Sport
Tish survive as Whitland beaten by Cresselly
ST ISHMAELS secured their Division 1 status for next season as they beat Narberth while Whitland were beaten by Cresselly.
Tish occupied the second relegation spot going into the final day and knew they needed to win if they were to stand a chance of staying up.
It also meant they would need to rely on third from bottom Whitland being beaten by Cresselly.
Whitland though scored 228-7 in their game after being asked to bat first by Cresselly.
Dan James removed openers Wayne Howells and Kevin Pearce early on to leave Whitland on 18-2.
However, Geraint Jones and Jonathan Thomas shared 101 runs for the third wicket to put their side in a strong position.
Jones smashed five fours and five sixes in his score of 65 from 42 balls but he was then caught by Tom Murphy off the bowling of Simon Cole.
Thomas and Scott Newton continued to pile on the runs as they shared another 86 runs for the fourth wicket to take Whitland past 200 runs.
Newton hit three fours and two sixes as he scored 48 but he was then caught by Matthew Morgan off the bowling of Ollie Berry.
Berry then bowled Jacob Owen as Cresselly began to hit back in a bid to restrict Whitland’s score.
Thomas hit ten fours and two sixes in his score of 85 from 90 balls but he was then caught by Tom Arthur off the bowling of Ryan Lewis.
Lewis then bowled Jamie Thomas as Whitland ended their innings with a total of 228.
Wayne Howells removed Ollie Berry early in Cresselly’s reply before Dan Sutton and Iwan Izzard shared 60 runs for the second wicket.
Sutton reached a score of 21 but he was then bowled by Luc Owen.
Izzard and Simon Cole then took control for the visitors as they shared 106 runs for the third wicket.
Cole was caught and bowled by Jonathan Thomas on a score of 40 and his wicket left Cresselly on 173-3.
Izzard and Alex Bayley added 42 runs for the fourth wicket before Izzard’s excellent innings was finally brought to an end.
He hit twelve fours and six sixes in a score of 125 from 94 balls but he was then caught by Geraint Jones off the bowling of Scott Newton.
Newton also bowled Ryan Lewis and had Nielson Cole caught by Jonathan Thomas with the next ball.
Newton then claimed a hat trick as he caught and bowled Alex Bayley on a score of 25.
That had reduced Cresselly to 227-7 as they needed just two runs to win the game.
Dan James and Tom Murphy got those runs between them to send Whitland to defeat while the win for Cresselly lifted them to a third place finish.
In their game, Tish were asked to bat first after Narberth won the toss and after a slow start they were able to reach a total of 174-8 in their innings.
Ben Quartermaine bowled Daniel Richards early on and Loui Davies bowled Ieuan Hawkins.
Quartermaine then trapped Karl Rhead leg before to leave Tish on 21-3.
Phil Cockburn and Jonathan Pawlett then shared 60 runs for the fourth wicket as they looked to rebuild the innings.
Cockburn hit seven fours in his score of 36 but he was caught by Dan Hughes off the bowling of Ben Hughes.
Pawlett and Brennan Devonald shared 31 runs for the fifth wicket but Devonald, who hit five fours and a six in his score of 28 from 22 balls, was then caught by Lewis Hough off the bowling of Matthew Johns.
Ben Hughes then bowled Peter Bradshaw and Andrew Williams fell soon after when he was caught by Richard Adams off the bowling of Johns.
Pawlett hit two fours and three sixes in his score of 56 but he was then caught by Lewis Hough off the bowling of Johns.
That left Tish on 150-8 but a vital score of 23 not out from Andrew Pawlett, which included two sixes, took Tish to a total of 174.
Narberth lost Dan Hughes early on in their reply as he was caught by Karl Rhead off the bowling of Brennan Devonald.
Richard Adams added 15 to the total but he was bowled by Andrew Palmer.
Lewis Rhead then trapped Lewis Hough leg before and when Andrew Pawlett bowled Jamie McCormack on a score of 10, Narberth had slipped to a score of 54-4.
Brothers Kyle and Ben Quartermaine then shared 29 runs for the fifth wicket as they looked to keep their side in the game.
However, they both fell in quick succession as Kyle was caught by Jonathan Pawlett off the bowling of Andrew Pawlett.
Ben was then bowled by Lewis Rhead to reduce Narberth to 83-6.
Rhead also trapped Loui Davies leg before and soon after Jordan Howell was caught and bowled by Andrew Pawlett.
That put Narberth eight wickets down as defeat began to loom over them.
Ben Hughes and David Johns tried one final push for the home side with a ninth wicket stand of 24 but Hughes, who had hit four fours and a six in a score of 23 from 13 balls, was then caught by Jonathan Pawlett off the bowling of Brennan Devonald.
Andrew Palmer then brought the innings to a close as he had Matthew Johns caught by Phil Cockburn.
It gave Tish the win they desperately wanted as they secured their place in Division 1 for 2022.
TENBY Sailing Club was left becalmed last week, with scheduled races abandoned due to a complete lack of wind.
Both the Tuesday (Apr 8) and Saturday (Apr 12) dinghy races had to be called off. Despite the slow start, members are hopeful for more favourable weather when the National Redwing series gets underway on May 15.
Cruiser racing is set to begin on Sunday (May 4) at 11:30am, marking the start of a packed sailing calendar.
Meanwhile, two familiar vessels have now departed the club’s fleet. Cocoa, formerly owned by Frank Miller, has been sold and relocated to Aberdovey. Heather, once skippered by Denny Young, has been retired after reaching the end of her sailing days.
Looking ahead, a passage race from Pembroke Haven to Tenby on Saturday (Jun 14) promises to be a major event, bolstered by sponsorship offering £500 in prize money.
That same day, Swansea Sailing Club plans to cruise to Tenby, which could result in a large and impressive flotilla anchoring in North Bay. To assist visiting crews, Tenby Sailing Club will run a Rhib shuttle to shore.
In the junior section, 26 young sailors have enrolled in this season’s training sessions. From Wednesday (Apr 16) at 5:30pm, they’ll be out on the water in three newly acquired RS Teras, expanding the club’s training fleet to six boats.
The new dinghies were secured through funding from the Sport Wales Be Active Wales Fund. Senior instructor Harrison Richards welcomed the additions, which were delivered to the club by Jon Nuttall.
WELSH rugby fans have something extra to cheer about this year, as the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) launches its 2025 Autumn Nations Series ticket sales with exclusive discounts for clubs, students, and young supporters.
In a first for the Union, tickets purchased through WRU Member Clubs will benefit from a £5 discount across all categories for every match in the series. The move is aimed at strengthening grassroots engagement and rewarding those who support their local clubs.
The senior men’s side will face a blockbuster line-up at Principality Stadium this November, taking on Argentina, Japan, New Zealand, and reigning world champions South Africa in what promises to be an unforgettable month of Test rugby.
WRU CEO Abi Tierney said the initiative is about keeping international rugby accessible and supporting the clubs at the heart of Welsh communities.
Tickets went on sale today (April 15) for debenture holders and premium members. From May 20, WRU Member Clubs will be able to offer tickets to their communities at the new discounted rates. Public sale will follow shortly after.
“It’s incredibly important that international rugby in Wales remains accessible to a wide audience,” said Tierney.
“We want to encourage fans to purchase tickets from their clubs. Clubs are the beating heart of Welsh rugby, and rewarding early purchasers with a discount just made sense.
“We’re also excited to introduce student pricing for the first time, after a successful trial last year. Alongside our existing 50% concession for under-18s, students will now also benefit from half-price tickets — even on the discounted club prices.”
The series kicks off against Argentina on Sunday, November 9 — Los Pumas’ 13th visit to the Welsh capital — followed by Japan on Saturday, November 15, in their first Cardiff clash since 2016.
Wales then take on the All Blacks on Saturday, November 22, before concluding the series with a heavyweight showdown against South Africa on Saturday, November 29.
Hospitality packages for all matches are also available from £270 + VAT via WRU.WALES/VIP, while general tickets can be purchased from WRU.WALES/TICKETS.
Autumn Nations Series 2025 – Fixtures and Prices
WALES v ARGENTINA
3:10pm, Sunday 9 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £40 / £20 concession
- CAT B: £30 / £15 concession
- CAT C: £20 / £10 concession
- AFZ: £20 / £10 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £45 / £22.50 concession
- CAT B: £35 / £17.50 concession
- CAT C: £25 / £12.50 concession
- AFZ: £25 / £12.50 concession
WALES v JAPAN
5:40pm, Saturday 15 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £40 / £20 concession
- CAT B: £30 / £15 concession
- CAT C: £20 / £10 concession
- AFZ: £20 / £10 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £45 / £22.50 concession
- CAT B: £35 / £17.50 concession
- CAT C: £25 / £12.50 concession
- AFZ: £25 / £12.50 concession
WALES v NEW ZEALAND
3:10pm, Saturday 22 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £100 / £50 concession
- CAT B: £75 / £37.50 concession
- CAT C: £55 / £27.50 concession
- AFZ: £55 / £27.50 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £105 / £52.50 concession
- CAT B: £80 / £40 concession
- CAT C: £60 / £30 concession
- AFZ: £60 / £30 concession
WALES v SOUTH AFRICA
3:10pm, Saturday 29 November, Principality Stadium
Priority sale:
- CAT A: £85 / £42.50 concession
- CAT B: £65 / £32.50 concession
- CAT C: £45 / £22.50 concession
- AFZ: £45 / £22.50 concession
Public sale: - CAT A: £90 / £45 concession
- CAT B: £70 / £35 concession
- CAT C: £50 / £25 concession
- AFZ: £50 / £25 concession
Anyone who has sailed with a yacht crew will know just how bonding that experience can be.
From the moment the boat is launched, the crew hauls away as one cohesive body, resulting in one of the strongest team ethics imaginable.
But if you’re female, then a degree of ‘gender division’ may rear its dampening head, quashing your confidence, your ability and your downright enjoyment of being at sea.
But now, thanks to the foresight of local vet Charlotte Hamilton and her iconic pink boat, ladies of all ages and all sailing abilities are being introduced to the joys of sailing whilst supporting two of the UK’s foremost breast cancer charities – Breast Cancer Now and Metup UK.
Two years ago Charlotte lost one of her closest friends to breast cancer, following a ten-year battle after she was diagnosed with the disease when she was just 23. In 2022, Charlotte’s mother was diagnosed with breast cancer; thankfully has made a complete recovery.
“Because of what I’ve witnessed, with my mother and with Connie, who was my best friend from college, breast cancer is something that’s very close to me,” Charlotte told The Pembrokeshire Herald from her home in Neyland.
“Connie was only 23 when she was diagnosed, but by then, the cancer had gone to her liver as they initially thought it was hormonal. She fought it for ten years and always wanted to visit Pembrokeshire, but sadly she died two weeks before she was due to come and visit.”
As a result, the pink boat is being sailed in memory of Connie, while the women who are learning to sail her are called ‘The Pink Puffins’.
Charlotte, who is a vet with the Fenton Vets practise in Haverfordwest, was given the boat some 18 months ago by her husband, Lloyd.
“Lloyd is a keen sailor who regularly races on the Cleddau, but I’d never really taken part,” she explains. “So the idea was for me to start building my sailing confidence. Last summer I took the boat out with two other women and we enjoyed it so much it got us thinking about starting to race. If the men can do it, so can we.”
The boat is an Achilles 24 cruise-racer, capable of reaching decent speeds and covering good distances.
“She’s capable of crossing the Atlantic, although The Pink Puffins are perfectly content to stick with the Cleddau for the time being,” laughed Charlotte.
“Since launching her a few weeks ago, we now have around 40 women who are starting to sail her,. We train every Sunday at Neyland and we took part in our very first race last Wednesday.
“Ok, we didn’t win, but being able to take part was fantastic and that’s the whole purpose of The Pink Puffins. It’s about having fun, and the women taking part can do as much or as little as they like. A lot of women have never set foot on a sailing boat before, and because it tends to be such a male-orientated thing, the thought of learning to sail can be a bit intimidating. So if somebody wants to come out with us just to watch, that’s perfectly fine. And if they want to get involved with sailing her a little later on, then that’s great.”
The interest that is already being shown and the rise in numbers means that additional racing sessions will be introduced later this season on Sundays.
Everyone attending the training sessions and the races is asked to make a donation which will be shared between Breast Cancer Now and Metup UK, however individuals can give as much or as little as they choose. If anyone is interested in finding out more about The Pink Puffins can email Charlotte on sailpinkpuffins@hotmail.com
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