Seth Willington is one of the new breed of talented young cricketers who are playing for the Hook first team and although he is only 16 he is already a first-team regular and not only bats in the top order but doubles up as wicketkeeper as well.
 
Like a lot of youngsters he started out in the back garden with a plastic bat and ball and was a regular visitor to Hook’s ground.
 
“By the time I was seven I was in the club’s under 9 squad and I was a year young when I played at under 10 for Pembrokeshire and had to adapt to using a hard red ball and a proper bat.
 

County involvement soon came

 
“It was from then that I started playing in the county set-up where I was coached by Ryan and Matthew Lewis in the first year, followed by Andrew Miller and then Mathew ‘Titch’ Davies last season – and I learned a lot from all of them, especially about having the right attitude and application.”
 
But there is no county team now because of the formation of the new regional cricket pathway and our players now come under the umbrella of the Cricket Wales (West) region with players from Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.
 
“But dad Jonathan and Jamie Phelps are in the process of setting up the chance for players aged under 16 and 17 to play friendly matches for Pembrokeshire players (The Pembrokeshire Vikings) which won’t demand so much travel.









 

Family matters . . .

 
He hails from what is very much a sporting family because his dad Jonathan was a very good all-rounder with Bosherston & Stackpole in his younger days before the family moved to Hook and he played there before taking up the reins as an excellent coach and then umpire; was a good back row forward at Pembroke RFC and then highly-respected referee, and a more than useful goalkeeper in football for Pembroke Borough.
 
Mum Lisa  isn’t a keen player but has been on the county committee and helps at the club, whilst younger brother Oscar (13) is already opening the bowling for the second team and is a regular squad member of the Cricket Wales West Regional Squad, where he plays for the main team.
 

Other sports

 
Seth is also a useful all-round sportsman because in rugby he plays second row or flanker for his age-group team at Haverfordwest High School in a team coached by Christian Rumbelow. He also plays youth rugby at Llangwm RFC but, like a lot of frustrated players, has missed so much of his involvement in the past two years because of the pandemic – but he has taken part in beach training sessions at Broad Haven.
 
“I also used to play football in goal for Merlins Bridge up until under 15 level, where Kevin Thomas used to coach us, and I had county trials but to be honest towards the end I wasn’t enjoying the game and so decided to stop playing.”



 

Outstanding youngsters and an early start to senior cricket

 
“At Hook we have players like Owen Phelps, Lewis Miller, Harry Makepeace and others like Joe Phillips and Dom Asson from Llangwm who might be interested in playing for the Vikings, plus any others from around the county in those age groups who might fancy getting involved.”
 
Seth made his second team debut as a 14 year old under the captaincy of Phil Griffiths and after a few games in that campaign he gained a regular place last season.
 
“I had started keeping wicket when I first put the gloves on at under 13 after Owen Phelps, who was the established county keeper, fancied doing some bowling and I volunteered to have a go.
 
“I enjoyed it from the start and now I’m wicket keeper for the first team and haven’t missed a game this season – and my best haul so far is three catches in a match, as well as the odd stumping.


 

Dad also involved and a good start in first team cricket

 
“It’s also been nice that my father has played a few games alongside me in the first team this season after stepping down as an umpire but fortunately we haven’t had to bat together because he no longer has his own bat and so has to borrow mine!”
 
Seth has made an excellent start to the 2021 campaign after opening with 39 against Pembroke, with other useful knocks against Kilgetty (39), Kilgetty (47 not out), Pembroke (28) and his highest senior knock so far of 68 not out against Carew.
 
“I’ve also had top scores of 63 in a school match and 53 against Carmarthenshire on a county tour to Bromsgrove but now I’ve got to aim for more consistency and, like any other young batsman, I would love to score a century!”
 

And finally . . .

 
Ask Seth about favourite famous players and he would nominate Kevin Pietersen from the past and Jos Buttler amongst current players – and former Australian keeper Adam Gilchrist as the best man with the gloves.
 
Talk to him for a short while and it is easy to see a young man who is mature for his age and, after recently gaining good GCSE results, is now looking forward to sixth form study, then university and hopefully a career as an accountant.
 
But in the meanwhile he is happy to enjoy playing his cricket at Hook and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can only say that the future of cricket in Pembrokeshire is in good hands with young players of the talent, commitment and attitude to the game of Seth Willington making a contribution that is sure to be worthwhile!