Explore every episode of the podcast Museum of Welsh Cricket Podcast
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Six Sixes, Rusty Nails and Balconiers: Thanks for the Memories St Helen's (Episode 156)
In this episode, the longest ever in the history of our podcast, we hear almost 50 contributors share their memories of the St Helen's ground in Swansea.
Now no longer a cricket venue, St Helen's has been at the heart of Glamorgan's journey as a first class county and has hosted many famous games and famous names as well as cricketing exploits that reverberate through the history of the game of cricket itself.
Contributions include those by:
Andrew Hignell, pre-eminent historian of cricket in Wales
Mal Pope, singer, radio dj and composer
Fred Raffle (long time blind supporter of Glamorgan CCC)
Peter Hybart (ex CEO of Cricket Wales)
Dan Cherry (CEO of Glamorgan)
Mark Rhyderch-Roberts (Chair, Glamorgan CCC)
Alan Wilkins (President, Glamorgan CCC)
Ken Lewis (Glamorgan's oldest living player)
Steve Watkin
Dean Cosker
Tony Cottee
Ossie Wheatley
Tony Lewis
Hugh Morris
Alan Butcher
Matt Maynard
David Hemp
Alan Jones
Waqar Younis
Jack Russel
David Gower
Sir Geoffrey Boycott
Max Boyce
Winning the Haig: Gowerton Cricketers 50 Years On (Episode 155)
In this episode we talk to the 6 remaining members of the Gowerton Cricket Club Team who made history by being the first welsh club to win the prestigious Haig Village Trophy in 1975.
Those players are:
John Morris
John Richards
Mike Rowlands
Colin Airey
Adrian Daniel and
Edward Bevan
The players talk about the team as a whole, the reasons for their success in the competition and the different games they played along the way to get to the final at Lords as well as the final itself.
We also talk about the 5 players from the side who are sadly no longer alive. They were:
Graham Young
Teifion Davies
Robert Evans
Wayne Harries and
Bill Thomas
The competition remains to this day. Those interested in learning a little bit more about it can go here:
In this episode we visit Gorseinon Cricket Club for their second women's softball tournament.
We talk to the four participating teams: Gorseinon, Gowerton, Llandarcy and Neath as well as all those at Gorseinon who helped to make it a succesful event.
In hot weather, the teams played through a long day and the Gowerton team ran out the eventual winners.
We talk to Glamorgan and Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales' Mark Frost. Recipient of a BEM in the 2022 New Years Honours List, Mark tells us about growing up in the West Midlands where his first taste of club cricket came at Dudley Cricket Club who were, at that time, captained by the recently retired Worcestershire and West Indies opener Ron Headley.
After University and some excellent performances in the Minor County's Championship for Staffordshire he first signed professional terms with Surrery in 1988 and played in a team that included Alec Stewart, Ian Greig and Graham Thorpe.
Mark moved to Wales to play for Glamorgan in 1990 and spent 4 seasons with the county. He remembers playing alongside Alan Butcher, Hugh Morris, Mathew Maynard and the great Sir Vivian Richards as well as a tumultuous over facing the great Curtley Ambrose.
After leaving cricket he took up an administrative role with Sport Wales and thus began a career in managing community and professional sport that has lasted almost 30 years. Mark has had three spells working with the body representing recreational cricket in Wales. He has been in his current role since 2014 which combines development work in the recreational sector with a role for Glamorgan CCC bringing together the professional and recreational games.
He talks enthusiastically about his own professuional career and the development of cricket in Wales emphasising the inclusivity and diversity of cricket at a time when these qualities are being looked at sceptically by some outside the game. He talks about his optimism for the future of the sport and the joy he gets from regularly volunteering as a coach at his local club, Penarth.
Mark has written and published 5 books for children, details of which you can find here:
https://httpthefour.weebly.com/
You may wish to contact Mark directly if it is not possible to order these books from this site (contact details below)
He has been a longstanding member of Christians in Sport and he explains how important his faith is to him in his work and life generally.
Anyone wishing to contact Mark can do so here :
mark.frost@glamorgancricket.co.uk
Follow him on Twitter @MarkFrostsport
One Armed and Dangerous - The Remarkable Story of Paul Crump
This is taken from the back cover of the recently published book about Paul Crump entitled 'One Armed and Dangerous':
'This is the totally true, though almost incredible, story of a very proud Welshman. A son of Merthyr Tydfil, once the industrial capital of the world but always a hotbed of Welsh sporting excellence. They don't do it by halves in this toen you know, and Crumpy is no exception in that. A quite remarkable man. That man is Paul Crump.'
Born without a forearm after the difficulties of a twin pregnancy Paul grew up with little or no sense that he was any less of a person than anyone else. A keen sportsman he wanted, first, to play professional football. On trial at Wolverhampton Wanderers he turned out for the Pennydarren XI Cricket Club. Paul tells us how his performances got him referred to Glamorgan for trials and into the press for his exploits.
In a hectic few years Paul was contracted to play for the Grounds staff at the Home of Cricket, Lords. As well as talking about his experiences here and the people he met including England players Ian Botham and Goeffrey Boycott, Paul tell sus about his boyhood friends who have turned into lifeling ones.
Paul's story is not without regret as he failed to get the professional career in cricket he wanted and by his own admission done some things that were not great. In telling his story, you become aware of his prodigious talent and his strong will to succeed.
1995, Abergavenny CC and Aashish Kapoor: An Indian Summer
In this episode we talk to two stalwarts of Abergavenny Cricket Club, Paul Sussex and Ryland Wallace, both of whom were significant players in the 1995 season. This was the season they secured the services of a young Indian cricketer by the name of Aashish Kapoor.who between committing himself to come to the town that is the gateway to Wales and arriving in Abergavenny made his test debut for India.
Paul and Ryland talk about the 1995 season, Aashish's impact on the club and his record breaking innings of 300 against Swansea during that Summer.
Here below are some extracts from the club's official history of the 1995 season: Abergavenny for the 1995 Season secured the signing of Aashish Kapoor of India as Club professional. Born: 25 March 1971, Madras (now Chennai), Tamil Nadu Major Teams: Punjab, Tamil Nadu, India, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh.
Batting Style: Right Hand Bat Bowling Style: Right Arm Off Break
Test Debut:India v West Indies at Mohali, 3rd Test, 1994/95 Latest Test:India v South Africa at Kanpur, 3rd Test, 1996/97 ODI Debut:India v Australia at Dunedin, NZ Centenary Tournament, 1994/95Latest ODI:India v Zimbabwe at Rajkot, 5th ODI, 2000/01
Abergavenny were the victorious Macey Shield Winners after defeating Newport at Llanarth in the Final. Abergavenny batted first and put on 68 for the first wicket in just 9 overs. M.Morris (24) was the first to go but Kapoor went on to a great fifty well supported by Mike Powell who finished on (43*) as Abergavenny scored 158-5. The strong Newport side made a very useful bid for victory, but excellent bowling and good catching and fielding made it difficult for them to sustain the run rate and they finished on 140-6 Kapoor taking 3 wickets and a catch to go with his fifty to easily win the Man of the Match award.
Paul and Ryland give colour to these basic statistics mentioning Aashish's stylish batting and accomplished spin bowling as well as his all round professionalism and approach to playing the game. Although Aashish was clearly a crucial element of their success that season Paul and Ryland talk about the rest of the team that contributed to the succesful year as well as mentioning two young Abergavenny cricketers who were to go on and have first class careers with Glamorgan, Mike Powell and Ryland's son and the current director of cricket at Glamorgan CCC, Mark Wallace.
As well as Aashish's record breaking efforts with the bat, the county game supplied another world record performance. Andrew Symonds, playing for Gloucestershire, hit a mammoth 16 sixes in his innings of 254 in the first innings against Glamorgan. He followed that up with 4 more sixes in his second innings making a grand total of 20 in the match, another record. David Hemp scored a career best 157 and Mathew Maynard 164 in a match that saw over 1500 runs being scored.
Paul and Ryland reflect on their time with the club and the enjoyment it has given them. they also talk about the importance a club's history is to its present and its future.
Alun Rhys Chivers interviews Nick Webb, @BBCSportWales rugby/cricket broadcaster/writer and Edward Bevan, distinguished journalist and broadcaster who has been the voice of Welsh Cricket on the BBC for four decades.
They talk about their early experiences of seeing cricket and the commentators that they have admired over the years.
They also talk about the mishaps that inevitably occur during commentary and share some of their tips on delivering good commentary.
Nick and Ed have been the eyes of the Glamorgan faithful during their time, bringing commentary on games to supporters all over Wales. As proud Welshmen they also celebrated as much as supporters at Trent Bridge when the Glamorgan Team won the Royal London Cup during the Summer of 2021.
The podcast review of the Year was an opportunity for us to invite back some previous guests to talk about their contributions to the pod and to listen and comment on some of the other highlights.
Our guests were Mike Knight of Newport Cricket Club who, with brother Dave, was awarded a BEM at the 2021 New Years Honours List. He came onto the pod in February and gave an enthralling interview about the history of the Rodney Parade ground.
Professor Richard Thomas of Swansea University had his book ‘Cricketing Lives: A Characterful History from Pitch to Page’ published by Reaktion Books in May. He talked to us about why he wrote the book and gave us a whistle-stop tour through the history of the game citing the greatest of names along the way including WG Grace, Len Hutton, Wally Hammond, Ian Botham and Ben Stokes as well as sketching out the importance of the women’s game and a brief history of the Ashes.
Chris Peregrine is a journalist who works for the Swansea Evening Post. As a member of Clwb Criced Bronwydd he contributed to a lovely episode all about the club as well as putting us in touch with people who could talk with some authority about the Swansea Mid-Week Leagues.
Along with Stephen Hedges and Jan Gray from the podcast the panel discussed the following clips:
Lord Peter Hain, anti-apartheid campaigner and local MP talked about the game held in 1995 between local club Ynysygerwn and the first ever all black club side to tour the UK from Soweto South Africa. His reflections were captured along with those of Ynys player Huw Jenkins and Soweto cricketer Gordon Templeton.
Mike Knight talking about the 1939 County Championship match between Glamorgan and Gloucestershire in which Wally Hammond scored an incredible triple century.
Richard Thomas talks about that long standing sporting rivalry, the Ashes. If you are interested in buying Richard’s book, go here:
Mike Llewellyn, interviewed for our series of episodes entitled ‘Where Are They Know’, told a string of amusing stories. This one was one that didn’t make the original programme all about county player Albert Wright.
We interviewed members of the Conwy Ladies Cricket Team. Here, Emma Leighton – Jones and Llinos Hill talk about the importance of role models and the impact of ECB initiatives the All Stars and Dynamo Programmes.
On our visit to Clwb Criced Bronwydd we met long standing member Arwen Thomas who tells us about the time that cricket gives for a little bit of repartee.
We finish the review with a clip from our interview with Ken Lewis, 92 years old and the oldest surviving Glamorgan professional. His words are accompanied by the Soweto Gospel Choir who allowed us to use their music for the episode all about Ynysygerwn and Soweto. To find out a little more about them and their music go here:
Thank you to all our guests in 2021. Here’s to an enjoyable cricketing year in 2022 when, hopefully, we will have a full programme of cricket and some more great stories to bring you.
In this episode we talk to Glamorgan and England cricket supporter Fred Raffle. He decided to follow Glamorgan at boarding school as another boy suggested he do so. Not only did he go on to follow his favourite county to all the major county grounds as well as some of the out grounds, he has also followed the England cricket team on over 30 foreign tours.
Such devotion and commitment would be surprising enough but when you learn that Fred has been blind since birth, his exploits demonstrate a strong willed and confident man whose love of the game of cricket has found him many friends and given him some wonderful experiences.
Fred talks openly about his early childhood when the extent of his sight problems were finally diagnosed. His quiet determination and intelligence won him a scholarship to a school for blind and partially sighted boys in Worcester. There, his love of cricket flourished and, along with all the other boys, he adopted a first class county to follow. He chose Glamorgan by accident, the suggestion coming from another boy at the school. He talks about his boyhood hero Don Shepherd and his developing love of the game.
After succesful careers in teaching he bumped into the Glamorgan team again, almost by accident and met Don who was accompanying the team as part of the BBC commentary team. From here, Fred's zeal for following the Daffodil County grew. He was also introduced to foreign travel watching the England cricket team. He explains how this came about as well as the time he spent in the commentary box with both the TMS Team and the Sky Broadcasting team.
Now in his 80s, Fred looks back at the amazing experiences he has had and gives thanks to those that have welcomed him along the way. He has nothing but praise for the game of cricket and all the experiences it has given him.
The Dots Will Not Be Joined - An interview with Rick Walton
Rick was a previous guest of the podcast back in April. Since speaking to us last he has managed to self publish a book about his thoughts on cricket, sport and life. This time, as well as recording the launch event for his book we were able to record an interview with him about the book and its contents.
The podcast begins with a brief telephone conversation the day after Rick visited Lords to receive a community coaching award from the national cricketing charity Chance to shine. You can watch a video which formed part of the awards evening featuring Rick here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CVhY1j7fCDk
To learn more about Chance to Shine why not check out their website here:
https://www.chancetoshine.org/
Rick outlines why he titled the book in the way he did and talks about his philosophy of coaching. He reads a couple of excerpts from the book and we also hear a couple of contributions from people who were present at the launch event.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy of the book you can contact Rick via Twitter (@cricketmanwales) or go to this link :
Phil Steele is a very well known figure amongst the rugby loving players and supporters of Welsh regional and club rugby. After a prefessional career with Glamorgan Wanderers and Newport RFC Phil developed a career as an after dinner speaker, commentator and sports broadcaster. In recent years he has been a pitchside reporter for BBC Wales Scrum V bringing his brand of warm humour to our TV screens as well as pioneering new ways of covering the sport. Speaking to both players and coaching staff during the game, his familiar way of ending all pre half time interviews with players, 'have a good orange', has become his catch phrase and has endeared him to supporters everywhere.
But Phil is also a great lover of cricket and in this episode he sketches out his cricketing career alongside what he thinks about the game. As usual, time spent with Phil inevitably involves amusing stories about the people he has met whilst playing and the enjoyable experiences he has had playing .
Phil reflects on his cricketing experiences as well as his time as a broadcaster when he has covered cricketing stories including his series about Glamorgan players of the past and his radio documentary about the relationship between Welsh club cricketer Doug Davies and the great Donald Bradman.
Always willing to reflect on wider issues Phil talks about his battle with mental health difficulties and cricket's attempts to deal with the issue. He finishes with his thoughts on the future of the game and his enjoyment of simply sitting and watching cricket from the stands at Sophia Gardens.
Phil's book, entitled 'Nerves of Steele' was published in 2016. If you are interested in purchasing a copy you can do so here:
Mike was born and raised in Cardiff and had a first class career with Glamorgan between 1986 and 1991. He also played first class cricket in South Africa for Orange Free State and Griqualand West. He scored 4 first class hundreds making nearly 3000 runs and took getting on for 300 wickets with his right arm off spin. His first class record can be accessed here:
He talks about his early years and his connection to the game, rising through youth cricket in Wales to getting a contract with Glamorgan. Fighting hard to keep his place in the Glamorgan side, he also talks about his experiences as a first class cricketer, coach and administrator in South Africa.
Mike played in South African cricket as apartheid came to an end and cricket, like all sport in South Africa, tried to make the changes to integrate black players to the system. He talks with fondness of his time there and the role that he played in the long process of change in that part of the world.
Since finishing his professional cricket career Mike has had a long and succesful career in business. He outlines that and talks about the importance of education in his development as a businessman.
Finally, Mike tells us of his renaissance in recent times as he has taken up playing again for Cardiff Cricket Club and Wales Over 50s. He also talks about his hopes for the future of cricket in Wales and what he would like to see happen to bring the recreational game and the first class game closer together.
We speak to Robin Wood and Robert Jones, both players and captains of teams in the mid - week leagues in Swansea from the mid 1980s onwards.
They talk about the leagues as they were then and how they have developed or not over the intervening years. They give their views on why mid week recreational cricket went into a decline as well as its recent rejuvenation in the format of friendlies they now play.
Whilst both have played competitive cricket with local club sides or in the leagues they both talk about the enjoyment they get from playing their mid week games.
They talk about someof the people that have playedwith them and theirrelationship with, and thoughts about, the wider recreationalgamein Wales
Cricket Walkabout: Swansea and the Aboriginal Cricket Tourists of 1868
In this episode we meet and talk to a visiting Australian group who are from the Harrow Discovery Centre, a small museum in Victoria Australia.
The museum is dedicated to spreading the story of the first touring Australian sporting side, a group of aboriginal cricketers, who came to the UK in 1868.
Led by an English professional cricketer by the name of Charles Lawrence they played 47 matches stretching from May through to October and, as part of the tour, they came to Swansea.
The Harrow Discovery Centre has just published the 4th edition of a book about the cricketers and their visit was part of a promotional tour for the book.
Swansea plays quite a significant part in the story they have to tell. The photograph taken at Swansea on the day of the match, is one of the few surviving photographs of the team. When Cricket Australia decided to honour the most famous aboriginal cricketer, Johnny Mullagh ( traditional name, Unaarrimin ) by naming a man of the match medal after him, descendants of the players wanted to have an image of the whole team at the centre of the buckle produced. So now, the Swansea photograph sits at the heart of the Mullagh Medal which is presented to the Man of the Match for the Boxing Day Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
The episode features speeches and interviews with the Australian party and the Swansea Cricket Club as well as the museum's own Andrew HIgnell.
For those interested in discovering more about the aboriginal team, including Johnny Mullagh, you can visit the Harrow Discovery Centre website here:
https://harrow.org.au/
Fiona Clarke, the descendant of two of the players who was in attendance is an artist who has gained great prominence in recent years in Australia. You can see her work here:
https://www.fionaclarke.com.au/
The book about the tour, Cricket Walkabout, does not have a UK publisher, but is available via the internet (we will not recommend any particular sites) but you could consider purchasing a copy from the Discovery Centre shop which is available via their website. All profits from the sale of the book will go towards the work of the discovery centre.
There's Only 2 Tony Cotteys - An Interview with Tony Cottey and David Brayley
Tony Cottey played professional football for Swansea City before a successful career in cricket for Glamorgan and Sussex. His lifelong friend, David Brayley, worked in local government before launching a writing career on the back of the book he co-wrote with Tony about his sporting career, ‘There’s Only 2 Tony Cottees’.
Tony and David talk first about growing up on the Gower, their time at Bishopston Secondary School and the people that influenced them. They talk, especially, about their families who were crucial in shaping their values and their choices in their lives.
Tony recalls his time at the Vetch with Swansea City and playing at St. Helens with Glamorgan. One of the most difficult experiences for Tony was being let go by Swansea at 19 years of age. His father helped him cope with this. David’s parents were separated and he describes his mum as ‘the most resourceful person he has ever met’.
We talk about the writing of the book, choosing the title and the story behind the striking front cover. Both men talk about the process of writing the book as part of their friendship and how they wanted it to reflect Tony’s authentic voice. The book reads like a series of stories told at the bar and is all the powerful for that.
Tony talks about some of the very personal issues that he talks about in the book including the death of his fellow Sussex player Umer Rashid. David reinforces the importance of including as much as they could, including the bad as well as the good.
They finish by talking about their reflections on their life and careers, putting their stories into some sort of perspective. David mentions his writing career after writing the book with Tony including his recent success winning the Children’s Sports Book of the Year awarded by the Daily Telegraph for his collaboration with rugby player James Hook ‘Chasing a Rugby Dream’. The Awards for 2021 can be found here:
https://sportsbookawards.com/
For those interested in David’s work you can check out his website here:
After finishing his career, Tony has done sports commentary, after dinner speaking and working in public relations with Sussex County Cricket Club. He now runs an ice cream parlour with his wife in Shoreham. If you want tickle your taste buds you can see what Tony and his wife’s ice cream parlour serves up here:
https://www.cottsandlinz.co.uk/
The song mentioned in the chat about Umer Rashid was sung by many different artists. This version was sung by folk group from the 1960s, Peter, Paul and Mary:
Jan Gray interviews ex Glamorgan and Gloucestershire bowler Alan Wilkins. They talk about his early years and the importance of Alan's father as an influence on his sporting development.
Alan mentions the highlights of his career in first class cricket including, as any bowler would be pleased to mention, bowling the cricketing greats Viv Richards and Sunil Gavaskar. There is a discussion about his move to Gloucestershire and the injury that brought an abrupt end to his playing career.
Alan then outlines his second career as a sports broadcaster which has taken him to all parts of the World and has paired him in interview with some of the greatest sports people of the 21st century including Virat Kohli, Roger Federer and Tiger Woods.
Alan's love of his home in Wales shines through as well as his commitment to and understanding of what makes a good sports broadcaster.
Alan's autobiography 'Easier Said Than Done - a life in sport' is available from St. Davids Press here:
This episode was first broadcast on August 28th 2020 and contains a series of interviews.
We hear Richard Hill of the ECB outline the history of disability cricket and its current set up.
Les Randall and Leshia Hawkins of Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales talk about the past achievements and present goals of those organising disability cricket in the principality.
We hear from two of the Wales Disability Cricket Team Squad who visited Sri Lanka in 2019. Cian Davies and Chris Margetts talk openly about their disability and their reasons for playing cricket as a sport and how much it has given to them.
This week's episode explores the latest addition to the cricketing calendar in England and Wales, The Hundred.
There is an interview with Chief Executive Officer of Welsh Fire, Hugh Morris where we not only discuss the new format for cricket but also Glamorgan's recent success in the Royal London One Day Cup. Hugh outlines the background to the Hundred and how important it is to the future promotion of the game in Wales.
Next, we have a brief interview with sports journalist from Pakistan, Roha Nadeem. From her perspective as a production assistant with The Hundred she sketches out her enthusiasm for the competition and, in particular, the role it will play in the promotion of women's cricket.
Finally, we have excerpts from a series of interviews conducted at the final Welsh Fire home fixture of the season at Sophia Gardens.
TAL Whittington - The man who helped bring first class cricket to Wales.
Dr Andrew Hignell brings us the story of TAL Whittington; solicitor, player, captain and administrator, throughout the Edwardian period.
This episode is based around the recently published book by the Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians, 'Fly at a Higher Game - The story of TAL Whittington and the elevation of Glamorgan CCC into the County Championship.'
Dr Hignell brings a detailed account of Whittington's family, early years and development as a cricketer. He explains what was happening to sport in Wales and how the quest to bring a better quality of cricket to the Principality reflected a growth in confidence of Wales' sporting community.
As well as talking about the way that Whittington went about the job of securing first class status for Glamorgan Andrew points to some of the problems he faced in his life, both financial and medical, culminating in his tragic death whilst undergoing surgery towards the end of the Second World War.
Anyone interested in purchasing the book can do so by contacting Dr Hignell directly. He can be emailed at museum@glamorgancricket.co.uk
We talk to Ken Lewis from Newtown in mid Wales who began his professional cricket career in 1950.
We talk about growing up and the first influences on him as a sportsman as well as what it was like growing up in the 1930s and living through the war.
Ken tells us about his army career which comprised of a lot of sport interrupted by very little in the way of anything else! He arrived at Glamorgan along with Don Shepherd, Bernard Hedges and Jim McConnon in 1950 and although he had several opportunities to claim a regular place in the side he experienced a number of injuries which, first halted his progress and then ended his career.
Ken fondly remembers the players he played with in those 1950s sides including Emrys Davies, Gilbert Parkhouse, Willey Jones, Alan Watkins and Wilf Wooller.
There are a number of stories to cherish in his reflections including him meeting his boyhood idol Len Hutton and scoring a goal against the local army barracks, only to find that when he was enlisted his commanding officer remembered him as the lad that scored a goal against his army team !
This is a longer than normal podcast but we hope you agree it is worth every minute of the listening time to hear an old player's memories of playing and enjoying the game of cricket.
'Bats and Balls in Children's Hands' - Mojeid Ilyas, Diverse Communities Development Officer
Jan Gray interviews Mojeid Ilyas, recently appointed Diverse Communities Development Officer. They talk about some of the issues in improving the take up of cricket amongst the inner city communities of Cardiff and Newport and what Mojeid has done already to raise the profile of cricket as a sport amongst children and their families.
The following is taken from Mojeid's biography in his own words on the Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales website:
'A few years ago, I was made aware of the importance of having positive role models and people that care within the community. As an aspiring young cricketer in Grangetown, many young boys and girls would come up to me for help with their cricket and since then I have made a conscious decision to be a positive influence for the young boys and girls in my local community and not to isolate myself.
I also believe my own experiences coming through the ‘system’ as an ethnic minority holds me in great stead to fully appreciate and understand the challenges that young BAME cricketers face through their time as cricketers when liaising with Glamorgan’s diverse communities’ mentor. Such as the different cultural, familial, or institutional factors that may affect their journey. Therefore, I hope with my experience I can take this opportunity and negate the possibility of any young cricketers facing the same barriers I came across during my development as a cricketer and as an individual. Allowing for them to enjoy the beautiful game of cricket as well as realise their true potential.'
Jan finishes the interview by asking about Mojeid's plans for the coming year. Many are in agreement that his enthusiasm for the game and his willingness to pass this on to others has made him a valuable addition to the Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales team.
We talk to three members of the Conwy Celts Ladies Cricket Team.
Llinos Hill, Emma Leighton-Jones and Dona Jones talk about how they got interested in the game, how they got started and what they get out of playing. There is a difference in stories, with Llinos starting to play as a young girl and Emma and Dona being more recent converts.
They talk about what is important to them in playing as well as the brand of softball cricket that they play. Llinos talks about the pressures of being both coach and player and all of them talk about their hopes for the team and their own individual performances in what is left of the season.
They represent the growing band of women and girls who are turning to cricket for fun, recreation and friendship. Their experience is being matched in all corners of Wales and is one of the most exciting narratives about the modern game in both its professional and recreational forms.
For those women and girls in the Conwy area, they can get information about the Conwy Celts here:
https://www.conwycc.com/
For women and girls in the rest of Wales, check out the contact details of the Women and Girls Development Officers here:
https://cricketwales.org.uk/
Just click on PLAY and choose the option for Women and Girls Cricket
We talk to the sons of ex Penarth Cricket Club player, captain, secretary, chairman and President Graham Crimp MBE. They talk about their father's early years of playing sport and his graduation to the administrative side of recreational sport.
They describe his inumerable roles in the sporting life of South Wales from cricket to hockey and rugby. We talk about family life in the Crimp household and of Graham's long and happy marriage to wife Peggy.
Although a grassroots sportsman Graham had several opportunities to meet and converse with some of the biggest names in professional and recreational sport. We talk about him meeting one of his greatest sporting heroes, Bobby Charlton, and of his meetings with the Duke of Edinburgh.
Graham paid tribute to the Duke in an interview given to BBC Wales which you can see here:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-wales-56775634
The tributes paid to him are recorded here in these two articles from the Penarth Times:
As a podcast and museum staff we would like to add our own tribute. Those that look after the game so that future generations can enjoy it are the most important people in recreational sport. Graham's achievements in this regard were unparalelled. We are very proud that, in a small way, we can contribute to preserving his memory. We know his family have missed him. We can say, without fear of contradiction, that the sport of cricket in Wales has missed him also.
Just over a year ago we visited Hay-On-Wye to witness the first ever game of cricket played as part of the Literary Festival between the local Hay Club and a celebrity XI picked largely from the ranks of the world famous Authors XI.
This year, the Festival has agreed to making this fixture an integral part of its activities on a day dedicated to a number of sports related meetings and speakers.
This episode of the podcast tries to capture the day, talking to Hay Club stalwarts as well as the celebrities / writers associated with the Authors XI.
Listen out for contributions from:
Ebony Rainford Brent (Broadcaster and ex England cricketer)
Stephen Fry (multi talented broadcaster / actor / writer)
Tom Holland (Historian and co-host of The Rest is History Podcast)
Matt Thacker (MD of company that runs Wisden Cricket Monthly and editor the Wisden Journal The Nightwatchman
Andrew Kojima (Chef and writer)
For those interested in Ebony Rainford-Brent's book, you can purchase a copy here:
We interview Ieuan Watkins, safeguarding officer with Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales and Glamorgan County Cricket Club and Laura Whapham Child Protection in Sport Officer with the NSPCC and working for the Child Protection in Sport Unit.
They introduce us to the whole concept of safeguarding and its history in the UK. They discuss what has changed in the last 20 years of sports administration in the Uk and their role in establishing and developing a positive culture of enjoyment and fun around sport.
Ieuan talks to us about his work with Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales and they give us an insight into their work and what an ordinary working day looks like for those working in the safguarding area.
Both our guests are happy to be contacted by clubs or individuals. Indeed, they feel this is the cornerstone of this culture they are trying to build. You can look at the details around cricket in Wales by looking here:
This episode marks the return of spectators to watching cricket at Sophia Gardens. The last game where spectators could attend took place in September 2019. It has been over 600 days since Glamorgan fans were able to watch Michael Hogan, Chris Cooke and all the other players.
Given that the event is quite significant we thought we would chat to those people at Glamorgan County Cricket Club who were charged with making arrangemenst for the Welsh Government Test Event which took place on the first day of the County Championship match against Lancashire on Thursday 3rd June.
We speak to Head of Operations at Glamorgasn, Dan Cherry and Chief Steward Allan Jones in advance of the day, capturing their preparations and expectations. We also captured some feedback from those that were in attendance on the day, including a brief chat with Kiran Carlson's mum.
To round things off we caught up with Dan after the event to see how things had gone. This was a small step back towards normality at the cricket for all those that love the sport. The episode is our small contribution to capturing a moment when our country began to return to the rhythm of the sporting calendar.
This week’s episode is Part Two of our chat about Glamorgan’s Championship Winning Season of 1997.
We talk about openers Steve James and Hugh Morris, captain Mathew Maynard as well as the other Glamorgan players who contributed to the club’s success including Robert Croft, Waqar Younis, Tony Cottey, Adrian Dale, Dean Cosker, Steve Watkin, Adrian Shaw and Darren Thomas.
Our four participants, journalist Grahame Lloyd, ex- Glamorgan Secretary Mike Fatkin, Joan Pockett (one of the front reception/admin staff in 1997) and Alun Rhys Chivers, then a 12 year old supporter talk about their abiding memories of the season as well as the memories of the day Glamorgan clinched the title against Somerset in Taunton.
In the first of two episodes we re-live the 1997 Championship winning season with the author of the official celebration book 'Daffodil Days - Glamorgan's Glorious Summer' Grahame Lloyd.
He sets out his thinking behind writing the book and gives us an overall sense of Glamorgan's third victorious journey to winning county cricket's most prized trophy. Using his book as a guide we have brought together three of the people who's experience he captured.
First is Mike Fatkin, then secretary of Glamorgan, he formed the 'boys in the backroom' with Tony Dilloway. Mike tells us about bringing Duncan Fletcher and Waqar Younis to the club and how he fooled everyone over the extent of his negotiating skills.
Next is Joan Pockett, one of three women who were the public face of Glamorgan. She retells the story of her brief stint as a commentator to one loyal Glamorgan fan who phoned the ground to check on the score.
Last, but certainly not least, is Alun Rhys Chivers. Now Alun is a journalist covering Glamorgan cricket for a welsh language magazine. Then he was the twelve year old supporter who felt the warmth and kindness of coach Duncan Fletcher.
All three plus Grahame furnish their memories of Duncan and set the scene for the next epiosde which deal with the players that made it happen.
Roger has been the dressing room attendant at Sophia Gardens, or the SWALEC as it was previously known, for over 20 years.
He shares with us the story of his encounters with sport as a player, coach, scout and players assistant. From his early love for Newport County and Glamorgan CCC he tells us about his involvement with the National Welsh Footballing set up, his time as a scout with both Chelsea and Fulham and the work of a dressing room attendant.
He reflects on a life spent in sport that, according to a medical opinion of him at the age of six, should never have happened.
Our Jan Gray talks to ex Glamorgan opener Geoff Ellis about his upbringing, his journey through a first class cricket career and what he was doing when he wasn't playing cricket.
Sounding much younger than his 70 years, Geoff remembers the good times playing against some of the greats of the game including Viv Richards and Barry Richards. He also makes mention of the great Glamorgan players he played alongside such as Don Shepherd, Alan Jones, Majid Khan, Tony Lewis and Brian Davis.
He talks about the highlights of his career and the low points when he hit the front pages of the newspapers rather than the back of them.
What shines through all the chat is Geoff's love of the game and his lifelong commitment to it.
Mae llenyddiaeth Saesneg yn frith o gyfeiriadau at griced. Ond i ba raddau mae criced wedi cael sylw haeddiannol mewn llenyddiaeth Gymraeg?
Mae Lowri Roberts, Gohebydd Chwaraeon BBC Cymru, wedi gwneud gwaith ymchwil ym maes ‘Chwaraeon mewn Llenyddiaeth Gymraeg’. I ba raddau mae ein harwyr ar y maes chwarae, ac yn enwedig yn y byd criced, wedi cael eu clodfori yng ngwlad y beirdd a’r llenorion Cymraeg?
Awn ar daith gyda Sioned Dafydd, gohebydd pêl-droed ‘Sgorio’, i fyd ei thad-cu, y cyn-Archdderwydd Dafydd Rowlands, oedd â’r bwriad o lunio cerdd bob dydd am flwyddyn i gynrychioli pob rhediad o fatiad byd-enwog Garry Sobers. Sut hwyl gafodd e arni, tybed?
I’r gorffennol yr awn ni gyda Dylan Foster Evans, Pennaeth Ysgol y Gymraeg Prifysgol Caerdydd, wrth i ni fynd ar drywydd rhai o’r cyfeiriadau cynharaf at griced ar lawr gwlad yn y Gymraeg.
Yn goron ar yr Orsedd o westeion mae’r cyn-Archdderwydd Jim Parc Nest, a fydd yn hel atgofion “cricedol” o Gastellnewydd Emlyn, ac yn trafod taith fythgofiadwy i Gaergaint ac achlysur hanesyddol yno yng nghwmni Dafydd Rowlands – ond tybed ym mle’r oedd ei gyfaill fod ar y diwrnod dan sylw?
From Boilup to the Barracks Field: Lost Cricket Grounds in Australia and Wales
We interview Les Everett, amateur historian and cricket lover from Western Australia and CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket volunteer Tony Davies about their joint fascination with places that were once cricket fields but are no more.
The subject of Glamorgan County Cricket Club's victories over the Australian tourists (twice !) is discussed before moving on to talk about Les' and Tony's playing days.
Described by one Australian newspaper as a cricket tragic, Les then talks about his attempts at uncovering abandoned cricket pitches in Western Australia, a quest in which he has been engaged since October 2019.
His goal is to publish a book with photos and history of lost pitches that were, in days gone by, the lifeblood of the sport in small communities.
Kalgoorlie-Boulder, Les' home, is his base but he has covered something like 30,000km so far in documenting these pitches on his instagram page @abandonedcricketpitches . He also talks about his other obsession, the recording of Australian Rules scoreboards which he features through his beautifully named website 'Scoreboard Pressure.'
Tony shares his fascination with these places that once were used to play cricket and outlines some of the significant differences in those he has discovered in Wales to those that Les has uncovered in Australia. He also underlines an important message that all those who regularly listen to this broadcast will understand, that where sport was once played provides us with clues about how people lived.
The episode is a celebration of the unifying passion for cricket that can link a man from the rain soaked streets of Newport to one from the arid desert of Western Australia.
You can see the CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket's collection of Lost Grounds here:
If you know of a lost cricket ground in Wales, you can contact Tony via our email: mwcpod1921@gmail.com, on Twitter @welshcricketpod or through our Facebook page, CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket.
David currently lives in Cheltenham but he tells us the story of how his Dad and wider family introduced him to the game of cricket and how his love of that led him into a lifelong relationship with Glamorgan County Cricket Club.
He was an avid collector and kept scrapbooks full of paper cuttings about his favourite players as well as the England team. It was one these scrapbooks that encouraged him to write his first book about cricket, 'In the Shadow of Packer'. Published by Pitch in 2016 the book tells the story of England's Winter Tour to Pakistan and New Zealand in 1977/78.
David talks to us about his upbringing and writing that first book. He has become a consistently interesting writer about the game, self publishing a number of further books, monographs and pamphlets. They have covered some of the perhaps less well known teams and individuals and have included works on the Pakistan Eaglets who were regular visitors to the UK in the 1950s and 1960s as well as pieces about Gilbert Jessop, William Woof and a forthcoming publication on ex Glamorgan and Western Province all rounder Peter Swart.
David's enthusiasm for the game remains and his commitment to writing about it has delivered some lovely gems about our cricketing past. If you want to keep up to speed with David's output you can follow him on Twitter (@BattersbyDave) or email him directly:
dave@talbot.force9.co.uk
We hope you enjoy spending 30 minutes or so in the company of an avid fan whose writing reflects a deep love of the game of cricket.
In 1977 Mike llewellyn almost became one of the few players in cricket history to strike a ball over the tall and imposing Pavillion at Lords.
His feat came during the Gillette Cup Final against Middlesex, with the aggressive left hander having started his innings with two fours and a six off Mike Gatting. Then came his enormous blow, off the bowling of England off spinner John Emburey, as Mike hit a ball into the gutter on the roof of the famous building.
We talk to him about his childhood in Clydach, his experiences on the ground staff at Lords and his playing career with Glamorgan.
We also hear about Mike's transition to being a businessman in the years after finishing in the first class game.
There are lots of laughs (mainly form Mike!) along the way as he gives us a flavour of what it was like being a county cricketer in the 70s and 80s.
Getting to Grips with Cricket: Toby Radford (Part 2)
We talk to Criced Cymru / Cricket Wales community coach for Pembrokeshire Rick Walton. Awarded the ECB community coach of the year award in 2015, Rick is a committed and well loved cricket coach who spends his working life converting as many young people as he can to the joys of the game of cricket.
In our interview he talks about his sporting family, including a grandfather who played for Manchester United, and his early years growing up in Grimsby. We talk about how he discovered cricket when his own son wanted to get involved at Haverfordwest Cricket Club and how he has never looked back.
Rick is a thinker not only about cricket but sport and wider associated and unassociated issues! We talk about his writing of blogs, his involvement in watching the England International womens team and his own 'journal' which he hopes will be published as a book soon.
An enjoyable half hour chat with someone at the coalface of cricket conversion.
If you would like to read a little bit of Rick's writing you can find it here:
https://cricketmanwales.com/ for his writing on sport and cricket in particular or
https://bowlingatvincent.com/ for his views on a broader canvus.
Anyone interested in booking Rick to come to their school / cricket club can contact him at:
rick.walton@cricketwales.org.uk
Cricket on Canvas - with Jack Russell & Malcolm Murphy
We talk to Jack Russell. The Gloucestershire and England wicketkeeper played in 54 Tests and played in 465 first class games for his county in a 23 year career that saw him make nearly 18,000 runs and take nearly 2,000 catches behind the stumps.
However, Jack has now had a longer career as a professional painter than he had as a cricketer. His paintings hang in public and private collections worldwide, from the Tower of London to The Bradman Museum in Bowral Australia. Sittings for his portrait paintings have included HRH Duke of Edinburgh, HRH Duke of Kent, ten Field Marshals of the British Army, Sir Norman Wisdom, Eric Sykes, and Eric Clapton. Sporting icons include Sir Bobby Charlton, Dickie Bird and Phil Taylor.
He talks to us about how he began painting, who were his inspirations as a painter, the process of painting and what still motivates him to paint. If you want to take a look at his many paintings and sketches, go to:
Malcolm Murphy has been a native of South Wales for many years and currently lives in Splott, Cardiff. He talks to us about his long journey from the Hip Hop movement of his childood, his addiction to spray painting which eventually brought him into trouble with the police, his career as a professional signwriter and Fairground Artist and the development of his fine art.
Malcolm has painted Sophia Gardens twice in recent years and one of these still hangs in one of the rooms at Sophia Gardens.
To see some of Malcolm's wonderful paintings of Cardiff street scenes and his other work, head to:
We hope you enjoy listening to two painters and how they approach their painting.
Don't forget, we are always on the look out for stories about the great game of cricket in the great county of Wales. You can contact us via our Twitter feed (@welshcricketpod), our Facebook page (CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket) and by emailing us on:
Brothers Steve and Jeff Watkin talk about the recent history of the club and their involvement in it, stopping off to mention the long history of the club along the way.
Steve who, of course, went on to play first class cricket with Glamorgan and appear in three Test matches and four One Day Internationals for England talks about his early career with the club and those that influenced his early career.
Jeff tells us about the successes of the club in recent times and their plans, Coronavirus restrictions willing, for celebrating their incredible 175 year history.
Along the way we hear about the first switch hitter that Steve Watkin ever saw and the best sporting star in the Watkin family (which is neither Jeff or Steve)
I've got a stat for you - An interview with author Andrew Edwards
Andrew was born in 1984. At the age of four, in April 1989, he was diagnosed with autism.
“Go home and watch Rain Man,” the specialist told his mother. “In all probability your son will be institutionalised.”
Determined to prove the specialist wrong, his mother, Hazel Davies, set out to give her son the best life possible.
Raised in a single parent household and encountering bureaucracy, bullying and a lack of understanding from many he came across, Andrew emerged from a turbulent childhood to win a Welsh National Young Volunteer Award and secure his dream job as a Broadcast Statistician at Manchester United Television.
After leaving MUTV after eleven and a half years in April 2014, he secured a book deal with Bennion Kearny Publishing to write his memoir entitled “I’ve Got a Stat for You - My Life with Autism”. This was following an interview on his life with Welsh broadcaster John Humphrys on BBC Radio Four’s flagship Today Programme.
Andrew talks about his experiences including his time watching, following and playing cricket at Chirk Cricket Club.
Sadly, Andrew's mother passed away shortly before Christmas 2020. This episode is dedicated to her memory.
In 1995 the first all black South African cricket side came on a history making tour of the UK. With the assistance of local MP and anti apartheid campaigner Peter Hain, the Soweto Cricket Club came to Ynysygerwn early in July of that year.
We talk to Peter about growing up in South Africa, his campaign to stop the South African rugby and cricket teams from touring in Britain and his latest book, co written with historian Andre Odendaal. He reflects on how symbolically important the Tour and game at Ynys were.
We talk to Gordon Templeton, one of the black cricketers on that Tour and his memories of the day as well as Khaya Majola the black South African cricketer who did so much for multi-racial cricket in his country.
We also talk to four of the Ynysygerwn team who played against Soweto. Steve Williams, Huw Jenkins, Neil Davies and Mike Haswell reflect on their careers and the importance of cricket in their lives.
Cricketing Lives - An interview with author Richard H. Thomas
We interview Welsh academicRichard H. Thomas about his forthcoming book 'Cricketing Lives: A Characterful History from Pitch to Page. Richard takes us on a personal odyssey from the origins of cricket to the modern day, stopping off at the places and people most cricket lovers will recognise as the pillars of the game. W.G Grace, Don Bradman, Bodyline, The Ashes, Ian Botham, women's cricketer Sarah Taylor, the IPL and even cricket under Coronavirus.
The book is the fulfilling of an earnest promise made by Richard to his father but it is far more than an affectionate tribute. Liberally laced with good humour and excellent research it is an attempt to attract new lovers of the game as well as entertain those who already love it.
Glamorgan Go First Class - Special Centenary Celebration Episode
On 18th February 1921 the MCC approved the application of Glamorgan County Cricket Club to become the 17th County to play first class cricket in the County Championship. We hear the bacground about the development of Wales in the latter part of the 19th and beginning of the 20th Century from Professor of Modern History at Swansea University, Martin Johnes.
After he outlines the role sport played in Wales' acquisition of a more powerful national identity Dr Andrew Hignell, historian of Welsh Cricket, outlines the key moments and individuals that shaped Glamorgan's journey to first class status.
We hear about the co- founder of Glamorgan County Cricket Club, J.T.D Llewellyn, one of its early captains Jack Brain and the man credited with making the final approaches to other counties that paved the way for Glamorgan, T.A.L Whittington.
This is the first of what will be a number of special episodes celebrating the centenary of first class cricket in Wales.
We interview Mike Knight who, with his brother Dave, recieved a British Empire Medal in the New Years Honours list. He talks to us about the illustrious history of Newport Cricket Club and its old ground at Rodney Parade. We hear how W G Grace and Wally Hammond played at the ground as well as its original links in the 19th Century with the local Athletic Club. Mike shares his stories of putting together a comprehensive history of cricket at Rodney Parade and how important the history of a club is to all that are involved with it.
Y sylwebydd chwaraeon a chyn-ddyfarnwr rygbi Alun Wyn Bevan yw ein gwestai arbennig ar y podlediad yr wythnos hon. Ymunwch â ni i glywed pa dri chricedwr fyddai’n eu gwahodd draw am ginio, a pha gaeau yng Nghymru yw ei hoff lefydd i wylio criced.
(Welsh language interview with sports commentator and former rugby referee Alun Wyn Bevan about Brynaman Cricket Club, Alun’s favourite grounds and three of Glamorgan’s greats)
In this episode we talk to Dr Andrew Hignell about Alfred Holsinger, A Sri Lankan cricketer who plied his trade in Edwardian England and Wales as well as a chat with Janaka Ranweera, uncle of current Sri Lankan Test cricketer Lasith Embuldeniya.
Getting to Grips with Cricket: Toby Radford (Part 1)
In this episode we talk to ex Glamorgan CCC Coach Toby Radford. He talks about his early learning of the game, being coached extensively by his father and of his early successes in junior cricket.
We talk about his first class career and then his embarking on a coaching career at the early age of 26.
Toby tells us about how he came to be coach of the Middlesex side and recounts what was probably his gtreatest cricketing exoerience, winning the 2008 T20 Cup with the county.
His next major coaching experience was in the West Indies and Toby recounts the players he worked with and the experience of living in the Carribean.
Along the way we hear about his work with Andrew Strauss, some of his coaching philosophy and he finishes with his reflections on his time at Glamorgan.
For those interested in discovering a little more about Toby, you can visit his website here:
We talk to Pontypridd Librarian Edwina Smart about meeting Sri Lankan spin bowler Lasith Embuldeniya as well as her charitable work in the country in the wake of 2004's Tsunami. We also hear from Foundation of Goodness founder Kushil Gunasekera about his work and the Foundations links with, and promotion of, cricket in rural Sri Lanka.
In our first episode of 2021, Paul Edwards of Panteg Cricket Club talks to us about its history and his love of the game. With 2021 being the 100th Anniversaty of first-class cricket in Wales we speculate on what might be in store for us as we move towards an historical season for Glamorgan.
Starting back in July there have been 15 episodes of the podcast so far. Stephen Hedges and Jan Gray, two of the podcast interviewers, look back at some of the highlights and discuss what they hope the podcast has achieved so far. Listen to interview clips from Glamorgan's Prem Sisodiya and Kent and England's Zak Crawley.
Hear club cricketers Tony Hallett (Pontypridd), Mike Rowlands (Gowerton), Riaz Anwar (Albany CC and others), scorer Jayne Cole (Haverfordwest) and Chris Margetts and Cian Davies of the Wales Disability Cricket Team talk about their cricketing experiences.
Also, hear a view of the broadcasting bloopers that have come with recording the podcasts.
Finally, Mark Drakeford, Carwyn Jones and Vaughan Gething point towards the return of cricket to Wales and a better sporting future.
The podcast team of Stephen, Jan and Alun Rhys Chivers along with all those who work for and on behalf of the CC4 Museum of Welsh Cricket would like to wish all listeners to the podcast as well as all recreational cricketers and their clubs a very Happy New Year. We look forward to exploring the history of the great game of cricket in the great country of Wales in 2021 and celebrating 100 years in the first-class game of Glamorgan County Cricket Club.