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Like good wine it seems cricketers mature well with age and that is no more epitomised for local cricketers, Huw Evans (Fishguard), Simon Holliday (Dafen), Alan Webster (Neyland) and Simon Wood (Carew) who are currently playing for Wales in the International Masters tournament in Sri Lanka, their final game the ‘Plate Final’ against India on Saturday (Feb 22) at the Mercantile Cricket Association Ground (MCA).
Holliday, a prolific run gather for Haverfordwest currently tops the batting statistics (318 runs from 5 innings) has been a corner stone all tournament for Wales (191-0) as they beat the USA (190-ao) on Thursday (Feb 21) at the MCA, to reach the Masters International Plate Final. Holliday plundered an unbeaten 114 and his skipper, Llanelli CC all-rounder Iwan Rees (68) led their team to the semi final victory in the thirty-third over.
All the local lads have contributed as Wales won 2 of their 6 group games to set up the plate semi final, their Pembrokeshire players supported in their efforts for their country through local business, Roscoe Tree Services, Valero and The McCarney Foundation.
Masters cricket allows many older players to stay in the game behind the rigours of Saturday cricket in the summer, Wales having representative sides which play week in week out in competitive and friendly encounters, at over 70s, over 60s, over 50s and over 40s, as the ‘Wales XL’. Wales (258-8 ) began their campaign with a loss to Pakistan (261-ao) by three runs at the Colombo ground on Sunday (Feb 9), Holiday scoring 56 and Evans 45, Wales (189-ao), where they were 207-2 with ten overs of the allotted 45 overs remaining.
Returning to the same venue the following day Wales (217-7) registered a 52 run victory over Canada (137-ao), then the Welsh Dragons (217-7) secured a five run victory on Wednesday (Feb 12) over India (212-9) and the following day at the Colts Cricket Club, Holliday plundering his second half century with an innings top score of 93 and Webster an unbeaten 14, in the innings.
The following day the team returned to the MCA where South Africa (188-7) defeated Wales (186-7) by three wickets and then on Saturday (Feb 15), in the penultimate group game at the Pujitha Uduwana Sports Academy Ground with contributions from Holliday (41) and Wood (32) but Australia (220-7) won a close encounter by three wickets.
In their final group game Wales were bowled, where Webster top scored in the innings with 46, at the Colombo ground, the West Indies (108-6) securing a four wicket success, meaning the Welsh Dragons finished fourth in their group which set up a plate semi final with third place finishers in Group A, the USA.
Pembrokeshire have a senior’s section which allows local players to come together and play local school or youth side, alongside helping clubs who are celebrating milestones, the emphasise on enjoyable crickets, player wellbeing and ultimately a way to reminisce over past times.
The Pembrokeshire seniors have put together an extensive fixture programme for the 2025 summer season, preparation beginning with nets at the Neyland Centre, on Wednesday (March 5) between 7:00pm until 9pm and on every subsequent Wednesday until the second week of April.
