Sports Spotlight . . . from PEMBROKESHIRE SPORT

MP Simon still loves his connection with Cresselly CC

Cresselly Cricket Club has been able to boast of characters galore during its long and illustrious history – and the current Member of Parliament for their area is Simon Hart, who was a very keen cricketer for the club for a number of years prior to his work at the House of Commons in Westminster!

Simon was elected the Conservative Member of Parliament for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire in May 2010 with a majority of just over 3,400 and since then his work in London has prevented him playing local cricket but he turns out for the Lords & Commons XI, which has charity matches most weeks in the summer, whenever his precious time allows. Indeed, last season some him play one such match against Lashings, a charity club in Kent, where he played against the likes of Devon Malcolm, Alan Ealham, Mohammed Azzaruddin and Mohammed Youseff, whom Simon had stumped when he was bowling – not bad for someone who was a wicketkeeper/batsman at Cresselly!

Meeting top cricketers

With such an emphasis on sport in this Olympic Games year of 2012, Simon has found himself involved in a number of talks about sport and at one of these he met former England cricket captain Mike Gatting and fast bowler Angus Fraser. It was at an event held in the House of Commons, organised by the Sport and Recreation Alliance, the umbrella organisation for the governing bodies of sport, to support the role of community sports groups and clubs, about how grassroots clubs are faring in the current economic climate.

"As someone who enjoyed playing cricket for Cresselly Cricket Club in Pembrokeshire for 10 years,” said Simon, “ I know that local sports clubs are a vital part of community life, they play such an important role and the level of commitment required from volunteers to keep them running is phenomenal.”

He has also met Graham Gooch, Andy Flower, Darren Gough and others with his interest in sport, especially cricket.

Made welcome at the Quay – and Cresselly

It all seems a long way from the time he arrived in the area to work as a chartered surveyor with Llewellyn Humphreys and popped in to his local pub, which just happened to be the Cresswell Quay, where mine host is Maurice Cole, the president of Pembroke County Cricket and a legend at Cresselly. When Maurice learned that Simon liked cricket the newcomer was ordered to turn up at Cresselly Cricket Club for practice – and was soon playing for the village side.

He admits that they did tease him about his accent at first but he showed that he could play the game and take part in their social activities, which is what counts in Cresselly.

Master of Foxhounds

It was via the same route that he was roped in to become involved with the South Pembrokeshire Fox Hounds, where Mrs Auriol Evans was the Master of Foxhounds before Simon took over the reins in conjunction with Mrs Evans’ son, Huw Harrison-Allen and his late sister, Juliet Lloyd. There followed an enjoyable decade where Simon was involved with the Hunt from September to April, and the horse-riding involved certainly kept him fit for his cricket during the summer months!

 

Real characters – and renewal of an acquaintance

When he set out at Cresselly in 1988 there were players of the calibre of Glyn Cole, John Arthur, Richard Evans, Keith Griffiths, Selwyn Cole, brothers Gari, Ceri and Aled Davies, Terry Harvey, Richard Harris, twins Nigel and ‘Doffo’ Arthur, plus Phil James, Lyn Richards and youngsters like Simon Cole and Richard Arthur.  Simon also admired the strike bowling of Tim Haggar but laughingly says that unfortunately Tim always needed a bit of a rest after four overs! He played at Cresselly until 2000, when his work took him for a time to Montgomery, where he met up again with former Cresselly colleague Keith Griffiths and enjoyed playing for the local club.

A telling off – and a few runs as well

At Cresselly he started out as a batsman but took over the wicket-keeping gloves when the previous incumbent left and thoroughly enjoyed his role, other than when Terry Harvey used to swing the ball down the leg side and told Simon off whenever there were any byes – and umpire Artie Hughes, another great character alongside Roly Edwards, used to chuckle at the tellings-off! Simon did manage to claim four victims on a few occasions but never managed five catches and/or stumpings in an innings.

Simon was more successful with the bat, however, as he scored 100 against Bronwydd in the Welsh Cup and another century at Llechryd where he survived a huge appeal for a catch behind before he went on to reach three figures. In the other match he joined Selwyn Cole in what was then a record fourth wicket stand for the club as Selwyn was eventually out in the 80s and Simon went on to reach his ‘ton’.

He also played in two losing Harrison-Allen Bowl Finals against Llangwm and Haverfordwest, and also has a few Duggie Morris and Alec Colley Cup medals as mementoes of the time he enjoyed at Cresselly.

Real characters and great places to play

But more importantly he has his memories of characters played with and against, like the doughty bunch down the road at Carew, which included Peter Hall (always good for some banter), Lamphey’s Australian all-rounder Dave Lovell and Mark Wood (Kilgetty). There were plenty of others from Lawrenny, Haverfordwest, Tish and Burton, where he usually scored a few runs – and at Neyland, where he rarely reached double figures! Games at Carew were always hard and uncompromising, like the time he and the late ‘Doffo’ Arthur scored late runs and when Doffo struck two runs to reach his 50, Simon strode down to shake hands but hadn’t made sure the ball was dead – and paid for his error by getting run out!

Other sports and family matters

That Simon should be involved in sport should come as no surprise because he attended the famous public school of Radley, where Andrew Strauss was also a pupil at one time. As well as his cricket there he also played football and hockey, a game he loved as a left-winger and wishes he had been able to keep up but somehow didn’t. His maternal great, great grandmother was the first captain of the England Ladies’ Cricket team and most of his family has been involved in some sport. His wife Abigail enjoys running, son Adam is keen on cricket, football and rugby, whilst daughter Elinor plays cricket at Tavernspite Primary School, runs and enjoys gymnastics.

And finally . . .

One only has to chat to Simon for a short while to see his commitment to his current work in the Commons, his love of sport and his great affection for Cresselly in particular and Pembrokeshire in general. We at PembrokeshireSport.cu.uk are in no doubt that he serves us well in London – and we wish Simon Hart MP many more years promoting our county in the Houses of Parliament!

PHOTOS:

Simon Hart.
Simon talks with Prime Minister David Cameron.
Simon Hart with Liz Hurley (at Hop, Skip and Jump charity event).
Simon and Mike Gatting (Sport & Recreation Alliance Campaign).
Simon & Richard Branson (Youth & Investment Fund).