Lewis leads the way in leg-spin bowling

 

Lewis Rhead is 11 years old but is already catching the eye of Welsh selectors as a highly promising leg-break bowler and only last weekend was travelling up to North Wales to play three matches for the Welsh team in his age group against the best young players from three of the top English counties.

 

 

Lewis plays his club cricket for Haverfordwest and is captain of the county team. He relishes the challenges that brings, and his involvement for Wales is a tribute to his dedication, as well as his support from his family, which is very cricket-orientated since dad Karl is one of the highest-regarded cricketers of this era in the county. Granddad Gary also played in his younger days and add the great support from mum Nicola, younger sister Rosie and grandmother Roslyn and it is easy to see why Lewis is so involved.

 

 

His season actually started in October with weekly visits to Neath and a trip to either Cardiff or Ebbw Vale every third week for squad practice. Lewis had made the same commitment last season, despite being a year younger than most of the others, but after making the last 24 just missed out on Welsh selection when it was whittled down to 19 players. On this occasion, however, he was in the last 24 again but also in the squad of 20 chosen to represent Wales.

 

 

He was due to play against Gloucestershire at Ynysangharad Park (Pontypridd) but there was no play because of rain. So it was on to North Wales for three games in as many days as Lewis & Co took on both Yorkshire and Leicestershire at Colwyn Bay and then Cheshire at Brymbo.

Not content with that little lot, Lewis then returns to Pontypridd to take on Lancashire and a week later play another trio of games against Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire and Yorkshire as part of the 25 matches planned in the season – phew!

 

 

It all seems a long time ago since Lewis used to go up to The Racecourse to watch Karl play for 

Haverfordwest and wasn’t really interested in playing until he became friends with Jack Scriven and the pair bowled and batted together. Then he watched dad play in the nets against ace spinner Nick Dyer and was intrigued by Nick’s canny slow bowling. Nick encouraged Lewis to try to bowl and without any coaching at all he let the ball go out of the back of his hand and was bowling leg-breaks al la Shane Warne, who is still his favourite player!

 

 

Lewis gradually improved his ability to impart spin on the ball as he played for the Haverfordwest under 9s team coached by Huw Scriven and has since played at under11 and under 13 levels for The Town. He was selected for the county team by Rick Walton and Jamie Phelps when he was still a year young but didn’t go to the Aberystwyth Festival because he was younger than the other players.

 

The Welsh selectors in attendance were searching for talented spin bowlers and when Rick mentioned that Lewis was back at home he was invited in to the Welsh trial system – and made the last 24. He just missed out on the final squad but it was a great experience and all his hard work paid off this campaign since he is now an established member of the squad.

 

 

Lewis also captains the county under 11 team which has been doing very well as they bowled out Mid Glamorgan for 68 at Stackpole and reached 69 for 3. They easily accounted for Carmarthenshire at Llangennech as Pembrokeshire chased down their target of 92 for three wickets in only 18 overs, and drew with a strong West Glamorgan side at Morriston. He took 3 for 13 against Carmarthenshire and scored 27 against Mid Glamorgan - and has a top score of 44 not out which he made at last year’s Aberystwyth Festival.

 

Viking footballer

 

Outside of his cricket, Lewis also enjoyed playing football for the Hakin United under 11 team coached by Niall Yeomans and hopes to play at under 12 for the young Vikings next season that is coached by Daisy Picton and Colin Fawcett. He has also played for Pembrokeshire as a midfielder and after a tournament at St Clears which they won he was invited to join the Cardiff City Academy. Lewis took part for a season but the training night at Carmarthen clashed with his cricket – so it had to go!

 

 

And all his hard work is clearly paying off because cricket-mad Lewis is doing really well and is eager to praise his family for their support, local coaches like Huw Scriven and Rick Walton, plus Amir Akram, who has spent hours in the nets offering encouragement and advice in the National set-up.

 

Nick Evans, who is Manager of the Pembrokeshire Regional Squads, said,

“Lewis is a very talented young cricketer who is already able to think things out, as well as being a natural talent. I’m sure we will hear a great deal more of him in the future.”

Nick knows his cricket and we join him in looking forward to hearing a lot more about Lewis Rhead’s cricket in the future, because Lewis is really one to watch if he can maintain his current rate of progress!