Cresselly and Haverfordwest will kick-start Pembrokeshire's new cricket season when they play each other for the Jubilee Cup at Cresselly on Sunday.
In what has become the annual curtain-raiser of the Pembrokeshire season, the Jubilee Cup is played between the Graham Jewson Harrison-Allen Bowl winners (Cresselly) and the Imperial Garages' division one league champions (Haverfordwest) each year. Cresselly skipper Lyn Richards reports that the full squad is available for the Jubilee Cup and will be the same 12 as featured in the Harrison Allen Bowl final last season. Commenting on the match, he said: "It is nice to have a full squad available when we are selecting the team. Competition for places in the Cresselly side this season will be strong, but we need to be more consistent when we play in the league. We would like to push Haverfordwest all the way for the league title and we expect that there will be a strong challenge from Carew and possibly Neyland. "Our first league fixture is against Neyland and it will be a hard game, but if we retain a full squad injury free throughout the season we should do reasonably well.
"We have had a great run in the Harrison-Allen Bowl over the last two seasons and it would be terrific to start this season with a win over Haverfordwest in the Jubilee Cup. "A number of second team players can break in to the first team, although with the strength of our first team squad at present, it will be difficult. The most likely front-runner will be opening batsman Scott Arthur."
Cresselly have a very strong batting side and an under-rated bowling side, backed up by very competent and improving wicket-keeper Neilson Cole and some excellent fielders. Simon Cole, Julian Arthur and Adam Chandler can put runs on the board quickly, while the experienced players, such as Lyn Richards and Richard Harris, can adapt their game to the needs of the situation.
Stefan Jenkins and Huw Neale can take early wickets, Richards and Harris can take pace off the ball and Ryan Lewis can cause devastation with his spin bowling and his ferocious hitting. Haverfordwest will be without a number of familiar faces, but will still field a very strong side under the captaincy of Karl Rhead. Like Richards, the Haverfordwest skipper is looking forward to the match. Speaking to Observer Sport he said: "It should be a very good game. The two teams have the utmost respect for each other and the curtain opener will be decided in a final which will feature two well- balanced sides.
"The boys have been to the nets on a regular basis and we had two teams in the Martin James Leisure Centre Indoor Cricket League. In, fact we can't wait for the season to start and we will all be eager to do well in Sunday's final." Karl Rhead, Danny Potter, Richard James and David Davies will be likely to supply the runs for Harfat, who will also have a former Welsh international cricketer in the side. Left hand batsman and right arm medium paced bowler Jonathan Griffiths, who is also a former Welsh Rugby Union and Rugby League international, has decided to come out of premature retirement and to play cricket for a full season and he will give the early order more stability.
Richard James is a reluctant but skilled wicket- keeper, while spin twins Nick Dyer and Clive Tucker can keep the batsmen quiet and take wickets at the same time. Stephen Phillips is one of the best all-rounders in Pembrokeshire cricket and will be joined by another all-rounder this season in Julian James, son of a former Haverfordwest skipper, Steve James, who is a correct batsman and reliable medium paced bowler. Joss Wilmott, who started last season in the third team, will have his chance to impress the Haverfordwest selectors. The 16-year-old pace man is tall and gets plenty of bounce and is capable of causing an upset. The Cresselly squad is Lyn Richards (captain), Simon Cole (vice-captain), Julian Arthur, Damian Arthur, Adam Chandler, Andrew Harris, Neilson Cole, Ryan Lewis, Stefan Jenkins, Phil Williams, Richard Harris and Huw Neale. The Haverfordwest squad is Karl Rhead (captain), Danny Potter, Richard James, David Davies, Jonathan Griffiths, Stephen Phillips, Nigel Delaney, Nick Dyer, Julian James, Clive Tucker and Joss Wilmott. Wickets will be pitched at Cresselly at 1 pm and the umpires will be Robert Bellerby, of Neyland, and Fred Hatton, of Carew.