At 15 years of age Loui Davies is already in his second season of first team cricket with Narberth, played rugby for the town's junior rugby teams from under eights to under 14s before sustaining a nasty knee injury, played age group football at Jesse Road and raced in autograss with the Pembrokeshire Hell Drivers Club.
 
But it is cricket that he would rate as his No 1 sport now and he is a promising seam bowler who takes his share of wickets and a useful batsman who started this season with an innings of 41 as he helped Narberth get off to good opening result as they beat Hook.
 

Following big brothers Ben and Kyle

 
It was perhaps natural that he should be involved in the summer sport because his brothers, Ben and Kyle Quartermaine, are talented all-rounders with Narberth and he has been throwing a ball around in the family garden for as long as he can remember.

"I started out when I was eight with Kwik Kricket, using a soft ball and a plastic bat, and when we began to play with a wooden bat and leather ball we didn’t lose a game for two seasons as Andrew Williams was our coach and we had useful players like Llyw Jones, Kyle Williams and Rhodri Dyer."
 

Doing well in junior cricket for his club . . .

 
Funnily enough, Loui wasn't fussed on batting at that time but just wanted to bowl his seam stuff, which seemed to work well because when he was 11 he helped Narberth win the county under 13 final by beating Hook at Cresselly.
 
"The next season I captained the under 13s and got to the final but lost to Whitland at Cresselly, which was disappointing because most of my friends at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf were playing against us!
 

. . . With two hat-tricks!

 
"That season I also played for the under 15s in the final against Hook, with Kyle Williams as captain - and I had my first hat-trick with an LBW, a catch and then I hit the stumps to make it three in three balls. It was brilliant and I had another one in the same season at Jesse Road against Pembroke Dock.
 
"When I got to under 15 level I was again captain and as I started to take more of an interest in batting we reached the final at St Ishmaels and I scored 47 runs and took two wickets - but we still lost to Carew.
 
During this time Loui was also representing the county team that was coached by Leighton O'Connor and he was a good mentor for Loui because he encouraged the youngster to focus more on his batting and during that time there were a few 50s as proof of that development.
 

Great family support – and following in Neil’s footsteps

 
As well as Kyle and Ben it is worth recording that his parents are also great supporters as Jackie has always been a good taxi driver for him and dad Neil has been a successful rally driver and it was through him that Loui began his interest in motor sports.

"I used to love watching dad drive and I started out myself in a go-kart at Llandough Race Track when I was eight, with dad as my mechanic.

"I also entered a few races In England at places like Forest Edge and Mr Newsom, our head master at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf supported Owen Griffiths, Ewan Howells and me to enter a British Qualifier at Thruxton Park and we qualified for the UK Finals at Wilton Mill (Northants); and we finished a creditable eighth out of 23 teams."
 

Doing well in autograss – and enduring a crash

 
The natural step was then into autograss and Neil taught him at Talbenny Aerodrome in a souped-up old Fiat Punto that had been a scrap vehicle - and then came a massive surprise for a delighted Loui.
"I woke up on Christmas Day to the sound of a car revving noisily outside and when I looked out there was a classic mini - my present from his parents!
 
"I started racing with the Pembrokeshire Hell Drivers and had my first race when I was 12 and although I was competing against a lot who were 16 or so I actually won it."
 
It wasn't all plain sailing, however, because in a race where there were ten competitors, one of them spun straight into him with such force that the steering rack was snapped in half and although dad performed wonders to fix it so that Loui could finish the competition they decided to take a rest.
 

Navigating for Neil – and other sports

 
But Loui is hoping to be involved in a different way because Neil has decided to have one more season with some rally races and his son is hoping to be his navigator as a means of paying back for all the help he has been given by family.
 
Loui has also enjoyed other sports like rugby, where he played as a prop for Narberth Juniors from under eight to under 13s.but I had a knee injury and couldn't really carry on at the time.
 
"I also played age-group football as a right back with Narberth and eventually hope to play for the second team next season, when I'm old enough."
 

Learning experiences in cricket

 
But it's cricket that now occupies a lot of Loui's spare time, even in the winter because he makes a weekly trek to the Neath Indoor School as part of the Welsh National Development Squad that is coached by Darren Thomas.

"We train for one and a half hours at our batting and bowling skills and I know it has already improved my overall play.
 
"It's a long way after school but my parents are great - and we share a lift with Tom Mansbridge and Johnny White so it's not too bad."
 
Another learning experience for Loui has been on tour with his age-group for the county team to places like Wrexham where they played two matches against North Wales.

"We lost the first game after we came straight off the bus but won on the second day and I was pleased to score 47 runs and grab two wickets.”
 

Great start to senior cricket

 
Back home Loui clearly enjoyed his first full season of senior cricket because in 2017 he claimed 23 wickets, with a best of 5 for 25 at home to Llanrhian.
 
It is good to report that Loui also helps the club by sometimes rolling the pitch for new groundsman Bobby Simons, which is a great plus for someone of his age - and talk to him for a short while to see this modest and personable young man has an old head on young shoulders.
 
He is aiming to apply for an apprenticeship place at Valero once he has taken his GCSE exams and continue to enjoy his cricket - and we wish Loui Davies every success in both of these aspirations!