Harry and Jack Nicholas are very good all-round sports players from Milford Haven and at 12 years of age play cricket for the county under 12s team, as well as being useful football and rugby players – and as identical twins certainly cause their share of confusion on the field of play!
 
That they should be talented all-round young sportsmen is no surprise because their dad Paul plays cricket for Herbrandston (with a top score of 97 and best bowling analysis of 8 for 23). When he played rugby for Milford Haven he was an unusual utility player  because he was equally at home playing full back, scrum half or hooker. Mum Julie hasn’t played a great deal of sport but the twins say she is a ‘brilliant taxi driver’ to their various sporting destinations, whilst older sister Ellie is also very supportive.
 

Cricket is their current favourite

 
It is cricket that is currently their favourite sport and as well as playing for Neyland under the guidance of Lyn Rees they regularly represent Pembrokeshire Under 12s, with Simon Williams as their coach – and someone who readily admits he often finds it hard to differentiate between them!
 
Both are right-handed batsmen, with Harry having a top score of 31 and Jack 45.  They can both open the innings but have never done that at county level because as Paul says, “There could be World War Three if one of them ran the other out!”
 

Encouragement aplenty at Herbie

 
They started out by going along to watch dad play for Herbrandston and developed their skills playing with other youngsters in the village outside the boundary rope.

 

 
The twins were lucky to have every encouragement from Herbie coaches Jackie and Andrew Williams, and also by Ian Milsom when they joined Neyland to play league cricket.  They soon settled in there and last season, at under 11 level, they won their section before losing to Kilgetty in the play offs.
 

Third year in county set-up

 
This is now their third year in the county set up and Simon Williams installed Harry as captain.  He also shares wicket-keeping duties with Jack Scriven and can, when called up, bowl his left arm slow stuff, whilst Jack is a right-arm bowler who likes to knock the stumps over.  Both are included in the squad which is soon to go on tour to Bath, with mum and dad going along to watch the matches.
 
They have already played at Cardiff and Newport amongst other more local venues and have also watched top class cricket with dad at the Swalec Stadium.  They watched the West Indies take on South Africa earlier in the year – and perhaps that accounts for the fact that Kieran Pollard is Harry’s favourite player and Jac

 

k likes Chris Gayle!
 

Football success

 
Football is another sport in which the Nicholas twins excel, with Jack able to play in goal or up front, and with Harry as a left winger or midfielder.  They started at Neyland for a couple of years and had every encouragement from Charlie Watts, with Sean Rutherford as their coach at Milford United since then.  Harry and Jack also played for Hakin School team and after winning the Pembrokeshire and West Wales tournaments for Primary Schools it was off to the Emirates Stadium, the home of Arsenal, to play in the National competition as West Wales’ representatives.  It was a memorable trip where they won two and drew two of their games but just missed out in the play offs. 
 
The boys also watch rugby and football with dad at the Liberty Stadium and enjoy the experience of premier league football.  Dad is a confirmed Leeds United fan but Jack and Harry both support Manchester United – and list Robin van Persie as their No 1 player.
 

Other sports

 

 
On the rugby front, the twins play for Milford Haven in a team coached by dad Paul and Nigel Johnston, with Harry playing in the centre and Jack at scrum half.  Both are useful players and when there was a programme on S4C about Shane Williams, followed by a festival of rugby, they were part of the winning Milford team.
 
Both also enjoyed gymnastics when they were younger, coached by Andy Grey at Milford Haven Gymnastics Club, but ran out of time to be able to stay involved.  Jack is also rightly proud of the fact that he is the Milford Haven School Year Seven tennis champion!
 

Can’t get enough of cricket

 

 

But it is cricket that is their first love because they are so involved. In fact, both attended the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final with dad Paul and whilst he enjoyed the battle between Neyland and Llangwm they preferred to get in the nets and practise their own cricket. Even the absence sometimes of a bat didn’t prevent them and their new pals creating games of their own, using feet instead to score runs.
 
It was great to watch and it was easy to see the pleasure they derived from being involved. Small wonder then that they have improved out of all recognition in the past year – and we are undoubtedly going to hear lots more about the Nicholas twins in the future!

 

PHOTOS:
Harry & Jack Nicholas
Harry and Jack with dad Paul at the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final
Harry and Jack (front row) in the county under 12s team on recent tour