Pembrokeshire's Umpires Association is 50 years old and local umpires, scorers and guests marked the occasion with a special 50th anniversary lunch at the annual get-together of the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers.
Held at Nant-y-Ffin Hotel, the event proved a great success, even if it did go on a little longer than usual!
One of six original founder members, the retiring president, Stanley Richards, gave a resumé of the history of the association and said that when it was formed in 1959 it was the first of its kind in Wales.
Other associations followed suit and some have taken over in size, but Pembrokeshire cricket enthusiasts were the first to set the trend when the association was formed.
Mr. Richards would like to see more new cricket umpires coming on the scene and he expressed disappointment that Pembrokeshire no longer appeared to get the call to stand at matches involving Glamorgan Seconds or the Wales Minor Counties team.
The guest speaker was first class Jeff Evans. He is one of the few umpires on the county circuit never to have played first class cricket, although he was a very good club player for Drefach.
He gave a highly entreating talk which referred to some of his experiences during his career as an umpire, from his early days in the lower echelons of the South Wales League to the current day when he officiates most seasons at Lord's.
He brought many of the leading personalities of the game to life and recounted the time when he had to leave the old Crow's Nest at Lord's for a comfort break when acting as the third umpire for a televised match and, unknown to the TV audience, the public announcer had to deputise to make a decision!
Whitland umpire Richard Merriman takes over from the retiring chairman, Bill Carne, as the new chairman of the association.