Trefor Evans – hugely respected by all in Pembrokeshire Cricket

 

Very few sporting people could claim to match Trefor Evans’ sporting contribution because as well as playing cricket and rugby for Whitlland, this former primary school headmaster has also been recognised with no fewer than SIX Life Memberships for the work he has done as an efficient and committed administrator in both sports.
 
We at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk have seen Trefor’s contribution and that is why we are proud to present him with one of our new ‘Sporting Stars’ badges!
 
One of Trefor’s first Life Membership awards understandably came from the Carmarthen & District Schools’ Rugby Union in recognition of the part he played  over so many years in encouraging young players to take part in the oval ball game - and the proof comes from the fact that he saw the development of a number of Llanelli and Wales’ players.
 
Other Life Membership recognition in the oval-ball game came with Whitland RFC, where he was a player and then administrator with The Borderers,
He played full back for them as a youngster and later serving as chairman, being made a life member a while ago. He has also been involved on the Pembroke and District Junior Union committee
 
He has also been involved on the Pembroke and District Junior Union committee with other staunch administrators in the late Keith Bryant and Reggie Jones, and again is a life member - and it a sad thing for Trevor that so few second team games are played these days.
 

Whitland CC through and through . . .

 
On the cricket front, Trevor joined Whitland when he moved into the town to teach, playing as a medium pace bowler and steady batsman who captained the seconds on a number of occasions and was first team skipper for one campaign.
 
Ask him about characters in the club in those days and he would nominate the late Hilliard Davies as a great club man alongside Colin John, the late Brian Cook, Barry Webb and Dawood Parker amongst many who helped develop the club and its now-magnificent headquarters at Spring Hill, where there is a terrific wicket, super-flat outfield, fine changing rooms and clubhouse which are the envy of many clubs in the county and now the home of the Alan Brown Cup Final and county matches like the recent game where Pembrokeshire played host to years MCC.
 
Trefor started his playing days in Pembrokeshire when he began his teaching career in Whitland and was asked to play for the second team that was newly started by Dr Roy Allen. They set out in division four and Trefor played for Whitland until he stepped down with a view to taking up umpiring.

In his time at the club, he served as Hon Treasurer Chairman for a while, and is immensely proud of the strides made by the club, on the pitch with a young team and off it with their superb clubhouse, new nets, sight screens and scoreboard.

“That is down to the quality of the people in the club.” Said Trefor “We have some superb workers and the ladies in the club are really great supporters in all we try to do."

On the pitch, Trefor captained Whitland first XI in 1995 and was second team skipper for several years as a medium pace bowler and occasional batsman. He is very proud of his only half century, which came late in his career against a touring side, and his best bowling analysis was a 7 for 16 haul against Pembroke Dock.
 
He had his share of five and six-wicket hauls and claimed 6 for 7 against Johnstown in a friendly, with no fewer than three hat-tricks as a bonus. The last of these came after he had stopped playing regularly but played in Cork during a tour of Ireland, where he came on to grab three wickets in three balls, just to show the youngsters how it was done!




 

. . . And then a County Club man and top umpire

 
Not content with that little lot, Trevor was elected on to the executive Committee of the Pembroke County Cricket Club in 2002.and in recognition of all his efforts became  assistant secretary and cup organiser, followed by three-year stints as vice-chairman and chairman.
 
He is now in his final year of a five-year term as president, the ultimate honour, where he has been widely acknowledged as someone who has always had the interests of cricket at heart, but never afraid to speak his mind when the occasion has demanded.
 
But perhaps Trevor is best known for his umpiring and when he took charge of the Harrison-Allen Bowl Final for 2025 that was held over until the start of this campaign he equalled the record of the late Cyril Venables because it was his SIXTH time that he stood in the middle as he joined Jonathan Willington as the umpires for the held-over Harrison-Allen Bowl Final between Narberth and Neyland at the start of the On the umpiring front he has been Hon Treasurer of the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers since 1999 and the training officer for five years.
 
He had joined Malcolm Mills as the umpires for the 2001 Bowl Final between Cresselly and Lawrenny and in the intervening seasons his loyalty and maintaining of high standards has seen him back for the finals at Cresselly in 2006, 2013, 2017, 2021 and 2025 (but played in 2026) – and this equalled the long-held record of another top Pembrokeshire Cricket Official in the late Cyril Venables!
 
Trevor has also officiated at numerous other finals like the DR Morris Cup, the Alec Colley Cup and the Ormond Youth Cup - and umpired a Wales versus the MCC game at Pontarddulais over two days. Trevor would admit that it was a different experience but sadly there was no result after a lot of time spent in the middle - because the rain swept in!
 

And finally . . .

 
So, it is easy to see how much Trefor Evans has given to his local sport and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk can honestly say that we hold him in the highest regard as a gentleman in life and a gentleman of sport.
 
Every club needs people like him and Whitland are lucky to have such a great club man, as is the Pembroke County Cricket Club!



 
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