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Richards brothers – are the pride of Cresselly
If ever there was a family totally immersed in the running of a cricket club in Pembrokeshire then it has to be the Richards clan of Cresselly because all four brothers are very much part of the set-up at the village club.
Lyn is the current club captain, with a string of successes on the field and joining him on the administrative side is older brother David and younger brothers Christopher and Matthew, known respectively as ‘Splash’ and ‘Puddle’! Not content with that family connection, mum Dorothy, a sister to county club president Maurice Cole, is as ardent a Cresselly supporter as they make them, whilst dad Ivor watches matches every week from the balcony and wouldn’t dare mention that in his youth he played for nearby Lawrenny!
Big brother David
As the eldest at a sprightly 42, David has been secretary of the club’s cricket section for a dozen years and been treasurer of the social side for almost two decades of devoted service that earned praise from club stalwart Rowley Edwards, who said, “David and the rest of the boys are brilliant with their willingness to do anything in the club’s cause. They were very busy when we took on the Glamorgan match against Surrey last season and this just about sums up what Cresselly is about as a family club. I don’t know what we would do without them.”
David played for the club’s junior team but was with players two years older than he was to start and although he enjoyed batting and fielding he soon took up scoring and enjoyed doing that so much that it took over from playing. He also acts as the club’s unofficial press officer and keeps busy on a Saturday dealing with the nuisances from the local papers, as well as trying to focus on the scorebook. He readily admits to spending a lot of time at the club and much of the credit for that fact goes to wife Linda, another stalwart member of the club!
Run gatherer Lyn
Lyn is two years younger and as well as being club captain for a second spell, this time over the past four years, he is also treasurer of the cricket section. He is renowned as a free-scoring batsman, useful medium pace bowler and excellent fielder and during his time as skipper this spell has seen the club win the Harrison-Allen Bowl on two occasions.
He has also represented the county club on a number of occasions and been captain as a bonus, with several centuries to his credit during his 20+ years of senior cricket.
Chris makes a ‘Splash’
Next comes Christopher, now 34 and first dubbed as ‘Splash’ by Phil Thomas, the former county club chairman who is another Cresselly man of long standing. ‘Splash’ is the club’s social secretary, which involves him in taking minutes, lots of work running the clubhouse, plus organising activities to keep the clubhouse open throughout the year.
He doesn’t play now but actually scored a century in a junior match at Hundleton - and still has the framed scoresheet to remind him of former glories. ‘Splash’ didn’t play much at senior level because he helped out Uncle Maurice and Auntie Jan in their pub at The Quay, but he still keeps busy in Cresselly’s cause!
Matthew is known as ‘Puddle’
The quartet is completed by 28 year old Matthew, also nicknamed ‘Puddle’ by the afore-mentioned Mr. Thomas, and he is on the social committee as a busy worker. He played a few years of cricket for the juniors and second XI where he thought he was a good fielder and bowler, but, like his three brothers, he will do anything in the Cresselly cause.
New generation
And now it seems as if the next generation of the Richards’ clan are already beginning to feature at Cresselly, with Lyn’s sons Daniel (15) and Oliver (9) getting involved. David’s son Jonathan bats and bowls for the under 11s and if they can put in half as much effort as their dads then the future of Cresselly Cricket Club is already assured – but long may David, Lyn, ‘Splash’ and ‘Puddle’ maintain their current involvement at a club which is rightly regarded as one of the best, most forward-thinking clubs in the county
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