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The 2025 Pembroke County Cricket season gets underway on Sunday (Apr 27), with 57 teams registered across six divisions participating in cricket under the umbrella of the Pembroke County Club, which was formed in 1903 and began organised league cricket in 1905.
The oldest cricket club in Wales, still playing under its original name, Haverfordwest Town, who celebrated their bi-centenary last season host Llangwm, bolstered by the arrival of Karl Davies from Llanrhian to slot in beside key players Steve Inward, Steve Mills and Noah Davies on the Racecourse in the opening fixture (umpire Nigel Richards). Chris Phillips continues at the helm for the county town side who have seen wicketkeeper Huw Scriven return to St Ishmaels, but should have Ben Field, Adam James and prolific run gather Mikey Jones available.
Defending champions and James Morris Memorial Cup holders Neyland, who secured the title on a mathematical formulae on a points per completed games after they tied with Carew, travel to Cresselly, the Doves having recruited Kyle Quartermaine from Narberth to bolster a side skippered by new ball specialist Tom Arthur, alongside vice-captain and opening bowler Dan James, teenage all-rounder Charlie Arthur, and the experience of Neilson Cole, his namesake Simon, Tom Murphy, Alex Bayley and Phil ‘Taffy’ Williams for the opening weekend encounter (umpire Jon Willington). This is an eagerly anticipated fixture, one which could put down an early marker as to where the title ends up in August. Neyland have seen Nathan Banner (Herbrandston) and Jamie Smith (Llechryd) depart but key performers in captain fantastic Sean Hannon, his deputy Ross Hardy, Wales senior Alan Webster, Paul Murray, teenager Dylan James alongside Patrick Bellerby and Brad McDermott-Jenkins should see the ‘All Whites’ as favourites to defend their title.
Carew, who remain unaltered in the close season and can call upon Wales seniors world cup player Simon Wood, captain Rhys Davies, Jon Rogers and the ageless Barry Evans alongside exciting youngsters in Jacob Knox and the prolific Hall clan of Logan, Corey and Ethan welcome umpire Neill Crawshaw and close rivals Lawrenny to the Gerald Hicks Memorial ground. The visitors team encapsulates everything that is good about village cricket and could be strong challengers for silverware if they can keep a full squad on the paddock, Harry Thomas, teenagers, wicket-keeper Wil Allen and the Lewis brothers Oscar and Finley and the inscrutable skipper Ryan Morton, all key names on the Gavenyards team sheet for last season’s Harrison Allen Bowl winners.
Division 2 Dan Jones Cup champions Burton entertain Whitland at Oatfield Park on their return to the top echelon, (umpires Chris Stapleton & Michael Borland), the hosts having signed last season’s captain of Llanrhian Iwan James to supplement the Hayman brothers, Luke and Toby, productive run gatherers Joseph Kiff and veteran Martin James, with Nick Jones having responsibility with the new ball and Morgan Scale a key slow bowler. Kevin Pearce will skipper the Borders who have had a conveyor belt of talented youngsters come through and keeping them involved when they reach University age will be key, the likes of Harry Fuller one such player alongside all-rounder Johnny Thomas and old hand Wayne Howells. Opening bowler Cian Rees has thrown his hat in with South Wales Division 1 side Bronwydd which will leave a gap in the Borders side to fill.
Last season’s division 2 runners up Herbrandston entertain Saundersfoot at Little Castle Grove (umpires: Rob Bellerby & Ian Gow), with Banner back in the fold from Neyland to bolster the Milford villages ranks alongside teenage all-rounder Charlie Malloy, his dad and club chairman Dai, Wales disability player Callum Power, Ryan Davies and the Nicholas boys, Jack and Harry. The seasiders were runners-up last season in the Bowl and have strong family units in their squad, made up of the Mansbridge brothers of Tom and Jon firing alongside the Franklin family of Sam and Jack, the Caines Danny and James plus the evergreen Neil Powling.
All games in division 1 will be played over 90 overs, the second division this season will be 80 overs and have three sides who are second teams, last season’s division 3 champions Burton make the short journey to play Hook, runners up Cresselly travelling to the Lewis Lloyd ground home of Narberth who were relegated from the top echelon and Carew stiffs will making the long journey to the RDM Oval to play Llechryd. Llanrhian welcome the second relegated side St Ishmaels, under new skipper Johnny Pawlett who will be chewing the toffees with his second lieutenant Lewis Rhead, to Llandigigie Fawr whilst Johnston, under new captain Liam Boswell will be the visitors to Treleet to play Pembroke.
All other divisions in Pembrokeshire will be played over 70 overs, Pembroke Dock and Lamphey were relegated to division 3 and will be strong contenders to lift the Albert Scourfield Cup and they meet in Lamphey.
Fishguard welcome Haverfordwest seconds to Tregoes Park in division 4 with Anthany Couzens returning from Llanrhian to bolster a team which includes his brother Rob (signed from Laugharne), skipper Scott Delaney and his dad Nigel whilst Division 4 Roland Jones Cup holders Hundleton will entertain Hook seconds. Runners-up to Laugharne begin their campaign in a higher league at the Clive Huxley Memorial ground home of Bosherston & Stackpole who have sadly disbanded their second string this season, the final fixture seeing Neyland seconds welcome Kilgetty, to the Athletic Ground.
In Division 4 Crymych are the only first team and they begin their season as division 5 Einon Richards Cup holders at the King George V field home of Saundersfoot seconds, runners up Haverfordwest third team hosting Carew thirds whilst relegated St Ishmaels seconds welcome Llanrhian seconds and fellow relegated club from last season Narberth seconds travel to Lawrenny seconds, the remaining fixture at Pills Park will see the second teams of Llangwm and Pembroke battle it out.
Eight teams will compete in division 5, Whitland seconds host last season’s division 6 champions Hundleton seconds, whilst Cresselly thirds welcome runners up Haverfordwest fourths to the Michael Scourfield Memorial ground overlooking Carew castle. Neyland thirds host Herbrandston seconds whilst the final fixture sees Pembroke Dock seconds begin life in the lower division by hosting Llechryd seconds at Imble Lane.
Division 6 will see an amalgamated side, Cresselly fourths & Haverfordwest fifths play on the Racecourse third pitch and they entertain Lamphey seconds on the opening day, Kilgetty seconds entertaining Pembroke thirds at Kingsmoor and Llechryd thirds will play at Crymych, where they will be hosting Whitland thirds.
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