THIS weekend, Pembrokeshire welcomed elite badminton players from across Wales to the first-ever West Wales Graded competition. Hosted by Haverfordwest Badminton Club, the event showcased over 100 players vying for ranking points at the impressive Pembrokeshire Sports Village.

The graded competition is a series of 4 tournaments across held across Wales in which Badminton Wales, the national governing body of badminton, pick the best players to compete in the annual Four Nations Graded International against England, Scotland and Ireland.

Badminton Wales Huw John, who has played badminton for over 50 years and a former All England Masters singles champion described the event as “Truly fantastic, a super tournament. It was wonderful to see some new faces taking part and what a lovely place Pembrokeshire is to come and visit. The event has been a credit to your club.”

Huw currently trains young and upcoming badminton talents like Miya Pan and Janis Leung and it was no surprise to him that both players reached the Women’s singles final, with Miya eventually taking the crown.

The standout performer of the day in the men’s E/F grade competitions was Jamie Noble, who achieved a remarkable treble by winning the men’s singles, men’s doubles, and mixed doubles. Jamie, a 24-year-old from Flintshire, North Wales, shared his excitement:
“This is the first time I’ve won all three events at a single competition, and it feels good — quite surreal, to be honest. I’m exhausted though, and my legs are still hurting 48 hours later! I really enjoyed the day; it was a great event with a good standard of play, and I had some tough but fun games.”

Jamie has been playing badminton since the age of 7 but has faced challenges this year due to injuries. The West Wales Graded competition marked his return to competitive play after over two months. Jamie’s talent became evident at age 11 when he received one-on-one coaching from Luke Tanner, a coach based in North Wales. Now, he plays twice, sometimes three times a week, and encourages others to take up the sport, citing its fun nature and fitness benefits.

The club expressed their gratitude for the crucial funding provided by Valero, without which the competition would not have been possible. Stephen Thornton, Valero’s Manager of Public Affairs, commented: “Hosting this event is a fantastic achievement for Haverfordwest Badminton Club and for the sport in the county. Valero’s ethos is all about promoting inclusivity and excellence, and this event encapsulates both.”

Following the success of the competition, Badminton Wales has revealed that it is very likely they will return to Pembrokeshire in 2025.

NEYLAND Cricket Club secured a commanding victory over St Ishmaels Cricket Club in a gripping semi-final match of the D. R. Morris Cup, held at Haverfordwest. The triumph by 77 runs propels Neyland into the final, leaving their opponents with much to ponder.

Batting first on Thursday (Jun 27), Neyland posted a formidable total of 183 for 5 in their allotted overs. The innings was anchored by a stellar performance from Patrick Bellerby, who top-scored with a brilliant 83 runs. Contributions also came from Brad McDermott-Jenkins (32), Ross Hardy (19), and Paul Murray (18), while extras generously added 29 to the total.

St Ishmaels’ bowlers struggled to contain the Neyland batsmen. Andrew Pawlett was the pick of the bowlers, claiming 3 wickets for 35 runs. Tom Williams and Brennan Devonald chipped in with a wicket each, conceding 26 and 32 runs respectively.

In response, St Ishmaels found it challenging to build momentum against a disciplined Neyland bowling attack. They were restricted to 106 for 6 in their chase. Andrew Pawlett showcased his all-round abilities, top-scoring for St Ishmaels with 38 runs. Tom Williams added 17, and Ieuan Hawkins remained unbeaten with 15 runs. Brennan Devonald contributed 10 runs to the total.

Neyland’s bowlers were in fine form, with Tom Pritchard leading the way, taking 3 wickets for 25 runs. Sean Hannon provided excellent support with 2 wickets for 21 runs, and Jack John took 1 wicket for 22 runs.

The match was overseen by umpires Glyn Cole and Gareth Brace, with John Laugharne and Wendy Bradshaw fulfilling the scoring duties.

This emphatic victory ensures Neyland’s place in the final, where they will be hoping to lift the coveted D. R. Morris Cup. The team’s comprehensive performance with both bat and ball has set high expectations for the decider.

For detailed statistics and more highlights from the match, click on the provided link.

THE PEMBROKE DOCK Cricket Club ladies’ team, affectionately known as the ‘Dockettes,’ celebrated another emphatic win last night against Whitland CC Ladies. This victory solidifies their dominant position at the top of the Division 2 league table.

In a match where each player arguably delivered their best performance to date, Whitland won the toss and opted to field first. This decision saw Pembroke Dock’s captain, Katie Griffiths, and Cheryl Hughes both retire unbeaten on 25. Carys Lloyd and Sian James showcased remarkable resilience, adding to the total swiftly, while youngsters Katie Gibbins and Martha Bhari continued their impressive form, helping the team amass a total of 125 runs in their 20 overs.

The Dock’s impressive total was supported by top-quality bowling and tight fielding, restricting Whitland to 72 for 3 in their 20 overs, falling short of the target by 53 runs. Cheryl Hughes deserves a special mention for her outstanding bowling figures of 2 for 5 off 4 overs.

It was a superb team performance all round, and the club extends its gratitude to the supporters who travelled, the sponsors, and to Nick Daley and Pete Kingdom for their roles as umpires and scorers.