Micky's Pembrokeshire
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 Sporting family and a sporting all-rounder Ben hails from a very sporting family where his father Micky was an excellent cricket and footballer player as well as a keen golfer, mum Mary was a good netball player, big brother Dan still plays cricket for Haverfordwest as a hard-hitting batsman and ex-rugby player, whilst younger brother Tim loves surfing and alternative sports that he enjoys as a sergeant in the army. Add in Ben’s daughters Chloe (11), who is already involved in hockey, netball and loves cricket, and five year old Tilly, and it is easy to see the Field family is certainly sport-orientated. As well as his football and cricket, Ben was also Pembrokeshire and Dyfed Schools’ Pole Vault champion after some help from Ian Griffiths but came up against other pole vaulters in the Welsh Finals at Brecon who used the new carbon-fibre poles (Ben was still using a rigid pole!). He also competed up to county level in the 100 metres hurdles, played basketball, tennis and at outside half in the schools’ rugby first XV, where he was dubbed ‘Twinkle-toes Field’ by his teacher, Mr Richard Jones! |
 Early start in the back garden – and an awful injury So it comes as no surprise that a ball of some sort was always being used in the Field’s garden and Ben was soon playing at under 12 onwards with Tony Davey in Herbrandston, who had excellent players like Matthew Button, Justin Goffin, Matthew Freeman, Paul Hood and Robert Codd as they won more than their share of trophies. From there it was on to trials and then an involvement in the centres of excellence at both Bristol City and Swansea City as a midfield player. Micky used to take Ben to Bristol every Tuesday afternoon, (which meant he missed double geography!) and then to Swansea on Thursday afternoons. It was as a 12 year old, whilst he was training with some older YTS players that a clumsy tackle broke his fibula, tibia and ankle and kept him out of sport for such a long time. Ben did later join Gavin Rees at a trial in Portsmouth but he was still suffering with injuries and decided he should do A levels, rather than pursue a career in football. Football matters At 17 he was soon the youngest player in the Merlins Bridge side managed by Derek Roberts and winning loads of trophies as they had players of the calibre of Micky Ellis, Marcus Taylor, Dickie Thomas, Tony Jones, Ade Haworth, Taffy Williams and Bernie Armstrong - and in one photograph they had seven trophies at the end of the season. Then it was off to college in Cheltenham, where he played inter-university football, followed by a PGCE year and three years of teaching PE in Stroud where he played for Souths AFC in the Senior Premier League, which was a good standard. His return to Pembrokeshire in 2005 saw him rejoin Merlins Bridge, where he was involved in coaching with the first and second teams which did really well, before he started playing again. Injuries have caused him to take a break but he readily admits that he is still tempted to have just one more shot at playing if he can return to full fitness. Cricket involvement On the cricket front, Ben set out with Haverfordwest at about ten years of age and by the time he was 14 he was in the second Xi run by Steve Price and including other youngsters like Phil Kirkby and James Marchant. He scored his first century whilst playing for them at Oatfield Park, Burton, and often travelled home to play on Saturdays from college in Cheltenham. When he was teaching in Stroud, however, he played a very good standard of cricket for Hatherleigh and Reddings CC in the Wiltshire and Gloucestershire Premier League, batting at No 5 or 6 and delighted to achieve several half centuries. His return home saw him join some real characters like Jamie Phelps, Keith James, Martin Rees, Andrew Thomas, Brennan Lay, Alistair Platten and Ross Martin at Hook CC, where he enjoyed four excellent seasons and scored plenty of runs, often in big partnerships with Jamie and Ross, with a top score of 109 not out. Last season saw Ben rejoin big brother Dan at Haverfordwest and he thoroughly enjoyed playing – but had his season so disrupted by injury that he missed the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final after a late fitness test. He enjoyed playing in a team that included Huw Scriven as an excellent skipper, plus players of the calibre of Karl Rhead, Phil Kirkby, Dan Potter, and Simon Holliday, so he is understandably eager for a fresh start in May. And finally . . . But in the meanwhile Ben will be busy in his challenging new role. “I must praise the work done by John Deason and as I said I am lucky to have a terrific team to support me. We are eager to promote a whole range of sports and try to get every young person involved in physical activity. Such activities like surfing, rock climbing and street dance have become very popular and we are looking to get everyone enjoying some physical activity.” Talk to him for a short while and one can see his enthusiasm for, and commitment to, the cause. John Deason commented, “I am sure I have left the work in safe hands and I wish him every success.” And so do we are Pembrokeshire Sport.co.uk because Ben Field has an important role in the sporting community of Pembrokeshire and we know he will do a great job! photos: Ben Field outside County Hall A classic Ben Field off-drive at Haverfordwest Ben Field scoring 75 at Hook |
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