St Ishmaels 2nds gained a Division Three home victory over their counterparts from Llangwm on Saturday and the highlight of their performance was a splendid innings of 163 not out by Karl Rhead in their total of 257 for 1 wicket before they restricted a gritty Llangwm team to 16- for 7.
 
Rhead smashed 10 fours and 12 big sixes in a chanceless knock – but where he admitted afterwards that he did top-edge one delivery which luckily fell between two fielders and stroked a ball to mid-off which again fell just short!
 

Still got it at 46!

 
Those slight mishits apart, he showed that at 46 he still has the class that saw him play in a number of Harrison-Allen Bowl and Duggie Morris Finals when he was playing for Haverfordwest before returning to his home village club where he started out as a junior all those years ago.
 
“I enjoyed myself at The Town and had four centuries there. My top score was 115 but I used to bat at 4, 5 or 6 then so I was pleased with them.”


 

Still not his highest score for Tish

 
On this most recent century, joining him in that massive run fest on this occasion were two other Tish stalwarts as he opened the innings with his cousin Robbie Thomas, who scored 25 as they put on 60 runs – and then shared a partnership of close on 200 with Andrew Williams, who was still there on 53 when the innings closed.
 
It still wasn’t Karl’s biggest innings for Tish though because in the final game of the 2019 campaign he scored massively against Burton Seconds; an innings that helped them win the division four title ahead of Neyland Seconds.
 
“I scored 175 that day and we still had five overs left so I suppose I might have managed 200 but we had a young Australian girl named Maddie Howard who was desperate to bat and had her pads on ready so I retired and she enjoyed her innings so it was good!”


 

Rare hat-trick of captaincy honours and captained Wales too!

 
During his time with Haverfordwest he had honours aplenty and can say that he played at every level for Pembrokeshire, including being chosen as captain at under 15 level and completing a rare hat-trick because he also led the county age group in rugby and football as well!
 
“I played at outside half for Milford School and we had a strong representation because Dean Hadley was immense at No 8, Richard Thorne was a talented No 9 and our two centres were Shane Griffiths and Craig Moir, who went on to represent Scotland at senior level. So all I had to do was kick penalties and conversions – and give the ball to them!”
 
He did the same thing in football and went one better in the sixth form as he played for the Welsh Schools under 18s for both years and was captain for the second campaign.
“There were a number of players who went on to do well at semi-pro level but in my first season I played in midfield alongside Robbie Savage, who was easily the most skilful player I ever came across, despite his reputation as a bit of a dog in the top flight!”
 

Junior football at Tish, Welsh League with The Robins and honours galore with The Vikings!

 
He started out his football with Tish Juniors, where Eric Griffiths and Bill Roberts inspired the youngsters and then he moved at under 15 & 16 levels with Terry Scutt at Milford United - and then played Welsh League for The Robins until they left that level of football.
 
“Then I had a phone call from Gary Dawes inviting me to play for Hakin United and was part of a brilliant team which won everything locally and had three appearances at the West Wales Cup Finals on The Vetch Field, winning two of them – the first against ragged School in 2002 when I was captain.
 
Not content with that little lot, Karl has also played golf as a member of the Golfing Society at his work, as they have terrific trips away to top courses.
“I was down to playing off a handicap of 11 at one time but now I play what I like to call ‘social golf’!”
 
But it is cricket that is Karl’s main summer sport and he is naturally delighted that his son Lewis is now a member of St Ishmael’s first team and doing well.
 
“I’m a Tish boy, born and bred, and it is great to finish my playing days with a club I love, alongside some great characters and with Mrs Bradshaw at the helm!”