2009 Review
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West Wales XI
Report
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Last year we
were lucky to have had an increased interest from talented and
enthusiastic younger players including Matthew Goodlad, Ellis Davies,
George Brown, Thomas Scott-Coombes, James Lister-Sims, George Gibson and
Jason Sami whilst a few others played a single game and who we hope to see
more of.
Considering the
efforts of the team, particularly the younger members, the position of the
West Wales XI at the bottom of the league was very disappointing. There
are however two basic explanations. Firstly the failure on three occasions
to field a team lead to 90 penalty points, a disadvantage which was almost
impossible to overcome. This problem feeds a vicious circle of
demoralisation and further absentees so it is essential that Club members
do make the effort to support the side and we may then produce a virtuous
circle. We were particularly unlucky in that the Saturdays when we had no
side were not those on which it rained!
The second
reason was we also lost some excellent players to the second XI, but did
not see senior retirees except Collin White, to whom we were very
grateful, playing for the West Wales XI. This highlights the other major
problem of the thirds which it looked as though Richard Owen would solve
with his rather more vigorous batting style until he was injured.
As last year
most teams in the league have a mix of youngsters and one or two strong
seniors who have retired from higher league cricket, it is that element
that is so sorely missed. Never the less the enthusiasm of the juniors
which next year will be allied to greater strength and experience and
supported by some excellent younger players who are now eligible for
senior cricket and also invaluable old stagers like Jon Brazier, Nick
Oakes and Gethin Davies, who is set fair to be a regular keeper if he does
not bowl, should see the West Wales team achieve more.
As always we
may lose some going onto higher things and Mike Hordley and Nat
Elliott-Green will be badly missed outside vacations but at least we have
the support of John Elliott-Green who along with Bryan Davies have been of
immense help in providing some second generation input. It would have been
a sad side without the help of Prassana Nimbal and Avi Mahdav and Prassana
would never have raised a laugh by the spectre of not searching for lost
balls because to do so back home ran the risk of finding a cobra not a
cricket ball.
David Webb
West Wales XI Captain
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