News

Carew could count cost of hollow victory

Published

8 years ago

August 30, 2017

CAREW CRICKET CLUB has come under intense criticism for the act of gamesmanship which ensured they finished the season ahead of Cresselly and has made national and international news.

The decision by Carew to declare their innings closed at 18-1, denying their title rivals Cresselly the chance to close the gap on them – depending on your point of view – was either the cynical and calculating act of a club that places more importance on holding a tin cup for 12 months than the interests of the game, or a masterstroke in which the strict letter of the rules was exploited in a wholly blameless way by a club whose win at all costs attitude is a shining example of how to win.

That there is no middle ground is demonstrated by the reactions – mostly condemnatory – on social media and by cricket journalists.

The mathematics of the final game gave Cresselly the chance of overhauling Carew if – and only if – they won by a large enough margin to overhaul Carew’s 21 point lead going into the last round of fixtures.

With the maximum number of points available for a win 30 points and the possibility of Carew batting out for a draw to stymie any Cresselly victory attempt, Cresselly would have had to limit Carew to eight bonus points. In practical terms, that would have meant bowling Carew out for either 120 or 150 and passing that total without losing more than six wickets.

The decision to declare on 18-1 meant that Creselly could – at most – gain a bare 20 points for the win, leaving them one point shy of closing the gap and doomed to finish in second place.

And so, Carew are ‘champions’.

The club’s boosters on social media point out that Carew had won more games than any other side and had lost bonus points due to bowling out opposition cheaply, leaving them unable to reap a full thirty points. In addition, the same supporters point out that Cresselly won the toss and elected to field, thereby making Carew’s decision possible. However, by far the most common attitude expressed – particularly by current Carew players on social media – is the old Millwall line ‘nobody loves us, and we don’t care’.

Arrogant and petulant, the words of some Carew players suggest that they blame everyone else for their tarnished success. And they have been quick to fling around personal attacks towards those who have dared criticised their club.

‘It’s not our fault, it’s the rules’; ‘it’s not our fault, it’s Cresselly’s’; ‘it’s not our fault, we are the champions’.

But, in the case of the last of those, the question is open as to how long they will be able to retain their crown.

And while Carew’s players and supporters have been very forthcoming, the Club is saying nothing.

A Carew statement read: “In consequence of the coverage of this matter in some sections of the media, we, as a club, have decided not to comment further. We stand together.”

There is precedent against Carew here from first class cricket. In 1979, Brian Rose, then the Somerset skipper, worked out that his side would qualify for the knockout stages of a cup competition if they declared their innings closed early. He did so and Somerset qualified for the next round of the competition.

The TCCB – as it then was – met and expelled Somerset from the competition by seventeen votes to one, with even Somerset voting with the motion.

Somerset’s actions were within the rules but outside their spirit and the spirit of the game.

So it is that the focus now turns to what – of anything – the usually spineless County Club will do about the situation.

Past experience is not promising, the league having historically failed to act over shamateurism and being particularly reluctant to do anything to offend larger clubs.

Last year, both Haverfordwest and Llechryd played an unregistered player in competition. Haverfordwest were excused, whereas Llechryd were penalised. It was a decision that allowed the strong inference to be drawn that it was one rule for some sides and one rule for others. There was a protest at the Harrison Allen final, reached by Haverfordwest, which some media reported was ill-judged, implying that the ‘we’re all old pals’ act still holds sway in some parts of the game.

The signs are not promising that the County Club will do anything.

The County Club’s chair, Paul Webb, has declined to comment. Perhaps understandably so, as he now plays for Cresselly.

The County Club’s secretary, Steve Blowes, has told BBC Wales he is ‘personally disappointed’ by Carew’s actions, even though they have not ‘technically broken any rules’.

However, the County Club is bound by its own rules to promote the interests of the game and, in addition, has sweeping powers conferred upon it by its Code of Conduct, which incorporates the MCC’s ‘Spirit of Cricket’.

The ‘Spirit of Cricket’ is a preamble to the Laws of the game. It provides that cricket ‘should be played not only within its Laws but also within the Spirit of the Game’. It continues to say: ‘Any action which is seen to abuse this spirit causes injury to the game itself’.

And the County Club’s Code of Conduct supports that position. It claims that the County Club ‘is committed to maintaining the highest standards of behaviour and conduct at cricket matches both on and off the field. All clubs and players … explicitly agree to abide by this Code of Conduct, which incorporates the Spirit of Cricket, and are bound by the provisions in these Regulations.

‘The captains are responsible at all times for ensuring that play is conducted within the Spirit and Laws of Cricket’.

The implication of that could not be clearer. The ‘Laws’ and the ‘Spirit’ go together and are not divisible. That means that playing within the rules of play is not enough; games must be conducted within the rules of play AND within the ‘Spirit of the Game’. The inclusion is not conditional, but explicit. Gaming the system is plainly outside the Spirit and therefore outside the rules.

It appears, therefore, that not only does the County Club have the power to act, but that it is bound to by its own rules and the Laws of the game it is supposed to promote.

Bearing in mind the Code of Conduct’s scope, however, it appears that it is Carew skipper Brian Hall who is potentially in the cart for any breach of the Code of Conduct. That is harsh, as it is clear that the scheme was hatched not spontaneously by Brian Hall on August 26, but was the result of consideration by others within Carew Cricket Club.

Perhaps as they all ‘stand together’, the County Club might consider whether it ought to take Carew at their word.

If the Spirit of Cricket’s interpolation in the County Club’s own rules has any force and is not just lip service paid to a concept, then it is for the County Club to decide that playing (just) within the rules is more important than protecting the game.

Entertainment

Gavin & Stacey stars reunite for Christmas advert

Published

1 hour ago

December 4, 2025

Luke Sinclair

GAVIN & STACEY favourites Joanna Page and Mathew Horne have reunited on screen for a Christmas special – though not the one fans might have hoped for. Instead of returning to Barry or Billericay, the duo appear together in a new festive advert for Waitrose, sharing a turkey pie while responding to a fan’s heartfelt letter about expressing love through food.

The short film marks their appearance in How to Say It With Food, a six-part series in which Page and Horne tackle some of the nation’s most common Christmas food dilemmas. The clip opens with Page teasingly nodding to their iconic sitcom: “Oh, you didn’t think we’d let Christmas roll around without showing up again, did you?”

Horne quickly follows with his own playful line: “Us? Miss Christmas? Not a chance. But this time we’re here to help you say it with food.”

The pair are then handed an envelope “from Santa”, containing a letter from a viewer asking how he can show his “leading lady” he loves her through food. Mathew quips: “First time saying it, you want a statement. Sixteenth time, you want a statement that doesn’t involve socks.”

He then introduces Waitrose’s new Christmas advert starring Keira Knightley and Joe Wilkinson. The main campaign follows an unlikely festive romance sparked by Sussex Charmer cheese and culminating in Wilkinson presenting Knightley with a turkey pie decorated with the words “I love you”. Watching the moment unfold, Page smiles at Horne and mirrors another classic Gavin & Stacey reference: “Oh, that’s so romantic.”

The duo are soon given their own turkey pie to try. Horne eagerly tucks in before cutting Page a slice, prompting laughter from his co-star. The advert ends with the pair wishing viewers a Merry Christmas as Knightley and Wilkinson share a warm festive kiss on screen.

The reunion comes almost a year after audiences tuned in to the BBC sitcom’s much-anticipated finale, which drew an impressive 12.3 million viewers on Christmas Day. The episode wrapped up storylines including Gwen’s blossoming romance with Dave Coaches, Smithy’s near-wedding to Sonia, and the moment fans had long debated – Smithy and Nessa tying the knot.

Reflecting on the new project, Page said: “You thought you’d seen the last of us! Well, we’re back and what fun we had.” She added: “It was such a treat working with Mat… food is what brings people together over the festive season.”

Horne described the experience as “brilliant”, calling their on-screen reunion “a Christmas tradition”.

Health

Government orders clinical review amid sharp rise in mental health diagnoses

Published

2 hours ago

December 4, 2025

Tom Sinclair

4.4 million working-age people now claiming sickness or incapacity benefit, up by 1.2 million since 2019, many because of a mental health condition

A CLINICAL review into how mental health conditions are diagnosed across the UK is expected to begin this week, following concerns within government over rapidly rising sickness-benefit claims linked to conditions such as autism, ADHD and anxiety.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting has commissioned leading clinical experts to examine whether ordinary emotional distress is being “over-pathologised” and to assess why the number of people receiving sickness and incapacity benefits has grown to 4.4 million – an increase of 1.2 million since 2019.

According to reports in The Times, ministers are particularly alarmed by the surge in the number of 16- to 34-year-olds now out of work because of long-term mental health conditions.

Streeting said he recognised “from personal experience how devastating it can be for people who face poor mental health, have ADHD or autism and can’t get a diagnosis or the right support,” but added that he had also heard from clinicians who say diagnoses are “sharply rising”.

“We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding of what we know, what we don’t know, and what these patterns tell us about our mental health system, autism and ADHD services,” he told the newspaper. “That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.”

The review is expected to be chaired by Prof Peter Fonagy, a clinical psychologist at University College London specialising in child mental health, with Sir Simon Wessely, former president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists, acting as vice-chair.

Prof Fonagy said the panel would “examine the evidence with care – from research, from people with lived experience and from clinicians working at the frontline of mental health, autism and ADHD services – to understand, in a grounded way, what is driving rising demand.”

The move comes as the UK Government faces mounting pressure over the rising welfare bill. Ministers earlier this year pulled back from proposed changes to disability benefits, including those affecting people with mental health conditions, after opposition from Labour backbenchers.

Speaking on Monday, the Prime Minister said a fresh round of welfare reform was needed.

Keir Starmer said: “We’ve got to transform it; we also have to confront the reality that our welfare state is trapping people, not just in poverty, but out of work.”

Business

Welsh Govt shifts stance on business rates after pressure from S4C and Herald

Published

15 hours ago

December 3, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

Ministers release unexpected statement 48 hours after widespread concern highlighted in Welsh media

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT has announced a new package of tapered business rates relief for 2026-27, in a move that follows sustained pressure from Welsh media — including S4C Newyddion and The Pembrokeshire Herald — over the impact of revaluation on small businesses.

In Milford Haven, the hard-pressed pub sector is already feeling the impact: the annual bill for The Lord Kitchener is rising from £5,000 to £15,000, while rates at the Kimberley Public House have nearly doubled from £10,500 to £19,500. The Imperial Hall’s rates are increasing from £5,800 to £9,200, prompting director Lee Bridges to question why businesses “are being asked to pay more when we use less services”. In Haverfordwest, the annual rates bill for Eddie’s Nightclub is increasing from £57,000 to £61,500.

A written statement, issued suddenly on Wednesday afternoon, confirms that ministers will introduce a transitional “tapering mechanism” to soften steep increases for tourism, hospitality and small independent operators. Full details will be published with the draft Budget later this month.

The announcement comes less than two days after The Herald’s in-depth reporting brought forward direct concerns from Pembrokeshire business owners and councillors, highlighting the uncertainty facing one of Wales’ most important local industries.

Herald reporting credited by senior councillor

Pembrokeshire County Council Independent Group Leader Cllr Huw Carnhuan Murphy publicly thanked The Herald for pushing the issue into the spotlight.

In a statement shared on Wednesday, Cllr Murphy said: “Welcome news from Welsh Government. Thanks to Tom Sinclair for running this important item in the Herald in relation to the revaluation of businesses and the consequences it will have for many.

He added: “Newyddion S4C hefyd am redeg y stori pwysig yma ynghylch trethi busnes.,” which in English is “and thanks to S4C Newyddion as well for running this important story about business taxes.”

He added that the Independent Group “will always campaign to support our tourism and agriculture industry, on which so many residents rely within Pembrokeshire”.

Media spotlight increased pressure on Cardiff Bay

On Monday, ministers said business rates plans would be outlined “within the next two weeks”.
By Wednesday afternoon — following prominent coverage on S4C and continued pressure from The Herald — Welsh Government released an early written statement outlining new support.

Industry sources told The Herald they believed the level of public concern, amplified by the media, “forced the issue up the agenda much faster than expected”.

A cautious welcome for ‘better than nothing’

Cllr Murphy welcomed the partial support, though he stressed it fell short of what many businesses had hoped for.

“This isn’t the level of support many were hoping for,” he said, “but it is certainly much better than nothing.”

Draft Budget expected soon

The full tapered support scheme will be detailed in the Welsh Government draft Budget, expected within a fortnight.

Tourism and hospitality representatives have reserved final judgment until the figures are published, but many have expressed relief that some support will continue, following weeks of uncertainty.