D.R “Boyo” Davies

Llandeilo Cricket Club

The Club is sad to announce the death of another of its life members, shortly before the start of the 2016 Season.

Not only did “Boyo” play for the club for several seasons following the resumption of cricket after the Second World War, he served the Club in many capacities off the field for several years.

He was a fine hard hitting wicket keeper/batsman and rumour has it that in one game he captured 9 victims, a feat which, if repeated today would doubtless attract local, if not, national interest.

He was also a founder member of the Llandeilo Athletic Club, who made the bold decision in the 1970’s to purchase its ground at Cae William to secure the future of cricket and rugby in the locality, enabling both Clubs to expand and to have the benefit of the facilities they currently enjoy.

The Club mourns the passing of a true stalwart and extends its deepest sympathy to his son Peter.

 Glyn Elias

Briton Ferry Town C.C

Glyn completed his final innings on 11^th July, 2016, aged 88.

When Glyn was in Cwrt Sart School, Briton Ferry, his summer holidays were spent on a cricket pitch which was in the middle of Briton Ferry Athletic soccer field.

Six days a week he played with half a dozen regular friends and even at that young age his batting was so good that the group introduced a “retire at 50” policy.  They played with no pads and had to avoid broken legs by always using the bat.  That is the reason why, with Glyn, they were rarely L.B.W in senior cricket.

When Glyn went to Neath Grammar School (The County School for Boys) he formed an opening partnership with Gwyn Spare, and they were so successful that they continued in that capacity for their four years in the school.  Glyn’s senior cricket commenced at 16 years of age when he joined Briton Ferry Town C.C.  Their rivals, Briton Ferry Steel C.C offered him a job, as in those days you had to work in the steelworks to play in their team, but Glyn turned down the offer and soon progressed to Briton Ferry Town’s First XI as an opening batsman and an economical medium fast bowler.

From 1946 to 1948 he served his National Service in the R.A.F in South Africa and opened the batting for his garrison team.

Over the years, Glyn accumulated 16 centuries, his most memorable innings being 150 against Briton Ferry Steel C.C.  His maiden century was in Llangennech, a village where his mother and father were born.  The innings took only 72 minutes.

Glyn captained Briton Ferry Town C.C for many years and never left them despite offers from other clubs.  For the whole of his life he believed that cricket should be a pleasure to play and not to seek reimbursement for.  After 32 years with the First XI Glyn took over the captaincy of the Second XI in order to coach future players, and many of his proteges went on to play for the First XI.

Glyn then had a break from cricket as his wife Jan’s father was a Welsh International bowls player, and so Glyn took up playing bowls in partnership with his wife.

When his health deteriorated, he returned to support Briton Ferry Town C.C and gave advice willingly to the players.  His advice was always listened to.  Glyn will be greatly missed.  His epitaph supplied years ago, by an ex-County cricketer is:

“He was the greatest amateur player to have never played for Glamorgan or England”.

 Alan Davies

 Llangennech Cricket Club

The sudden death of Alan Davies in his home village in late January at the age of 69 brought an extreme sense of loss to the community.

He had played both rugby and cricket for the local clubs from an early age and in both sports, he displayed his versatility. In rugby, he occupied several positions in the back division while occasionally helping out amongst the forwards.

His senior cricket began in 1965 with debuts for both 1^st and 2^nd XIs. He was a talented cricketer who contributed to all aspects of the game. A solid, pugnacious batsman who valued his wicket dearly, he was also a medium-paced bowler, consistent in line and length. His short stature belied his throwing ability and many a time an opposing batsman was found wanting as his low, flat throw reached the stumps.

When Llangennech established a 3^rd XI in 1988 Alan, along with a group of other experienced players, extended his career and gave the new team the stability needed to establish itself in the league environment. He captained the 3^rd XI for five seasons.

Over his career, Alan played 406 league matches for the club, scoring 4,928 runs, taking 189 wickets and 105 catches. His score of 127 for the 3^rd XI stands as the highest individual score to date for that team.

After finishing playing, Alan continued to give invaluable service to the club as a committee member, umpiring on Saturdays and also serving a lengthy period as assistant groundsman. 

A lost Trio

 Bronwydd Cricket Club

 2016 proved a mixed year for Clwb Criced Bronwydd.  Whereas satisfaction prevailed on the playing side, much sadness surfaced at the loss of three Club stalwarts.  The eldest, Trevor Benwell, can truly be regarded as the father of the club. Arriving in a sleepy village and not finding a cricket team he set about forming one with gusto.  Undeterred at there being no ground he arranged all away fixtures for 1978 and managed to borrow Cnwcyderi for the following season.  The rest is history!  Trevor had a distinguished cricket pedigree, having batted for Lansdowne in Bath and provided the very first digs for the legendary Viv Richards on his arrival from Antigua.  During his period at Dyfed Fire Service he found himself in the limelight during the Amoco Oil Refinery fire in Milford Haven.  Being in charge of Stores, he successfully scoured Britain and Europe to acquire enough foam to extinguish that fire.  His refined interests extended to literature, Church Music and Talisker malt whiskey.

Brian Wayman, whose home adjoined Cnwcyderi ground, became a founder member to contribute much next door.  Here was a seemingly gentle slow medium pace bowler whom good batsmen eyed expectantly.  But at their peril!  Brian’s deliveries often dipped sharply at the end of their flight, to leave a head shaking victim trudging back to the pavilion.  He was Chairman in 1985 when Alan Jones opened the new clubhouse, to which project he contributed as an electrician.  Playing days over he became a highly respected Umpire on the West Wales Conferance3 circuit.  Two incidents made him unique.  At Lampeter an enraged swarm of wasps darkened the ground so Brian led the mad chase to pavilion safety.  We are unsure whether he called Dead Ball!  On the second occasion he became the only one to hold his ground, on a hot humid day in summer, a herd of warble fly maddened bullocks thundered out of the river on to the playing area during a League match.  All the players scampered but umpire Wayman stood there to issue his famous instruction, “Shoo!  Shoo!  Go away!  Keep off the Square!”.  Despite their agitated state, they listened to him.

The third Martin Richards, despite a long and brave fight against cancer, passed away when he had so much more to contribute to the club.  A native of Wels pool, he joined Bronwydd when he came to the Evans Brothers Estates Office in Carmarthen.  Primarily a bowler, his prodigious swing soon earned him respect.  After completing a stint as Second X1 League Captain, he became invaluable to the administrative side of club affairs.  First as Secretary and then Chairman, where his gentle but firm persuasive manner ensured that things got done, he guided many of the ongoing developments at Cnwcyderi.   He and wife Brenda arranged original events like the Ladies Ascot Day, but then unseen would often be down early morning to clean up after many a late night event.  Even in his very last painful days he issued instructions regarding the marking of the square for the coming season.  Unlike the other two, who were allowed to finish their brief and retire, Martin was taken when he had so much more to so willingly contribute.   He’d just qualified as Youth Coach.

Trevor Jones

(09.08.1942 - 25.01.2017)

Assistant Secretary – S.W.C.A.

It is with great sadness we announce the passing of Trevor Jones at 74 years of age.

Trevor moved to Swansea in the 1970's to work at the DVLC, later renamed the DVLA and then worked as an auditor for the Welsh Office. Trevor has held several cricketing posts in South Wales. 1989 to 2007, Secretary of the Swansea Industrial Cricket League.

1990 to 2008, Secretary of Landore Cricket Club.

1998, joined the SWCA Management Committee and in 2003 took over as Assistant Secretary of the Association until his death.

2000 to 2011, served as a member of the Welsh Cricket Association.

In 2003 he became organiser of the West Glamorgan Primary School Kwik Cricket.

2003 – 2007, Secretary of the Swansea Branch of the Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers.

2004, Secretary of the West Glamorgan Regional Junior Cricket Development Committee.

2005 to 2014, served on the Management Committee of the South Wales Junior Cricket League.

2008 to 2013, Secretary of Wales ACO.

2010 to 2014, organised the Wales Finals of the Indoor six-a-side competition and was organiser of the Swansea six-a-side Indoor League.

Trevor was a qualified Umpire and Scorer. He umpired in the Association from 1988 until 2010, when he had to give up due to his health. He also umpired various other matches on a regular basis, including the Wales over 60's. Trevor then became a Committee Member and Scorer for Pontardawe Cricket Club and he also scored on a regular basis for Wales Over 60's. For his services to Cricket, Trevor was awarded a Cricket Wales OSCA in 2014. Whilst in poor health during 2016 Trevor still carried out his SWCA duties, dealing with results and fines, he also organised the SWCA Presentation Dinner, mostly from his hospital bed. Trevor had no family in the area, but his Cricket Family in South Wales was large. 

 It was an honour and a privilege to have known Trevor Jones.