Around The Boundary Feature:

Robbie Thomas is very much a veteran player at St Ishmaels Cricket Club but is still captain of the second team for the fourth year in his second spell at the helm, and is rightly held in high regard by colleagues and opponents alike because he is very competitive during matches but likes nothing better than a pint and a chat afterwards in the bar.
 

Marloes – a team full of characters

Known to all in local cricket and football as ‘Thommo’, Robbie started out in cricket just a little way down the road from his current club in the tiny village of Marloes, a team which is sadly no longer with us but at that time had very useful cricketers like Steve, Andrew and Kristan Bennett, Martin ‘Truck’ Davies, Bernie Stephens and John Howells, whose house overlooked the pitch as he bowled off a short run before retiring to fine leg for a quiet puff of a ‘roll-up’ cigarette.

They played on the top half of a cowfield and there was sometimes the need to remove a few pats if a stray cow had managed to get through the fence – and games were watched by a good crowd of villagers. Tea was taken outside (no changing rooms there) and we were always told that the egg sandwiches were made from gulls’ eggs off nearby Skomer Island!

Robbie played for some time in the first team and really enjoyed himself amongst so many real characters – but moved to St Ishmaels shortly before Marloes Cricket Club had to close down because the field was no longer available.
 

Soon settled at Tish – but missed their biggest-ever triumph

He quickly settled in and whilst Tish were in the second division he had amazing figures of 9 for 8 against Stackpole – and the other wicket came by way of a run out! He also proved his prowess with the bat as he has scored a couple of centuries and still enjoys the batting aspect of the game.

But he missed the club’s most epic season as he stepped down to the second team in 2006 and in the next season they won the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final for the only time in their history and completed a fairytale story as they made it a double by winning the division one title for their only time.

“Of course I would have loved to be playing but I had a great time at the final and was thrilled for Peter Bradshaw and the rest – and for great club servants like Wendy and Chris Bradshaw, Mel and Pat Williams too!”
 

Captaincy in a cup final – but disappointed by defeat

Robbie did lead St Ishmaels’ 2nds in the Alec Colley Cup against Carew 2nds at Pembroke in 2020 but after doing really well they dropped Carew’s ace batsman Nick Scourfield early on and his 49 helped Carew battle through.

“It was a big disappointment,” admitted Robbie, “but we tried our best and it wasn’t good enough – and we still enjoyed our evening, which started with a few pints with the Carew boys before we went back to Tish!”
 

Heavily involved with Tish Football

Known to all as ‘Thommo’ he also played football for Tish from the time he was 14 after playing a few junior games for a combined Broad Haven/St Ishmaels team before making his second team debut within a short time – and he was still playing when he passed his 49th^th birthday until his dodgy knees finally gave up.

He has kept involved in the intervening decade however and is now assistant first team manager to Gerrard Grey in readiness for the new season – and will continue to be the club’s assistant referee for league and cup matches.




 

Success in the Senior Cup Final

Ask him about his undoubted football highlight and he would be quick to nominate the 2005 Senior Cup Final against Carew, where they won 2-0 at Monkton Lane with two goals scored by Adam Davies.

They also played in two other finals at The Bridge Meadow Stadium, losing heavily to Hakin United and with the other being against a very good Saundersfoot team that included players of the calibre of Alan Brindley, John Stenson and Gary McNeilly.

“They were well on top but our keeper Jeremy Howells kept us in the game and we somehow managed a 1-1 draw – but they slammed us 4-0 in a one-sided replay,” admits Robbie with a typical chuckle!

“I also managed the first team on my own a while ago and that was interesting, to say the least, as I had the likes of Mark ‘Dabsie’ Davies, Robert Cockburn, Mark and Scott Devonald, Jez Howells and a few other stars!”

Leading by example with Tish Seconds

Mind you, he might say the say the same about leading the current St Ishmaels 2nds in cricket because it includes veterans of the calibre of Stuart Carpenter and Kevin Bowen, who are both hovering around the 60 mark but still enjoying their cricket and setting the example to young locals about how to play the game.

“They have been brilliant, “Robbie told us, “and they are playing alongside Darren Hawkins and Lenny Rees. The return to the fold of Steve Williams has had enormous benefits because he is still a classy player and his young son Thomas is also doing really well. My teenage son Nathan is also enjoying his role as a batsman and we are doing really well this season to be as high as fourth in the third division table.”

 And finally . . .

 ‘PembrokeshireSport.co.uk’ bumped into Robbie Thomas whilst walking around the boundary at St Ishmaels, watching the semi-final of the Harrison-Allen Bowl, and it was great to sit on a grassy bank and chat about cricket, football and other things like the long-ago time when I was a teacher and he a pupil at the old Milford Central School.

He was a cracking young feller then and I am just as pleased to see him outside the boundary rope for a long chat now because he really does represent all that is good in local sport.