Jonathan White is only 15 years old but has already played three games for Haverfordwest Cricket Club in the first division of the Pembrokeshire Cricket League as proof of the fact that he is rightly regarded as one of the most promising young fast bowlers to emerge in local cricket in the last decade.

He bowls left arm over the wicket with a distinctively long and fluid run up to the wicket and excellent follow through that is beginning to generate real pace for such a young bowler who also has the ability to move the ball around a bit in the air as an added bonus.

Starred with the ball in
Ormond Youth Cup Final

He certainly proved his bowling ability when The Town's youth team won the Ormond Cup by beating Carew by 104 runs on their own wicket - and Jonathan featured quite well with the bat and especially with the ball.

He scored 11 runs in his team's first innings when they amassed 132 for 7 and then struck immediately with a terrific ball from his very first delivery as he had top Carew batsman Max Brindley caught by keeper Jack Scriven - and only conceded ten runs in his allotted four overs.

After another double-figure innings after tea to help The Town establish a huge lead he then caused mayhem amongst the early Carew batsmen to shift three of them in a single over to end up with amazing figures of 3 for 10.

It effectively destroyed Carew's long-odds hopes of victory and certainly put Jonathan in contention for the man of the match award, which eventually went to team captain Kieran O'Connor, who had batted and bowled well in addition to being a very able skipper on the field.

Enjoyed first-team experience

As well as this success, Jonathan also made his first team debut and played three matches in all for the championship-winning side, picking up two wickets against St Ishmaels before playing against Johnston and Whitland to help Danny Potter and Co to win the coveted league title with a strong late run.

"I was really chuffed to be asked to turn out for the first team and Danny Potter was great to me, as were the rest of the boys," admitted Jonathan, "and top fast bowler Adam James gave me loads of advice between balls, which was brilliant."

County selection too!

His performances for The Town at junior level earned him selection for the Pembrokeshire under 15 team that was coached by Simon Williams, Huw Scriven and Nitin Mathias, all Haverfordwest players like himself.

"We have a strong team where there are my team mates Nikhil Mathias, Jack Scriven, Jake Merry, Jack Blockwell and Lewis Rhead alongside other good players like Lewis Hough (Narberth), Jack and Harry Nicholas (Herbrandston), Noah Davies and Aled Phelps (Hook), plus Tom and John Mansbridge (Saundersfoot)."

Jonathan has already had his share of wickets but is also beginning to make a name for himself as a right-handed batsman, scoring an undefeated 45 for the county against Herefordshire.

Other sports

Outside of his cricket, Jonathan has also played football as a central midfielder in the Merlins Bridge U16s team coached by Tony Jones, Steve Price and Duncan Hart but started out as a nine year-old coached by Max Williams at Haverfordwest Cricket Club.

"We weren't the best team in the county there but I really enjoyed it - and when they didn't have a team in my year group I switched to Camrose, where we were looked after by Jez Tee and we reached the under 13s final against Tenby at Monkton.

"We started out as underdogs but won 3-0, which was brilliant!"

In rugby, Jonathan plays full back for the Tasker Milward School's team that is coached by Mr Barlow and Mr Harpwood, and also turns out for the Haverfordwest RFC team for his age group.
"We are coached by Arthur Daye'" he told us, "and have a useful side which reached the county final against Crymych at Narberth, but lost 13-6 in awful conditions where it was cold and very wet all day.”

Jonathan follows the Scarlets at regional level and he says the Rob Evans is his favourite player despite the fact that Rob is a prop and Jonathan wears the No 15 shirt.
"But he's a Welsh international and from Haverfordwest too," says Jonathan with a chuckle!

Family support and cricketing influences

Back on the cricket front, Jonathan set out as a seven year old when his father Andrew took him up to The Racecourse on a Friday evening for the regular junior practice sessions - and he took to the game straight away with the support of dad, mum Margo and sister Georgia.

Ask him about other influences on the development of his game and he would be quick to nominate Simon Williams, who has been a great coach and mentor over the past eight years as another left-arm bowler who could give him good advice.

The 2015 season saw Jonathan begin to make headway as he played once in the Haverfordwest Blue Lightning youth team in the T20 competition and playing senior cricket on a regular basis with the club's fourth, third and eventually its second string.

Three finals this season

It nicely set up Jonathan for the recent 2016 campaign where he has played in every game of the club's T20 'Pyjama Suit' cricket and been involved in three finals, starting when they won the Pembrokeshire title to qualify for important games 'up the line'.

In the Welsh Cup, Jonathan and Co battled their way to the final at Newport (Gwent) before bowing out against a very strong Carmarthen Wanderers' team - and they did the same in the ECB competition for Wales where they met Newport at Ammanford but sadly again had to settle for the runners-up spot.

"But both were great experiences," said Jonathan, "and we all thought that taking part had helped us develop our own games."

It is a typical comment from a down-to-earth young feller who enjoys a no-nonsense approach to his sport and with regard to the cricket in particular he is naturally talented.

We are confident that we are going to hear a great deal more of Jonathan White knocking over the stumps with his fast bowling - and scoring his share of runs too if he can continue to develop his batting game!