Sport
County provides two Wales skippers
PEMBROKESHIRE cricket is able to claim two Welsh captains in the County this season, with Paul Webb skippering the Wales 50s team and Simon Holliday holding with the position for Wales XL Club.
The XL or ‘The Forty Club’ as it is better known is reputed to be the largest wandering cricket club in the world. As a nomadic ‘Club’ it does not own a ground, and so always plays away from home.
The Club was formed in 1936 with the aim ‘to take cricket to the schools’ by offering state and public Schools, and Youth XIs, fixtures against experienced cricketers who will encourage the young cricketers to play the game to the highest standards of performance and behaviour and in the best spirit of the game.
The logo of the Forty Club is XL – Roman numerals for 40 as well as the heart of the message that the Club wishes to impart to young cricketers in the earlier seasons of their cricketing experience.
Wales is a district of the Forty Club, by which it then plays against other District ‘XL teams’ cumulating in the crowning of a champion district, which Wales won two years ago. Holliday, a consultant Doctor in Haverfordwest marked his tenure with 155* (21 fours, 7 sixes) in a competitive friendly against the Welsh University team in April, where the XL team finished on 214-7 adrift of the University 242-5. In such imperious form Holliday, Haverfordwest opening bat and left arm spinner could well be an inspired choice as the successor to Chris Hudson (Mumbles CC).
The XL Club next fixtures are at Llandovery College ( May 10 ) before they play Pembrokeshire County at Kilgetty (May 14) and Wales seniors (May 21).
The Wales 50s start their competitive season in the ECB County Championship at Callington Cricket Club, Cornwell on May 9. With a full fixture list for the season, Webb, who transferred to Cresselly Cricket Club to play with his three sons this season, will be juggling cricket, business and cricket administration carefully.
With the full support of his wife Janice, he is the current Chairman of Pembroke County Cricket Club and being a left hand opening bat and slow left arm spinner, he will little time for non-cricketing commitments outside of the family business at Tavernspite Garden Centre. A quietly spoken and respected individual, Webb will bring an organised and committed style to his captaincy as Wales look for success in 2017 at senior level.
News
70 Pembrokeshire clubs benefit from Sport Wales funding
SEVENTY Pembrokeshire clubs have been successful in receiving grants from the Be Active Wales Fund over the last financial year.
In total the clubs received more than £407,800 from the grants scheme from Sport Wales in 2023/24.
The fund backed 25 different sports, ranging from archery, basketball and cricket to sailing, short mat bowls and weightlifting and everything in between.
The Be Active Wales Fund is open to applications from not for profit community clubs and groups to help develop and sustain their activities.
Grants range from a minimum of £300 up to a maximum of £50,000.
The scheme will support coach education courses, the purchase of essential items of equipment right up to larger projects such as floodlighting and boats for sailing clubs.
For advice and support with your application contact Alan Jones or Lois Hilling at Pembrokeshire County Council’s Sports Development department, Sport Pembrokeshire on [email protected]
The Be Active Wales Fund is always open for applications.
More information is available on the Sport Wales website.
Sport
Clarby stand in the way of Goodwick double
Two thrilling semi finals last weekend has meant Goodwick United and Clarbeston Road will meet in the senior cup final this coming Saturday.
Goodwick faced Pennar Robins in their semi final who pushed the champions very hard. Carl Vincent will be disappointed but proud of the Robins as they gave a great account of themselves. However in the end Goodwick’s quality and experience just was too much for Vincent’s team.
The other semi was an absolute thriller, and after a nail biting game Matthew Fox’ Clarby progressed to the final. A offside call has sparked a lot of debate around the county. However it seems that linesman Jenkins made an absolute perfect call so credit to him for that.
Both teams would have wanted a nice week of preparation for the final, maybe without any games to play. Unfortunately this hasn’t been possible due to the fixture backlog and both outfits have played already this week.
Goodwick will be favourites of course, however if anyone can upset the apple cart Saturday it’s this Clarbeston Road team. Fox’ outfit have impressed over and over this season. Without too much pressure on them, they are in a good place going into the final.
The double at one staged looked like the minimum Goodwick would be aiming for this season. However losses in other cup competitions, means its Senior Cup success or just the league title for the outstanding team of the season. Oddly becoming champions with no cup success maybe seen as a huge disappointment considering their dominance this season. A unique pressure. However if anyone can handle that pressure it’s O’Sullivans outfit.
Sport
Swifts eyes on double.
Monkton Swifts reserves have blown away the second division this season and now have the double in their sights. They face Merlins Bridge reserves in the semi final of the second division cup and lived up to their favourites tag.
Swifts won comfortably with key player Butland getting three assists and Josh Sture grabbing a brace. Waterman and Rhys Sture added the other goals as outstanding Monkton won 4-0.
Herbrandston and Johnston played in the other semi final and this was a much harder fixture to call. The promoted Herbie a younger and perhaps less physical outfit in comparison to the Tigers. Johnston quickly took control of the game when they found themselves two up after just 29 minutes.
However when Scott Murray was shown a red card just eight minutes later, Herbie would have been confident of staging a comeback. Despite being a man light, Johnston held Herbie until the final minute of the 90, when Alex Ouzman gave Herbie late hope. The Tigers held firm however and progress to the final where they will be underdogs. A tag that I’m sure the players and manager Steven Allen won’t mind too much.
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