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Double trouble for forgetful Greg
Greg McCann of the Slate Centre (former Llangwm RFC captain) went to compete in the Men’s Health Challenge (a 12k assault course based around the centre of Cardiff) on Sunday with Kevin Thomas, Jamie Dalton (Neyland RFC), Jason Rice (West Dragons FC) and Matthew Rowe (Rowe Construction)
They had all been training hard for the event for the past four months, getting up at 5.30 in the morning three times a week with the hope of completing the course.
They made sure that we were at the event bright and early on the Sunday morning to collect their numbers and race pack, only to find out that Greg had forgotten to complete the entry form online and therefore could not line up at the start.
Ten minutes of heavy negotiations and DOUBLE the original race price later, Greg managed to make it to the start line. He is often called `Champagne Charlie` for his generosity at the bar, but this time the extra payment make his mates all laugh for the full 12k.
Everyone made it round in good times, none more so than Jason Rice who came in the top 5% of all finishers, but it will be some time before Greg is allowed to forget his having to pay double what they paid!
Paul is pints in at Whitland
Paul Webb has always been a good reader of the game of cricket, where he captained Whitland for an amazing 17 times, but it seems that he is not quite such a good listener to instructions given by wife Janice, who doubles up as the team’s ace scorer.
This intrepid pair, who run the family’s Tavernspite Garden Centre, also sponsor the Alan Brown Trophy, held under the auspices of the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers, and Janice is joined by Nicola Owen in organising a great tea for teams, officials and almost all the spectators.
On the morning of the match she sent out Paul to buy the milk and asked him to get a four-pint container and a two-pint container, but like most cricketers he is a little hard of hearing on the shopping front and returned with containers carrying six pints and four pints, which was four pints more than she has ever needed at the final.
“We’ll have enough milk for him to bath in!” was Janice’s comment and it’s a fair bet that next season she will get the milk for the final herself!
Martyn’s still able to cut the mustard!
Martyn Inward was always a keen competitor when he played for many years at Llangwm Cricket Club but he stopped playing a few years ago because of work commitments and to support his boys Chris (now the Llangwm captain) and Steve (who is doing so well ‘up the line’). But Llangwm were short towards the end of the season and ‘Inns’ was called in to play his first game for Llangwm for some time. He couldn’t resist the chance to have a go with the ball and was delighted to end up with figures of 2 for 12 – and when he went in to bat he hit his very first ball for six!
When I bumped into him a few days later he was still chuckling about the six, although he had to admit that he was still stiff after turning his arm over. It was great to see him back in action and I bet we will hear more about his cricketing exploits some other time since he is Llangwm through and through, and will be back in action for them when needed
Fanus fares well in cricket raffle
Our old friend Richard Fanus continues to feature in light-hearted happenings around the County, starting at a cricket match in a village club where he was delighted to be told that he had won the raffle first prize, which was a bottle of gin.
Richard told the good-news bringer that he would much prefer a bottle of wine instead and they readily acceded to his wish. He received the wine during the course of the afternoon and found it was only a mini-bottle since they thought he shouldn’t drink too much!
I’m glad to report that Richard took the leg-pull with his usual good humour – and he tells me that the mini bottle of red wine was very tasty indeed!
......and has a special gift for rugby!
Mr Fanus is also well known as a supporter of local rugby, especially at Narberth, where he is renowned for his witty, and sometimes a little barbed, comments aimed towards referees.
He attended the Narberth RFC annual presentation evening, where former New Zealand scrum half Justin Marshall was the guest of honour and Matthew Davies was the accomplished Master of Ceremonies. It was Matthew who announced some special awards and included in them was the presentation of a Welsh Rugby Union rule book so that next season his comments can be a little better informed. Again, he took the leg-pull with his usual good humour – and has a nice photograph of him receiving his special award from Mr Marshall!
Jamer’s jolted by flying cricket balls
Spare a thought next for Brian James, the popular Hon Sec of Llangwm Cricket Club, who also doubles up as the Grounds Adviser, with the Antur County Cricket Club.
‘Jamer’ watched Llangwm win easily at Pill Parks and then toddled up to watch Haverfordwest first team play against Narberth.
He had only just pulled into a space alongside Rob Summons, the chairman of Haverfordwest County AFC, when Clive Tucker bowled a ball which Narberth’s Ian Hughes belted into the bottom of the windscreen. Luckily, Jamer was still able to drive his vehicle but blame was attached (in order of loudness) to yours truly (because I had just vacated the spot), Mr Summons for not being able to stop the guided missile, Clive for bowling the delivery and Ian for playing the shot!
But the story doesn’t end there because in the following midweek Brian was watching a cup match at St Ishmaels when some youngsters were practising in the nets and one hit the ball straight through the open window past a startled Mr James, before it ricocheted off the dashboard back on to his chin – and then came to rest!
They quickly rushed over to tender their apologies but Brian is made of stern stuff and was very nice to them after he kidded them along that they were responsible for his cracked screen. It all ended up in smiles but we hope there won’t be a third time for a cricket ball to be attracted to Jamer’s white van!
Urgent call for help at Glebelands
There have been great strides at Glebelands in Johnston over recent years as the local club have invested well in the proper machinery and now can boast a cricket pitch to be proud of.
But my little mole at the club tells me that on the morning of the last league match there was no shortage of panic from Steve Mills (Snr) and Steve James, who work so hard at keeping the wicket. They were using the heavy roller on the pitch when it simply stopped and they couldn’t, try as they might, get it restarted. Talk revolved around whether they might be the first club to have a match cancelled because of a traffic hold-up on their wicket!
So they did what most white-collar workers would do in such a predicament, they phoned a farmer to ask for help, and phoned John Summons, who doubles up as the club’s opening batsmen, what they should do. Fortunately, John knew what had caused the machine to stop and he sorted things out, starting by getting a huge Hyams lifting machine to remove the roller so that the relieved Messrs James and Mills could carry on their work, before getting things sorted out on the roller.
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