Cricket News . . . from PembrokeshireSport.co.uk

Whitland CC come second in

World Ice Cricket Championships!

Whitland Cricket Club can certainly lay claim to having played the most unusual matches on tour ever – because they have just returned from a trek to Estonia for the World Ice Cricket Championships, played on a frozen lake!
They actually sent two teams because the matches, played on Lake Haka in Tallinn, the capital of the country, were played on a six a side basis. The first team, appropriately named the ‘Welsh Dragons’, comprised regulars Mark and Dai Lee, Ed John, Iestyn Scourfield, Carl Smith and Adam Davies – and after losing their first match whilst adapting to the conditions, they won the rest to end up in a very creditable second place.

Diverse group

Then there were the ‘Welsh Daihards’, the elder statesmen of the club, looked after by umpire Richard Merriman and including quality veteran players like Colin John and Dawood Parker alongside the likes of Hefin Thomas, Neil Jenkins, Dave ‘The Cat’ Randell, Lionel Thomas and Huw Jones. Then there was local doctor Bryn McNeil and vet Simon Allen, with one joker saying that one was there for minor injuries and the other in case anyone needed to be put down!

Blizzards – and a bit of culture!

This intrepid bunch flew from Stanstead and arrived in Tallinn in the midst of a blizzard, and before their first match all the snow on the ‘pitch’ had to be cleared off. The games were watched by a decent crowd and Whitland certainly gave a good account of themselves.
Another plus was the chance to visit the old part of Tallin, a European City of Culture in 2011, with its superb architecture and historical heritage. They were also well-treated by the locals and it will be some time before the travellers will stop talking about their most unusual cricketing trek!