it to Brian Hall so it came back to me.

"All of the boys worked hard, we have a good squad, the youngsters bowled well and you must remember that Scott and Rhys are just young lads. In addition, of course, we had great support from the Carew followers."

Man-of-the-match Ian Sefton also spoke to Observer Sport and said: "I'm absolutely delighted to follow in the footsteps of such great names who have won it previously especially the great names of the Carew club.

"I can't think of any way to do it than to win the Bowl. It was a great day, everybody played well especially the bowlers and Brain Hall's catch was superb - it really got us going and it was a great moment.

"In the second innings, I was always going to target the clubhouse end and once you get on a roll it is just a matter of keeping it going. You get days like that occasionally and you just have to cash in."

Cup cricket fixtures

On Sunday, August 8, Whitland will play Carew at Narberth in the final of the Ken Morris Memorial Trophy. Wickets will be pitched at 12 pm and the umpires are John Williams, of Hundleton, and Gelly James, of Camrose and Spittal.