So much for predictions! The Observer forecast a Cresselly win in a closely contested match, but it was anything but, as Haverfordwest outplayed Cresselly in every aspect of the game on Saturday to win the Harrison-Allen Bowl by the massive margin of 128 runs. Haverfordwest built up a formidable total of 196-7 in their first innings, with skipper Danny Potter and David Davies sharing the limelight in a fourth wicket partnership of 75 in 5.2 overs to take the game away from Cresselly. The two teams have been neck and neck in the Division One Championship race, snapping at Neyland's heels all season, but you would not have thought so as Cresselly were outgunned in their own backyard. The Town had suffered a body blow with the prolific Simon Holliday trapped with his legs in front by off-spinner Mike Shaw without scoring, but Adam James with a quickfire 28 from 14 deliveries and David Davies got the ball rolling. After Jonathan Strawbridge fell for 16, Potter joined Davies at the crease. The former opening batsman bats down the order these days, too low in the opinion of most observers, and he revealed his class in tandem with Davies. The right-handed pair took the Cresselly bowling attack apart in their partnership which ended when Davies was bowled by Tom Murphy for 60 from 58 balls with nine fours. Both batsmen had unleashed a full array of shots and a feature of their partnership was their understanding between the wickets, as the first run was taken quickly to maximise the number of runs when the ball did not reach or clear the boundary. Potter was also bowled by 15-year-old Tom Murphy with the total on 196 on the fifth ball of the penultimate over. His innings of 77 was scored from just 38 deliveries and included three sixes and 11 fours. Tom Murphy finished with 3-60 and Mike Shaw took 3-38. Cresselly reached 158-8 in response to the daunting total, a deficit of 38 runs. Skipper Phil Williams anchored the innings with a steadfast 44 from 58 deliveries, with six fours and Iwan Izzard had a dashing innings of 52 from 31 deliveries with five fours and two sixes. Unfortunately for the villagers, left-hander Simon Cole fell leg before wicket before he scored when he was trapped by paceman Adam James. Some of the Haverfordwest fielding was brilliant, with Adam Chandler falling to a spectacular catch in the covers by Ben Field off the bowling of Josh Wilment and Phil Williams was stumped in the blink of an eye by Huw Scriven, still one of the best glovemen in the county, off the bowling of Simon Holliday. Simon Holliday, Ajay Revu and Adam James each took two wickets for Haverfordwest. To negate the deficit of the not insurmountable margin of 38 runs, Cresselly needed to take quick wickets or to keep a tight rein on the run rate, when the Town started their second innings. It was not to be. Adam James fell in the first over bowled by Tom Murphy for four, but a second wicket partnership between stroke-players Simon Holliday and David Davies produced 132 runs. Holliday scored 65 and Davies 75 with three sixes and seven fours. Danny Potter maintained the momentum with 24. Haverfordwest totalled 201-6, ironically to equal the record total of 201-5 scored by Cresselly against Haverfordwest in the 2006 final, which Cresselly won by 100 runs (In that match Simon Cole, of Cresselly, was nominated man-of-the-match after scoring 89no in the first innings and 103 in the second innings.) Tom Murphy took 3-47 for Cresselly. Cresselly were left with the impossible task of scoring 240 to win, against a very good all round bowling attack. The batsmen went for the runs, but wickets fell at regular intervals, as Simon Holliday, one of three spinners in the team, took 5-28 and Josh Wilment 2-30. Phil Williams scored 25 before being bowled by Holliday, Matthew Morgan supported with 19 and young Tom Murphy had an attacking knock of 16. Cresselly were bowled out for 111 to lose by 128 runs. After the match, County Club chairman Tony Scourfield congratulated both teams on reaching the final and Haverfordwest for winning the competition. He also thanked the supporters of both teams and other spectators for the way in which they behaved. He thanked head groundsman Glyn Cole, Denis Chiffi 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 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, and Grace Scourfield, representing the competition sponsors, Thomas Scourfield and Sons, 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, plus the local media for their cricket coverage Mr. Hugh Harrison-Allen presented the magnificent Harrison-Allen Bowl to a delighted Danny Potter, the Haverfordwest captain, and medals were presented to both teams by Mr. Hugh Harrison-Allen and Grace Scourfield, of Thomas Scourfield and Sons. Commemorative medals were also presented to the umpires, Dave Morris, who is unattached, and Richard Merriman, of Whitland, together with medals to the two scorers, Jayne Cole, of Haverfordwest, and David Richards, of Cresselly. Adjudicators Colin John and Mark Lee, of Whitland, nominated Haverfordwest batsman David Davies as the man-of-the-match for his superb batting display. He was presented with the John Cole Memorial Trophy by Colin John.