Around the Boundary Feature:

 
After over 40 years playing cricket for Bosherston & Stackpole Cricket Club, plus the last season and a half at Pembroke, Alan Webster has really made his mark this campaign with nine games (at the time of writing) representing Wales Over 50s, one for the third team, followed by promotion to the seconds (4) and the last four with the first team that plays against the likes of English counties in the south and south west of the country. In July Alan was honored to represent Wales against the USA, India and England in three international games alongside Simon Wood from Carew.




 

Making his mark for Wales with some big hitting

 
And he certainly made his mark when they played Worcestershire away in their county town and he came in at No 6 with Wales looking to chase down a big total but standing perilously on 84 for 4 in 24 overs.
 
“But I felt in good form,” Alan told us, “and 16 overs later we were well on the way to victory as I scored 109 runs in only 55 balls, including eight sixes, but was caught on the boundary going for another big hit.”
 
Alan was introduced to Welsh over 50s set up at the end of last season after being invited to play for the Pembrokeshire Seniors by Kevin Bowen (St Ishmaels). The last fixture of the season for the seniors was a game against the Wales over 50’s at The Vale, near Bridgend, where he claimed 1 for 18 in eight overs before hitting a quick-fire 68.
 
“As a result I was invited to attend pre-season nets with the Welsh squad and after encouragement from Ian Milsom I went up to Sophia Gardens three times and they must have liked what they saw as I was included in the first games at the start of the 2023 season.
 
“As well as my century I also played well against Warwickshire at Maesteg as we needed 287 to win and I only scored a single from my first ten balls but then found some form and blasted six sixes in 45 from 22 deliveries as we won.”
 
It hasn’t been all victories, however, as he had previously played for the second string against Warwickshire and needed 281 to win.

“I scored 75 (another six sixes) and shared a big stand with another talented Pembrokeshire player in Karl Rhead (St Ishmaels), who scored 89 not out - but we somehow lost by one run in a nerve-jangling finish!
 

First games for Stackpole at 11 – and played in the Ormond Cup Final

 
Alan played cricket for Stackpole from the age of 11 because his father, also named Alan, owned the St Govan’s Inn (after they had moved from West London) where the Stackpole team drank after matches and the teams were selected there.
 
“He played for the seconds and I used to go down to watch him - and spent most summer evenings at the ground hitting a ball around with John Canton and Ben Huxley.
 
“I played junior cricket and we actually reached the final of the Ormond Youth Cup in 1987, captained by Kath Huxley, against a Carew team that included Eugene McCarney, Marc Oglethorpe, Nick Scourfield and Barry Evans - who were already far too experienced for us as we lost by an innings.”




 

Success in the seconds – and into the first XI

 
From there it was into the seconds from the age of 14 to 17 alongside old timers like Johnny Bevan, Mansell Thomas, Angus Clarke, Lyn Smith and Tony McTaggart, with whom he shared a stand of 120 against Lawrenny Seconds where he scored his first 50.
 
“The following season I shared an opening stand of 67 with John Bevan, one of the best players to turn out for the club, and I scored 60 of them - and at 18 I was in the first team
 
“We didn’t pick up a lot of silverware but won the Third Division in 1989 and I played alongside great characters like Richard Gibby, Jon Willington, Andrew Jenkins, Simon Edwards, Martin and Steve Alderman, Bill Carne, Mark and Simon Bevan.
 
“We did play a lot of Sunday cricket; one game was a win in the Dial Inn Cup against Lamphey and I scored 104 not out to celebrate my first century and whilst at Stackpole I did record my highest league score of 98 not out against Saundersfoot (away) as another highlight.”
 

Golf success – with three holes in one!

 
Outside of his cricket it is golf that has occupied his sporting spare time and he had switched to playing more golf than cricket for a spell as he lost his appetite for the latter game for a while.
“I started playing at Haverfordwest and now play off a handicap of three at Tenby - and once the cricket season is over at Pembroke I will aim for three times a week again, with my wife Jane understanding my competitive sporting spirit.”
 
Amazingly, Alan can lay claim to three holes in one, all at Haverfordwest, with one apiece at the par-three 6th, 8th and 14th.

“Two went more or less straight in and the other when I got back-spin on the ball and it rolled perfectly into the hole - and one of them was achieved whilst playing my good friend Richard Scott who was a Welsh international. Since playing at Tenby, Alan’s handicap has improved and  he has represented the Senior Dyfed Team at Neath as a late replacement.
 

Switched his cricket to Pembroke and made very welcome

 
Alan eventually returned to cricket but admits that he didn’t play every week and eventually decided he needed a change of club.

“I almost moved to Pembroke when I was 18 but was ‘persuaded’ to stay by Richard Gibby and Simon Edwards - but I played a lot of golf with Pembroke captain Jack Harries and he told me I would be welcomed at Treleet.
 
“I decided to give it a try and I really enjoyed the season - although sadly we were relegated to division three at the end of it. The undoubted highlight was reaching the Duggie Morris Cup Final against Neyland at Burton, where we started out as total underdogs and confirmed that belief as we were stuffed by a much better team - but on a personal note I was pleased that I took 4 for 20 and was our top scorer in our first innings!”



 

And finally . . .

 
This season has seen Alan & Co do well in their quest to return to the second division and they have also just won the Alan Brown Cup Final with a huge defeat of neighbours Hundleton in the final at Whitland. (Editor’s Note – They went up as section champions!)
 
“It was nice to celebrate because there is terrific camaraderie at the club at every level through seniors, ladies and juniors which is nice to feel part of. It is also great to meet up with old opponents and former team-mates, like Mr Carne, as we chatted for this article.
 
“I have been very lucky to play for so long and representing Wales is really the icing on the cake so I’m looking forward to being involved there for a while yet and at Treleet, which is a smashing place to play alongside very good cricketers who are creating a real buzz at Pembroke Cricket Club!”
 
“I would recommend to any of my age group in the County to join in with the Wales Over 50’s set up, which is competitive cricket but is much more than that, it has been great to make new friends and play at new grounds both in Wales and England.
 
“I think I have learnt more about my own game and cricket in general this year sharing the field with ex-professionals such as Mike Cann and experienced players like Steve Powell and Iwan Rees, who have been stalwarts of clubs in the South Wales League.”