page revision date :
Big John’s still getting
amongst the wickets
I left the Cardigan/Llechryd area in 1995, having played for both Cardigan and later on Llechryd cricket clubs, before I moved to London where I lived for seven years and played cricket for Harold Wood in the Essex Senior League. There were some outstanding players there and sometimes Harold Wood had the services of Barry Ham, the Essex seconds’ wicket keeper, who occasionally played for the firsts. I played for them for six years on and off as work was starting to rule my life.
Cricket in the North of Scotland
In 2002 I moved to Scotland, due to taking a post in the health and safety sector offshore, but living in the North-East of Scotland, a lovely place called Huntly, which is 30 miles west of Aberdeen, and I still play for Huntly Cricket Club. I had a shock as I didn’t think they played cricket this far north. Huntly Cricket Club recently celebrated its 150 year anniversary and they have two sides, one plays in the Strathmore Union and they get to employee a professional and an overseas amateur. The pro we have had here for the past seven years is current Pakistan test cricketer Azhar Ali, a fantastic young lad. I would say the Strathmore standard would be that of the Pembrokeshire first division. The seconds play in the Nosca League and the standard is a shade lower; say the third division in the Pembrokeshire league. The cricket is very competitive and as anywhere there are many characters. The Strathmore league is a 50 over per side format and the Nosca League is 45 overs each. In the Strathmore we travel 150 to 200 miles to some places, and in the SCU Trophy one away game took us to the Borders a four-hour one way trip. Needless to say there were many toilet stops on the way back as the committee member who ordered the bus didn’t say how far we were going with it, only that we would need it for the entire day. The furthest we travel in the Nosca league is up to Fort William, not so far mileage- wise but still a three-hour trek.
Colourful characters
Over the years I have met many a colourful character, like Delano Thomas, formerly of Cardigan CC, Ronnie Ratcliffe, the Llechryd CC all rounder and home brew specialist, the evergreen Steve Smith, who is still plying his trade for Llechryd, so I believe, and Bill Carne, with whom I had a few skirmishes when we played Stackpole and he was wicket-keeper, trying to talk us out!. It would be lovely to play one more game in the Pembrokeshire League because I have great memories of playing there for many years, and I even enjoyed facing Lamphey’s West Indian ‘import’ Vasbert Drakes, who seemed mighty fast to us Llechryd boys! Influences on my own game have to involve Peter Betterley, the left armer who played for Cardigan, and Laurence Harries, not for the fact that they helped me much but just that I felt I had a point to prove against them. Alan Pocock, the very good opening bat, taught me a lot about bowling, now he was a hard batsman to get out - the Geoffrey Boycott of Cardigan CC!
A memorable local derby
I especially enjoyed the derby games with Cardigan, what with me starting my cricketing journey with Cardigan CC, and then going over to Llechryd as I wasn’t deemed good enough to play for Cardigan. I remember one game in Llechryd against Cardigan, when Cardigan had the likes of, Steve Smith, Laurence Harries, Leighton O’Connor (who used to coach Cardigan RFC), Roger Jones and Peter Betterley. Ryan Williams was captain of Llechryd at the time and I was champing at the bit to get at the Cardigan batsmen, but Ryan just kept me back, he could see how annoyed I was getting.
Cardigan lost Roger Jones and the other opener to Mark Radcliffe and Mathew Frazer respectively, so Smithy and Harries were at the crease when I was tossed the ball, Smithy took two bouncers around his nose before his middle stump was sent cartwheeling towards the wicket keeper, (I believe there is a photo of that in the Llechryd club house). Leighton O’ Connor lasted two balls before his middle stump went the same way as Smithy’s. Next over Laurence Harries took his turn, lasted two balls and then the same result - middle stump uprooted Andy Robson departed, middle stump, first ball and to finish off a devastating two- over spell Tom Harries went the same way, middle stump. That was the best I had ever bowled in any league match. I did bowl more overs, I think eight in all, but that spell went 2 overs 1 maiden 2 runs 5 wickets – and all because I was deemed not good enough for Cardigan. . Needless to say, we won that game and I felt a quiet sense of satisfaction!
Self-inflicted damage
But it hasn’t all been plain sailing because back here in Scotland I played in the Nosca League against a side called Fochabers CC. Now Fochabers is where the Baxter’s soup manufacturers are based, lovely ground, with views of the River Spey in the background. It was my turn to take the car but had to use my beloved’s car as mine was getting repaired. Parking was a bit difficult at the ground as there was only one area, behind the bowler’s arm. We batted first, and we got 120 before the first wicket fell. I was at No 3, and our captain gave me my orders, just go for it. Fair enough, it was time my new four-pound bat was unleashed, strange name for a bat, a CJI FATSO, well it fitted with the owner. A nice lad called Mark Stockwell was bowling at me and his car was parked next to mine.
But I hit one of his balls and it sailed straight for the rear window of my wife’s car. I was spell bound as it hit the join where glass meets metal, demolished the rear window before deflecting onto Mark’s front windscreen and shattered that! We were both in tears of dismay whilst everyone else was in fits of laughter. I was in some serious trouble if my dearest ever found out, but I managed to get a replacement back window, got the car valetted, thinking I had got away with it and started to enjoy life once again. Then the local paper comes out, Mrs.B reads it, and emblazoned on the back page ‘Broderick smashes his way to unbeaten 80 as Fochabers lose top spot.’ It took a lot of crawling, I can tell you!
Looking ahead
I don’t bowl anymore as the body can’t take the punishment but I have been known to wield the willow to good effect every now and again. I recently completed my Level Two umpiring course and hope when I finally hang up the pads to take up umpiring at senior level since cricket has given me over 30 years of enjoyment and I think it is time to give something back
I still think with great fondness of cricket back home in Pembrokeshire and it is nice to have the chance to say ‘hello’ to my former team-mates and opponents – and now that the season has ended I hope they enjoy their winter – which won’t be as cold and snowy as mine will be!
| 
