‘Griff’ is still going strong in Mid Wales
Hello everyone back in Pembrokeshire!
My name is Keith Griffiths and I now live in Newtown, Montgomeryshire with my wife Anne, plus children Gareth (16), Hayley (13) and Ieuan (10), who are all great sports followers, especially cricket. We all attended the England versus South Africa match at the Swalec Stadium in Cardiff and although we only saw three overs on a ‘bad weather’ day it was great to see so many Pembrokeshire cricket lovers there for a chat.
I was born and bred in the village of Sageston, where I attended the local primary school and played my first competitive football and cricket matches under the watchful eyes of Keith Owen and Bill Rees. I also played a season at under 11’s under the coaching of Frankie Donovan at Pembroke Borough, where we won the local knockout competition beating our rival Pembroke side in the final.
Carew football success
Football-wise I moved on to the local Carew youth section run by Donald Lewis, and then on to the senior side. I played County under 17’s before moving into the senior county side, playing at right back. During the early 1980’s Carew were League Champions and twice knockout cup winners and with the County side we were County champions, beating the Swansea League side in Swansea, for the first time. I gained my county tie during that season, which I think was 1985. I retired from football in 1991 having remained with Carew for my whole career, which was somewhat hampered when I was diagnosed with diabetes in 1988.
Cresselly cricket
On the cricket front I made the decision to play at Cresselly, which upset a few of the locals in Carew itself. I was offered a game ‘up the hill’ one Saturday by my uncle, Maurice Cole, for the seconds at Whitland, aged 12, and that was that. Many people asked me why I played there and not Carew. It was quite simple, no one from Carew asked me to play !
I played in the youth teams there and also the County side at under 15’s, which I captained. I also played cricket for Pembrokeshire Schools, Dyfed Schools and Wales Schools at under 19’s level, a great thrill and even greater honour. I was capped against England at Northampton and Hugh Morris, the current head of the England Cricket Board was captain of the English Schools’ side. We were in the main changing rooms next to the Northampton first team and met Peter Willey, Alan Lamb, Wayne Larkins and the rest of them, which was a very proud moment for me and my family in Sageston.
Cricket silverware galore
On the local front, I became part of a very successful Cresselly side, winning the fourth and third division titles with the second team and the Alec Colley. Another great memory was playing in seven consecutive Harrison-Allen finals, but only winning two. Still, at least we got there so often and we were also League champions and won the Dougie Morris Cup twice. At 16 I won the Julia White bowling award from the County for a performance in a Harrison Allen semi-final against Carew at Pembroke, which always proved to be a happy hunting ground for me as I had a hat-trick there in an other Harrison-Allen game against Pembroke – Keith ‘Sid’ Johnson being the third wicket in that. I also played senior county cricket for a number of years, touring with the side to Scotland in 1981.
Pastures new
Having moved to Cardiff in 1990, travelling home to play on weekends was getting more difficult and I played my last Cresselly game in 1992. Having got married and started a family I joined a club in Cwmbran called Woodlands, playing in the Newport League. The standard was not as high but it was a nice family club.
Following my return to Newton in Mid-Wales, in 1995, I joined Montgomery C.C. playing in the Shropshire League. People in Pembrokeshire complain about some of the travelling you do but I bet you don’t have to travel 85 miles each way for a match on Saturday – or for a knockout match mid week after work! We were league champions in my first year (1996) and won the Montgomeryshire Knockout Cup on three occasions. I have also played for Montgomeryshire County for a number of seasons, still opening the bowling at the ripe old age of 40. Unfortunately, Montgomery has struggled lately, players getting old together and no youth set-up at the club.
Coaching classes
In 2004 I passed my Level 1 Coaching Certificate and set up the youth section at the club. I passed my Level 2 in 2006 and start my Level 3 later this month. I currently coach in the Cricket Development Centre in Llandrindod Wells during the winter, helping to develop some of the cricketers in our very wide spread region. Last year I managed and coached the Mid Wales under 14’s and 15’s sides and we enjoyed some friendlies against Pembrokeshire. Hopefully this will continue in future seasons. I have also attended my Level One Tutors Course, which will enable me to assist in the running of coach workshops in our area. Hopefully this qualification will be completed in 2009 but I can already assess coaches and am responsible for some of Pembrokeshire’s 2008 Level 1’s who were assessed by myself last November in Tenby.
Battling on
I am still playing the sport that I love, although have struggled this year due to a frozen shoulder. This has now been operated on and hopefully will be OK for 2009. I continue to coach and get great satisfaction in putting something back into the game and seeing young talent develop. My family are of great help and support to me with my cricket and are all mad on the game, both playing and supporting behind the scenes. I have a lot to be thankful for. The diabetes is an inconvenience, which I can manage and am regularly checked over. I have managed it for 20 years now and so far have no complications – long may that continue. I get back home as often as I can to see my family and try and look in on the local cricket during the summer. I must say that Cresselly ground is looking fantastic and a lot of credit must go to Glyn Cole and his gang. I am hopeful of bringing a team down to play there next summer, weather permitting!
