When Pam Asson led her young Llangwm team out for their first match of their new season in the second division of The Pembrokeshire Ladies’ League it was a moving moment for her because it will be exactly 30 years since she was part of the first-ever ladies’ team from the village to play a game of cricket in the Ladies’ League – and she played her part with an excellent innings before retiring.
 
That first team so long ago was captained by Jane Griffiths, whose brother Martyn was so influential in the men’s team and whose nephews Chris and Steve Inward are excellent all-rounders today - and Pam was one of the more experienced players because she had played for Llangwm boys’ team for some time before that.
 

Early start in boys’ cricket, thanks to Dai Davies

 
“My first game for the boys’ team was at Pembroke and I remember being so nervous because I was the only girl in either side but our coach, Dai Davies, was amazing with his quiet encouragement.
 
“I was lucky that Dai had been brilliant encouraging me to play Because there were so few girls involved at that time. An interesting anecdote from a training session at The Pill parks was when my grandfather, who was there watching me, was asked by an opposing spectator,
“Is that your grandson bowling?” and was promptly growled at by Granddad, “that’s not my grandson, she’s my granddaughter!”
 
“Dai wasn’t so outraged, however, because he was just pleased that all his work in coaching me had paid off!




 

Pam was described as a ‘Demon Bowler’

 
And so, when that special day arrived 30 years ago the Llangwm Ladies took on an experienced Haverfordwest team and were pleased with their tally of 72 runs, and even more delighted when they bowled out their experienced opponents for only 37 runs.
 
There was no doubt about the top bowling figures either because Pam had four overs, with only two singles scored as she bowled both the openers for ducks and finished up with SIX WICKETS for only TWO RUNS!
 
There was a report of the match in the old Western Telegraph which had as its headline,
‘Demon Llangwm bowler ruins Haverfordwest Ladies’ innings’ - and Pam still has that cutting today!
 
“I was always a tomboy so I loved it,” Pam told us, “And at that time it was natural to pop up to Pill Parks in any spare time - and I also had lots of encouragement from my father, Barry Childs, who was a low-handicap golfer.”



 

Family involvement at Pill Parks

 
Since then, her husband Geoff Asson, plus sons Toby and Dom, are regularly involved in sport in the village, especially with cricket but also with the rugby set-up - whilst Toby is already heavily committed to coaching the village’s ladies’ cricket.
 
“When the two of them started playing rugby regularly I used to watch them and eventually attended courses to qualify me as a coach - and when I stepped down from helping to coach the rugby it was Geoff who took over.
 
“And it was fantastic when he joined head coach Daf Bowen in taking the team to the Principality Stadium for a WRU youth final and although they lost narrowly, they did brilliantly - and I’ve never seen so many black and amber striped hats and scarves in my life!



 

New intake is ready to learn

 
“So, our start was like going back 30 years for me because there’s only Zoe Brick, who previously played for Burton, and I from that era and everyone else has limited or no experience, not like then when I was younger and joined by Tina Evans, Tina Inward, Jane Griffiths, Sue Edwards and Mandie Davies.
 
“But our new intake is all very keen so we will soon improve, as we did indoors, where we lost every game but really enjoyed it - and I was pleased that in the final two games I was able to contribute well because I had to retire on 25 and 27 not out, so I’m hoping to continue that form outdoors and also take a few wickets.”


 

Took up running to keep fit – but kept playing cricket

 
Outside of her cricket, Pam is now a keen runner as a means of keeping up her fitness levels.
“I started running in earnest in my 30s and so far I have successfully completed four marathons and 11 half marathons. My best marathon time was 4 hours 10 minutes, which I was delighted with, and the venues were Chester, Liverpool, Blackpool and Stratford upon Avon. The quickest half-marathon I completed was in Cardiff in 2013 and took me one hour 48 minutes.
 
Going back to her cricket for a moment, when Llangwm finally finished playing she did have spells at Hook, Burton and the then-newly re-formed Haverfordwest.
“They were all smashing clubs,” Pam said, “with some great characters and very good cricketers,” but by then the boys were growing and so they kept me busy sports-wise following them around the county.




 

And finally . . .

 
“But now is a good time for a Llangwm Ladies’ rebirth and we are aiming to have a really enjoyable time playing together every week. We have had great support from some of the men at Pill Parks and I am really looking forward to seeing our young players develop. In that first game we also won but experience played against us – although it was a really encouraging start.”
 
So chat to Pam for a short while, as we were delighted to do, and her enthusiasm is infectious.
 
We covered all the 2025 ladies’ indoor cricket and so will continue our efforts to promote during the 2025 campaign - and we can safely say that Llangwm Ladies are in good hands with Pam Asson so involved!