JOHN Curran has confirmed his batting prowess with Llechryd Cricket Club in division two of the Thomas Carroll-sponsored Pembrokeshire League at the start of this season as he struck an amazing 313 runs from his first two innings, neither of which saw him lose his wicket!

All this was achieved despite the fact that his appearances have been restricted because of a damaged metatarsal in his foot that meant he was in pain wherever he attempted a run - so his answer was to belt as many boundaries as he possibly could!

This was very evident as he opened the batting against Pembroke Seconds in a gentle run-out with the club’s second string where he achieved the magnificent score of 204 not out as he and teenager Tomos Davies (57 not out) batted throughout the 40 overs and reached a club-record tally of 283 for 0!

“To be honest I was a bit rusty and was dropped from quite a difficult chance when I’d scored only three runs but then hit 12 sixes and 14 fours.

“There weren’t many twos and absolutely no threes,” admitted John with a chuckle, “before we bowled Pembroke out for 90 and I made sure there was no extra running there either because I kept wicket!”

After giving his foot a bit of a rest he returned to first-team action against Whitland Seconds in an away game where he was again on top form.

“We batted second and had to chase down their score of 154 all out, so I opened the batting with Tomos’s father Dewi - and we won by ten wickets as Dewi supported well for his 43 not out and I finished unbeaten on 109, with another six sixes and 12 fours so that I only had 25 runs from having to run between the wickets!”

But cricket rarely allows someone to stay on top all the time and when John played against Carew Seconds he had managed only ten runs when he was well-caught in the gully by Robert Hicks.

“To be honest I was gutted but at least it gave me an average (of 323!) and I did manage to bowl three overs at the end of a match we won, taking 1 for 1 in the process!”

“My foot still isn’t right because it gives me lots of pain but I’m determined to play as often as possible because I really enjoy being involved at our Castell Malgwyn Ground.”

That John loves sport should come as no surprise because he follows his father Steve as a useful all-rounder.

“I used to go with dad up the pitch from the time I was four or five and there were always lots of other kids playing there so I soon had a bat or ball in my hand - and I played my first under 11 game when I was seven.

“Then came my first senior game at the tender age of 9 when I went to Lamphey with dad and we were a player short so I had to play - and I can still remember how chuffed I was when I took a high catch off his bowling!”

John was a regular in the county team all the way through his junior days and had his share of 50s under the guidance of Richard Howell, who John says was ‘a brilliant coach’.

Although he would regard batting as his best attribute he claimed a hat-trick in the Aberystwyth Tournament against Eryri, from North Wales and his best bowling figures came in a match against Whitland where he bowled his four overs, all of them maidens, as he grabbed seven wickets without conceding a single run as the bemused opposition was bowled out for 11 runs!

His top score at junior level was 89 not out against West Glamorgan at Maesteg, where he ran out of time before he could claim a first century - but he achieved three figures on two occasions for Ysgol Aberteifi in inter-school competitions.

His first senior ‘ton’ arrived when Llechryd entertained Lamphey and he reached 136 before getting out in the final over - and was told off by dad for giving his wicket away, which was a mistake he learned from with his most recent undefeated hundred and double hundred!

John also played rugby in school and went as a scrum half for West Wales trials at Coleg Sir Gar, but missed out to a good player in Kieran Hardy, as he did at the same venue with Cardigan RFC junior teams, but stopped after playing at under 16 level because of recurring shoulder problems.

He was able to continue his football as a central midfield player, however, which he began with Cardigan AFC under 13s on the King George Vth Playing Fields where Justin Evans was coach.

“We won more than our share of junior league titles and were cup winners before I moved into senior football where Justin was joined by Seamus Docherty in coaching us - and we also did well.”

But John has always aspired to try his skills at a higher level and so during the 2016/17 season he joined Newcastle Emlyn under coach Gethin Davies, whose aim is to take the club back into the Welsh League.

“We won the Easter Monday Cup Final (the league’s cup) by beating Crannog and made it a double as we beat Cardigan in the Bay Cup - but were disappointed to be shaded out by Llandysul in the race for the league title.

“I broke that blessed bone in my foot after Christmas but played on so I was pleased to pick up 11 goals - and I hope to eventually help bring Welsh League football back to Parc Emlyn when we start local football again in August.”

Ask him about ambitions in the summer sport and he would quickly reply that he would love to help take Llechryd into the top echelon of the game in Pembrokeshire.

“It is a great club which once had real characters like my dad, Ronnie Ratcliffe, Ray Hasler and others, and it is a same story now as Peter Betterley is still going strong despite being a pensioner and there are other good players like Steve Smith, who has been a great servant and a terrific batsman, Graham Keen and Leighton O’Connor, plus some talented young players like Tomos Davies.”

He doesn’t mention himself in the current list but there is no doubt that John Curran ranks alongside them all, both in character and playing ability, and long may he continue to be involved at Llechryd Cricket Club!