Cole’s bowl

Simon Cole - One of the county's finest
It’s the holy grail of all Pembrokeshire cricketers. To play in one is an honour. To play in more a blessing, to score a century in the Harrison-Allen final is as close to cricketing utopia as you can get and only five men have ever done it.

Last year, in front of the Sky TV cameras, two achieved it. Neyland’s Ashley Sutton managed it in the first innings before Llangwm’s William Beresford  did it in the second, as he single headedly did his best to prise the trophy from Neyland’s hands. His efforts failed on that occasion yet he can console himself in the knowledge that his score of 114 remains the highest of all five.

Prior to this record breaking knock, the highest score in a Harrison-Allen final belonged to Cresselly’s Simon Cole who raised his bat six years earlier in an epic win over Haverfordwest with a second innings knock of 103. Stephen Phillips, Geoff Cullen and Sutton scored 102 apiece.

In the first innings of the game the classy left hander managed a mere 89 off 50 balls before the pyrotechnics of his second innings produced a score of 103 off 51.

Strike rates of 178 and 201 suggest Cole went out there with all guns blazing yet in the first innings he was batting with his team in the mire so circumspection was the order of the day.

“They had a good attack that day with Adrian Griffiths, Nick Dyer, Simon Williams, Stephen Phillips (the first player to score a hundred in the final) and Clive Tucker bowling for them and in the first innings we were 24-3 off six overs,” said Cole.

“I was batting at the time but apparently even then, Adam Chandler was all doom and gloom saying we were going to lose the game but I just went about rebuilding the innings unaware of what they were saying by the changing rooms!

“With an attack like that you couldn’t just go out and smash it you had to play yourself in so that’s what I did. It wasn’t until the second part of the innings that I really kicked on.”

Dyer and Griffiths were both former international bowlers with Dyer playing for Scotland and Griffiths a captain of Wales. Dyer had once played against Australia and dismissed the great Mark Waugh yet his appearance in the final that day wasn’t quite as memorable with figures of ten overs for 90 across both innings. In the second innings, Griffiths went for 30 off three.

Cresselly scored 184-8 (Lyn Richards was second highest scorer with 19) with Haverfordwest hitting 136-7 in reply. With a lead of 48 Cresselly had licence to attack and they did to a certain extent scoring 44 off eight overs before Julian Arthur was dismissed.

Enter Cole.

“We were in a better position second time around but again I just tried to build it slowly. I took seven balls to get off the mark!

“Cresselly is such a fast scoring ground that you don’t want to throw it away when things are going for you so I tried to protect it early on but then it all clicked and the runs started to flow.”

That’s an understatement. From Cole’s bat the runs were coming in torrents. In total he struck 9x4 and 7x6 as the Town’s bowlers were flayed around the park refusing to show nerves in the 90’s as he struck two consecutive sixes to reach the landmark only to be out on the last ball of the innings after skying the ball behind.

Suffice to say the home support were in raptures and no doubt a few horns were heard in the process. Of all the centuries he’s scored that one was the best.

“It felt bloody amazing!! By far and away the best feeling I’ve had on the sports field. I’ve always wanted to win the bowl and be Man of the Match as a kid especially as it’s my Grandfather’s trophy (which his father has won too).

“It felt even better to win the game as team success always comes over personal achievement. It’s something I’ll never forget.”

Haverfordwest were set 249 to win yet could only reach 149 as they lost by 100 runs.

This Saturday the teams meet again in a repeat of that 2006 final, the first time they have met in the Blue Riband event since that day although Cole doesn’t believe the margin of victory will be quite so big this time around.

“I think our batting is stronger now than it was back then but they have some good match winners in their side. The Doc (Simon Holliday) is a class act, Adam James has a great yorker and can smash it too and then you have players like Ben Field, Dai Davies and Danny Potter.

“But we’ve got good players too and I’m confident we can win it although it’s going to be tough.”

All finals are tough and with two Harrison-Allen Man of the Match medals (the first in a losing cause against Lawrenny) and two Duggie Morris Man of the Match awards Cresselly have a player who is tougher than most.

Team of the week

  1. Tom Blaxland (Hook) 96no v Whitland 2nds
  2. Keith James 94no (Hook 2nds) v Haverfordwest 3rds 
  3. Daniel Howells (St Ishmaels) 93 v Llanrhian
  4. Steve Cook (Saundersfoot) 92no v Whitland
  5. Dylan Blain 86 (Whitland) v Saundersfoot
  6. John Curran (Llechryd 2nds) 84 & 3-17 v Llanrhian 2nds
  7. Tom Davies (Carew) 3-48 & 41 v Neyland
  8. Gelly James (Camrose and Spittal 2nds) 5-19 v Lamphey 2nds
  9. Kristan Bennett (Herbrandston) 4-24 v Stackpole
  10. Lewys Wilkes (Pembroke) 4-45 v Burton
  11. Ollie Davies (Llangwm) 4-39 v Johnston


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