News

Carew could count cost of hollow victory

Published

7 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.

Community

Public reminded to stay away from Ward’s Yard and Criterion Quay

Published

13 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PORT of Milford Haven is reminding members of the public to stay away from Ward’s Yard in Milford Haven and Criterion Quay (sometimes known as the offshore jetty) in Pembroke Dock due to concerns over public safety. 

Despite significant security measures, people continue to access the sites illegally, ignoring and sometimes damaging the onsite signage and fences.

Niall Yeomans, Head of Health, Safety and Security at the Port of Milford Haven said: “Safety is our key priority. Members of the public are continuously putting themselves and members of our team at risk of serious harm by trespassing in these areas.”

“Both Ward’s Yard and Criterion Quay are unsafe for public access. They are isolated areas next to deep water and are susceptible to slips, trips and falls.”

Both sites are owned by the Port of Milford Haven and are private property. Anyone found onsite without consent is trespassing, and any criminal damage could result in prosecution.  

Anyone who sees any suspicious activity at Ward’s Yard or Criterion Quay is asked to contact Dyfed Powys Police on 101 urgently.

Crime

‘Sophisticated’ organised crime gang trafficked cocaine and cannabis to Aberystwyth

Published

15 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

FIVE people have been found guilty or admitted to conspiring to supply cocaine and cannabis as Dyfed-Powys Police continues its efforts to dismantle organised crime gangs.

Officers seized cocaine with a street value of more than £400,000 from gang members, who continually changed tactics to avoid arrest.

Six defendants have appeared in court in the latest phase of Dyfed-Powys Police’s Operation Burleigh, which sought to disrupt the trafficking and onward supply of class A and B drugs into Aberystwyth, with all but one admitting their charges or being found guilty by a jury.

This brings the total number of people awaiting sentence under the operation to 15.

The court heard that officers from Dyfed-Powys Police’s Serious and Organised Crime Team and Ceredigion Priority Policing Team led the investigation into the OCG, which was described as ‘sophisticated, well-organised and evolving’.

Detective Sergeant Steven Jones said: “This conspiracy operated on a County Lines model, where controlled drugs are trafficked into a smaller rural town from a larger city, and the operation is controlled by one or more ‘drugs lines’.

“In this case there were a total of four lines controlling the supply of cocaine and cannabis within Aberystwyth.

“The conspirators frequently evolved their actions to frustrate the authorities and evade capture.”

The OCG embedded members were mainly asylum seekers brought to Aberystwyth by Toana Ahmad and another man who remains outstanding, with the sole purpose of dealing drugs. The drug lines were initially based in Swansea, and later in areas of Birmingham.

Three properties – on Terrace Road, Alexander Road and Parc Graig Glas – were identified early in the investigation as being used to house the OCG members embedded in Aberystwyth. Substantial amounts of cash, controlled drugs and weapons were recovered from these properties, and from the people found inside.

When arrests were made, the gang changed its tactics. Drugs began to be supplied from vehicles, and OCG members stayed in guest houses to avoid detection.

DS Jones added: “Trusted couriers were employed to transport drugs to Aberystwyth and cash back to Birmingham or Swansea. A number of vehicles, including taxis, were used as the gang attempted to avoid detection along the route, while trains were also taken when courier cars were stopped by officers.”

In June 2023, two vehicles travelling from the West Midlands towards Aberystwyth were stopped by police on consecutive days. A black sock was uncovered in the engine of the first car, which was found to contain 82g of high purity cocaine divided into 169 grip seal plastic bags.

Davinder Singh, who previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs, was the driver of the second vehicle, which was a taxi. A blue plastic bag was seen falling out of his shorts, which contained over 81g of high purity cocaine divided into 167 grip seal bags.

DS Jones said: “On the basis that the amounts of cocaine transported over the 37 couriers over the course of the conspiracy period were similar, over 3kg of cocaine would have been conveyed to Aberystwyth from Birmingham.

“This equates to class A drugs with a potential street value of over £308,950. In addition to this, class A drugs were seized from individuals and addresses with a potential street value of £103,445, along with cash totalling £11,687.

“A number of teams and departments across Dyfed-Powys Police, from analysts, CCTV operators and priority policing teams, to CAB, the Technical Support Unit, Economic Crime Team and Force Intelligence Bureau all assisted in dismantling the OCG from top to bottom.

“Their dedication and relentless efforts have assisted in making Aberystwyth a safer place to live without the threat and harm of drugs being made easily available on the street.”

After a seven-week trial at Swansea Crown Court earlier this year, the following three defendants were found guilty for their parts in the conspiracy:

Toana Ahmad, aged 33, of Lee Gardens in Smethwich, West Midlands
Barzan Sarhan, aged 31, of no fixed address
Ahmed Piro, aged 26, of no fixed address

The jury failed to reach a verdict on two defendants during the earlier trial. They have been subject to a retrial starting on July 1, with the following outcomes:

Hawre Ahmed, aged 35, of Pinderfields Road, Wakefield, West Yorkshire, was found guilty by the jury of conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs.
Diar Yousef Zeabari, aged 35, of Flat 5, 41 Bryn Road, Swansea, was found not guilty of conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs.

Karwan Karim, aged 39 of 125 Griffith John Street, Swansea, also stood trial, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply Class A and B controlled drugs on day three.

In addition to the OCG members found guilty during the most recent trials, the following have previously pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to supply class A and class B drugs under Operation Burleigh:

Davinder Singh, aged 36, of Huntingdon Road, West Bromwich
Daban Khalil, aged 23, of Streetly Road, Birmingham
Kastro Omar, aged 30, of Junction Road, Northampton
Karwan Jabari, aged 26, of Weedon Close, Northampton
Walid Younis Abdal, aged 34, of St Anne’s Road, Doncaster
Saman Aziz, aged 41, of Kirk Road, Merseyside
Adel Mustafa, aged 39, of Hubert Road, Newport
Charlotte Roberts, aged 21, of Sutton Hill, Telford

The following have previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to supply class A drugs:

Akasha Smith, aged 24, of Third Avenue, Aberystwyth
Luqman Jarjis, aged 21, of Wake Green Road, Birmingham

News

Community asked for views on allocation of new St Davids homes

Published

15 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE FIRST phase of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Glasfryn housing development in St Davids is progressing well with the second phase also underway.

The development being built by GRD Homes Ltd, began in November 2023, with a first phase completion date of Winter 2024 looking hopeful, ahead of the scheduled plans.

The first phase consists of seven properties, including a mixture of one and two bedroom bungalows

As completion draws closer the properties will be advertised via Pembrokeshire Choice Homes.

Ahead of this, the Council’s housing team will be holding community engagement on the 13th August 2024 at the Ty’r Pererin Centres, Quickwell Hill, St Davids, SA62 6PD, 5pm-7pm.

This will be a chance for officers to liaise with the local community about the allocation process for these properties.

Glasfryn’s second phase is well underway, with the initial groundwork already completed. This phase includes a further 11 two bedroom bungalows, with a completion date in late 2025.

These bungalows will meet the latest Welsh Government’s Development Quality Requirement, and will be energy efficient, built to EPC A specification and include solar panels to help tenants with running costs.

The Glasfryn development is funded in partnership with Welsh Government.

Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman said: “We are really keen to work with the community on a local lettings policy for these new properties, as we have done for our developments in other parts of the County.”

If you have any queries please email the Customer Liaison Team on [email protected], phone them on 01437 764551, or visit Housing’s Facebook page.