Sport

T20 International: Carnival or cricket?

Published

9 years ago

June 30, 2017

Laugharne & Hundleton Cricket Club: T20 Swalec Stadium

THE NATIONAL T20 I NTERNATIONAL between England and South Africa attracted over 15,000 spectators to the SWALEC Stadium in Cardiff last Sunday (Jun 25) who were entertained royally by a performance that could have graced the West End stage.

Cricket can no longer be the pastime of the gentry, enjoyed of an afternoon on a village green in Middle England, where the Lord of the Manor XI played his workers; winning of course, with his grace ensuring he scored runs and took wickets to rapturous applause from the gathered throng of villagers, many of whom either work for him or had someone who worked for him.

This quintessential snapshot of cricket is a generation once removed and there is more chance of the noble game being played on the moon before its return.

Cricket is rich in history and the T20 format is heavy in entertainment value and rewards, for the England and Wales Cricket Board, Glamorgan County Cricket Club and the players. The bandwagon that is T20 sees players making a living at this format of the game, travelling to the Caribbean for the Calypso League, Australia for the Big Bash and the Indian Premier League. Adorned by those who follow the game these can live long in retirement.

Cricket is a sport; to achieve such rewards requires determination, success and luck. Ask thirty six year old Kevin Pieterson, or his mouthpiece Piers Morgan for their views on T20 cricket, some three years after Pietersons sacking by the ECB. A maximum of four hours game time compared to those who play ‘Test’ or County cricket, with seven hours of cricket each day, over four or five consecutive days.

T20 in Cardiff is an advert for the Capital City and Wales. Supported by the Welsh Government and the quango, ‘Visit Wales’ the influx to the economy goes beyond a matchday, with supporters returning on family holidays. That investment is the cricket, in a stadium designed to accommodate 16,000 people with an infrastructure to support it.

The SWALEC stadium has pedigree for producing the product, the recent ICC Champions games bear testament. Supporters follow the brand ‘Team England (and Wales) but they follow also the trail to Cardiff. The experience is everything and Cardiff is an attractive enticement; an International ground in the heart of a City.

Getting to game isn’t easy from west Wales, as Larter and Chris Williams [Lawrenny Cricket Club], testify as their National Express bus leaves half an hour after the end of play, to Kilgetty before taking the train to Narberth, and acquiring the ‘Family Taxi Service’ home. Plans can be made as the game will finish at the designated time of 5:40pm; short, sharp, full on razzmatazz and T20 appeal is unquestionable.

South Africa elected to field in overcast conditions series decider. Mangaliso Moshele dropped the old fashioned ‘Up N Under’ from Alex Hales as a passionate Wenglish crowd erupted. Morne Morkel squared the game accompanied by blaring music, flame throwers, TV replays and card waving, finger pointing spectators; 13-1 for cricket lovers but marketed to the Satellite spectator. This carnival of cricket appeals to all ages, where gender plays no part. Greeting the two teams entrance were Cricket Wales Girls teams.

England have rested skipper Eoin Morgan with the score at 1:1 in the series; baffling as their next ‘white ball’ game is 83 days away. But it hands Dawid Malan [Middlesex] his debut. He scored his first international run courtesy of a ‘six’; no mean feat on this stage when the ball is coming at 90mph. Small margins dictate a win or loss; South Africa’s fielding, particularly Andile Phehlukwayo was gifting the game to England as Malan became the highest scoring England T20 debutant.

The crowd, knowledgeable of the ‘stage play’ being performed to realise its building to a crescendo witness South Africa ensure the ‘Lions’ roar becomes croaky on 165-5 as the ‘Up N Unders’ were now being held. England closed on 181-8, which most of the crowd feel will be enough; just.

England resume with 22 – year- old Tom Curran milking the crowd for all his worth as he dive bombs in celebration of a wicket. Performances and charisma put bums on seats and Curran is the marketing gurus pin up as he ignites Wenglish choir. The Lager helps, both for those deep notes and for the attuned ears, and now the enigmatic conductor, AB Devilliers arrives.

AB lays bare the challenge to youngster Crane, where AB will do well to maintain South Africa’s record of 14 victories from the last sixteen series deciders. Half way stage and the visitors require 118 from 60 balls. AB dumps Cranes first four balls: 4,6,6,1. From the last ball he pings it to the hands of in front of the Fosters stand, to ‘Queens Another One Bites the Dust’. Number 44 Crane comes of age as he grows to ten foot tall on the back of the singing, becoming a giant in the Land of my Fathers. He’ll be back to Cardiff again; perhaps even beyond if he can persuade mum and dad to come on holiday.

England safely secure the ‘Up N Unders’ and the Boks have lost their spring, allowing the hosts Union Jack pyjama kit to shine brightly as the catching culprits at the crease for South Africa seek redemption. Adam Ants 1981 ‘Stand and Deliver’ as the mathematics show two runs a ball required for victory. On-field wickets only count in this game, although Moshele was superbly caught in the crowd by a paying spectator. His moment in the limelight shared on the Big Screens around the ground and Channel 402 across the World. Tick the box on that bucket list challenge before ‘Bomber Curran’ has one more finale as the game ends, 162-7.

Winners? England, by 19 runs, taking the series 2-1. Debutant Dawid Malan as man of the match. 15,000 supporters, a smiling CEO of Glamorgan Hugh Morris and those vendors trading within the stadium.

‘Hey Jude’, this crowd will also tell you it’s the business in and around Cardiff this weekend who will also be winners. Beyond this, Visit Wales and the Welsh Government will have statistics to prove the games true value, after the obligatory ‘Mexican Wave’ concludes.

Sport

Pembrokeshire cricket results and tables – Week 5

Published

1 day ago

May 24, 2026

Herald Sport

Week 5 of the Thomas Carroll Pembroke County Cricket League delivered some emphatic wins, standout individual performances and movement at the top of several divisions as clubs battled for early-season momentum.

Match	Result
Neyland v Burton	Neyland (152-7) beat Burton (151 all out) by 3 wickets
Narberth v Carew	Carew (163 all out) beat Narberth (119 all out) by 44 runs
Herbrandston v Cresselly	Cresselly (205 all out) beat Herbrandston (60 all out) by 145 runs
Whitland v Saundersfoot	Saundersfoot (265-8) beat Whitland (179 all out) by 86 runs
Lawrenny v St Ishmaels	St Ishmaels (148-9) beat Lawrenny (144 all out) by 1 wicket

Top performers:

Jon Mansbridge (Saundersfoot) – 120
Ethan Hall (Carew) – 60
Charlie Arthur (Cresselly) – 6-19
Alan Webster (Neyland) – 30 & 4-20

Division 1 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Carew	5	79
2	Saundersfoot	5	70
3	Neyland	5	65
4	Cresselly	5	51
5	St Ishmaels	5	40
6	Herbrandston	5	39
7	Burton	5	39
8	Narberth	5	34
9	Whitland	5	32
10	Lawrenny	5	23

Match	Result
Llechryd v Hook	Hook (140-9) beat Llechryd (136-7) by 1 wicket
Haverfordwest v Johnston	Johnston (114-6) beat Haverfordwest (113-8) by 4 wickets
Fishguard v Llangwm	Fishguard (158-8) beat Llangwm (157-8) by 2 wickets
Cresselly II v Pembroke	Pembroke (235-7) beat Cresselly II (130 all out) by 105 runs
Llanrhian v Pembroke Dock	Pembroke Dock (104 all out) beat Llanrhian (92 all out) by 12 runs

Top performers:

Jack Harries (Pembroke) – 102
Steve Mills (Johnston) – 59* & 4-8
Jack Jones (Llanrhian) – 66*

Division 2 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Johnston	5	78
2	Pembroke	5	71
3	Haverfordwest	5	67
4	Cresselly II	5	64
5	Hook	5	62
6	Pembroke Dock	5	52
7	Fishguard	5	42
8	Llanrhian	5	37
9	Llangwm	5	30
10	Llechryd	5	30

</details> <details> <summary>Division 3 results</summary>

Match	Result
Pembroke II v Haverfordwest II	Pembroke II (179-4) beat Haverfordwest II (178-5) by 6 wickets
Burton II v Hundleton	Burton II (121 all out) beat Hundleton (113 all out) by 8 runs
Carew II v Kilgetty	Kilgetty (178-2) beat Carew II (174-5) by 8 wickets
Lamphey v Laugharne	Laugharne (259-5) beat Lamphey (190 all out) by 69 runs
Saundersfoot II v Stackpole	Saundersfoot II (143-4) beat Stackpole (142-6) by 6 wickets

Division 3 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Kilgetty	5	78
2	Laugharne	5	66
3	Carew II	5	62
4	Lamphey	5	54
5	Saundersfoot II	5	53
6	Hundleton	5	52
7	Burton II	4	52
8	Pembroke II	5	37
9	Haverfordwest II	5	30
10	Stackpole	4	20

</details> <details> <summary>Division 4 results</summary>

Match	Result
Haverfordwest III v Herbrandston II	Herbrandston II (99 all out) beat Haverfordwest III (65 all out) by 34 runs
Hook II v Lawrenny II	Lawrenny II (148-7) beat Hook II (136-7) by 12 runs
Crymych v Llechryd II	Crymych (253-5) beat Llechryd II (131-7) by 122 runs
Carew III v Narberth II	Narberth II (77-1) beat Carew III (76 all out) by 9 wickets
St Ishmaels II v Neyland II	St Ishmaels II (166-8) beat Neyland II (139 all out) by 27 runs

Division 4 table

Pos	Team	P	Pts
1	Narberth II	5	87
2	Lawrenny II	5	74
3	Hook II	5	65
4	Crymych	5	60
5	St Ishmaels II	5	55

</details> <details> <summary>Division 5 & 6 results</summary>

Division 5

Cresselly III beat Hundleton II by 81 runs
Llangwm II beat Llanrhian II by 9 wickets
Whitland II beat Pembroke Dock II by 85 runs

Division 5 leaders:

Cresselly III – 86 pts
Whitland II – 72 pts
Llanrhian II – 67 pts

Division 6

Neyland III beat H’West/Cresselly by 9 wickets
Haverfordwest IV beat Kilgetty II by 8 wickets
Laugharne II beat Whitland III by 143 runs

Division 6 leaders:

Whitland III – 71 pts
Lamphey II – 56 pts
Neyland III – 55 pts

Sport

Three days of world-class motorsport set to return to Mid Wales this September

Published

4 days ago

May 21, 2026

Herald Sport

Expanded Rali Ceredigion event to bring elite rally drivers, historic cars and millions for the local economy

THE ROAR of rally engines will return to Mid Wales this autumn as the JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion makes its much-anticipated comeback from Friday, September 4 to Sunday, September 6.

Now firmly established as one of the biggest events on the UK motorsport calendar, the rally will once again bring world-class competition to the roads of Ceredigion and Powys, with drivers competing across three major championships.

The event will host rounds of the FIA European Rally Championship, the British Rally Championship and the European Historic Rally Championship, the latter making its first appearance at the Welsh event.

Organisers say the addition of historic rally cars will add a new attraction for spectators, with iconic vehicles from previous generations expected to take part alongside today’s top competitors.

Expanded programme planned

Building on the success of previous years, the 2026 event will begin with a ceremonial start and rally showcase on Aberystwyth promenade on Thursday evening (Sept 3), before competitive stages get underway across Mid Wales throughout the weekend.

The rally has grown into a major tourism and economic boost for the region, attracting tens of thousands of visitors and putting local communities, businesses and landscapes in front of an international audience.

Figures from last year’s event showed a total economic impact of £11.6 million, including an estimated £5.59 million in direct spending, with businesses across the region reporting increased visitor numbers, overnight stays and higher spending.

Council backs return of event

The Leader of Ceredigion County Council, Cllr Bryan Davies said: “We’re proud to welcome Rali Ceredigion back to the county for 2026. The event continues to grow year on year, bringing significant benefits to our communities, local businesses and the wider economy.

“With an expanded programme and the addition of the European Historic Rally Championship, this year’s event promises to attract even more visitors to the region.

“As a council, our focus is on working closely with organisers and partners to ensure residents are well informed and that the event is delivered safely and successfully for everyone.”

Organisers are working alongside Ceredigion County Council, Powys County Council and emergency services to ensure the event is delivered safely, with details of road closures, timings and routes expected to be released in the coming months.

Historic rally cars to join line-up

Rali Ceredigion Director Charlie Jukes said organisers were excited to expand the event once again.

He said: “The addition of the European Historic Rally Championship is a fantastic development, adding even more variety and appeal for fans, with a wider range of iconic rally cars expected to take part.

“Rali Ceredigion continues to grow in scale and reputation and we’re proud to work alongside local authorities, partners and communities to deliver an event that showcases the very best of the region and generates a significant positive impact.”

Residents and businesses are being encouraged to plan ahead, with community engagement activity expected to begin before the summer.

Photo caption:

Rally return: Last year’s JDS Machinery Rali Ceredigion attracted thousands of spectators and delivered a major boost to the local economy (Pic: Supplied).

Sport

Vikings make history with cup final win

Published

4 days ago

May 21, 2026

Herald Sport

HAKIN UNITED have made Pembrokeshire football history after retaining the West Wales Intermediate Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Penlan at the Swansea.com Stadium.

Ashley Bevan’s first-half goal proved decisive on Thursday evening as Scott Davies’ side became the first Pembrokeshire team to win the competition in back-to-back seasons.

It was another memorable night for the Vikings, who have now reached three finals in four years and added the cup to their league success to complete an outstanding double.

Penlan began strongly, with Kyle Hughes seeing a deflected effort drift narrowly wide before Kieran Jenkins curled a shot into the arms of Hakin goalkeeper Rory Williams.

Williams was called into action again after a defensive mistake allowed Jenkins a sight of goal, while at the other end Jack Britton was unable to generate enough power on a header inside the area.

Hakin grew into the contest, with Camron Thomas and Bevan both seeing efforts blocked following a half-cleared corner.

Williams then produced one of the key moments of the match, racing from his area to make a perfectly-timed sliding challenge as Penlan threatened to break through.

Ben Aldred went close with a rising 25-yard strike which flew over the bar, before the game became increasingly scrappy, with Britton and Jordan Kilby both booked for late challenges.

The breakthrough came in the 34th minute. Shane Walsh made ground down the left and squared the ball across the area for Bevan, who slid in to finish and give Hakin a 1-0 half-time lead.

There was a brief delay after the interval while the stadium lights were switched on, before Penlan pushed for an equaliser.

Dylyn Perkins had a shot blocked by Britton, while Bevan remained a constant threat for Hakin and later fired over after Kieran King’s cross was only partly cleared.

Hakin suffered a blow when Aldred landed awkwardly after clearing a dangerous Perkins free-kick and was forced off. Craig Nicholson came on and slotted into a solid defensive line alongside Jay Power, King and the impressive Camron Thomas.

Penlan defender Jack Jenkins was booked for bringing down Bevan from behind, while Hakin substitute Liam Parks almost added a second when he latched onto a through ball over goalkeeper Luke Davies, only to lose his footing at the vital moment.

Parks later cut the ball back for Mason Dolling, whose low effort flashed just wide.

Penlan’s hopes suffered a late setback when substitute Anthony Finselbach was shown a straight red card by referee Ben Williams for a challenge on Matthew Broome.

At the final whistle, Hakin’s players and supporters celebrated a famous victory.

The Vikings have now won the West Wales Intermediate Cup five times and sit third on the all-time winners’ list, behind West End and Ragged School, who have lifted the trophy seven times each.

Penlan: Luke Davies, Jenson Lorey, Corey Young (Jaye Tebay 89), Liam Logan (captain), Jack Jenkins, Jamie James, Kyle Hughes, Navan Green (Anthony Finselbach 76), Thomas Davies, Kieran Jenkins, Dylan Perkins (Jayden Blackmore 76).

Substitutes not used: Robert Shannon, Kian Finselbach.

Hakin United: Rory Williams, Kieran King, Camron Thomas, Ben Aldred (Craig Nicholson 70), Jay Power, Jack Britton, Cameron Brunton (Mason Dolling 59), Jordan Kilby (Mark Jones 90), Ashley Bevan (Liam Parks 74), Ryan Wilson (captain), Shane Walsh (Matthew Broome 83).

Referee: Ben Williams.

Assistants: Cilan Thomas and Nick Pryor.

Fourth official: Kevin Price.