Rhydian Harries has recently joined Sport Pembrokeshire as a part-time Cricket Development Officer so Bill Carne popped along to County Hall to meet up with this talented all-round sportsman. . .

SPORT Pembrokeshire has recruited a new part-time Cricket Development Officer in Rhydian Harries, who has joined the close-knit group which looks after the full spectrum of sport for Pembrokeshire, well led by Ben Field.

Rhydian took up his post in October and there can be few across Wales in this important role with other counties because not only is he very keen but has played cricket for Wales at all junior levels, represented West of England Schools, Wales in Minor Counties’ cricket – and Glamorgan 2nds on a number of occasions. In the Glamorgan games he played against top players like Shane Warne and Marcus Trescothick – but more of that later.

He has played much of his senior cricket with Ammanford after setting out in Pembrokeshire with Crymych and Whitland in his early teens, and as a talented outside half in rugby has amassed a huge number of points for Newcastle Emlyn, whom he also joined as a nipper.

So Rhydian can bring all that experience to bear at County Hall, where he has already forged links with those who have a major influence in the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Coaches: men of the coaching calibre of Ray Kane, Nick Evans, Stuart Beresford and Bob Simons, as well as Rick Walton, the Cricket Community Coach in Pembrokeshire.

He is already looking forward to the challenge of helping to revise the Dragon Awards Scheme and also helping clubs with their attempts at applying for grand aid with organisations like Cricket Wales. Ben Field, the manager at Sport Pembrokeshire told us,

“We are delighted to have Rhydian on board because of his huge experience and enthusiasm, which we are also hoping to utilise in the development of girls’ cricket in our county.”

Prior to this post, Rhydian worked as a cricket Community coach with South Ceredigion and North Carmarthenshire and at the moment he is employed for 14 hours in this important role alongside other work as a 5x60 officer at Aberaeron School and peripatetic PE work at St Dogmaels Junior School, so he is a busy and well-travelled young man!

That Rhydian should be so involved in sport will come as no surprise because his father Tudor has played cricket and rugby before taking up coaching in both sports, whilst mum Lynne has been a great supporter and ‘brilliant chauffeur’. Whilst sister Ffion (21) played cricket in University and rode horses when she was younger.

Rhydian began his own cricket at Crymych when he was only ten and played alongside Tudor, Elgan Vittle, John Williams and Owain Ennis. But they had no junior team so he joined Whitland and played there at 12 and 13 in a team captained by Paul Webb and also including Colin John, Paul Davies, the late Meyrick Rowlands, Mark and Dai Lee. He then joined Ammanford and has been there ever since, with an undoubted highlight being to join Andrew Salter, Huw and Alun Evans in helping them fend off the challenge of Mumbles, Sully and Cardiff to win the Welsh Premier League in 2012.

He scored 100+ not out against Ynysygerwyn, one of almost 20 centuries he has scored so far, with his first coming as a 13 year old playing for West Wales in a festival at Port Talbot. Rhydian also represented Pembrokeshire and Wales throughout the junior age groups, West of England at under 13 and 15, plus Glamorgan under 17s. Since then he has represented Wales in Minor Counties cricket and when he was in the Glamorgan Academy played a number of games for Glamorgan 2nds alongside Simon Jones (recuperating from injury), Adrian Shaw (coach) and Dan Cherry in three-day games.

Then whilst playing for the Combined University team in Cardiff he fielded for a while as Marcus Trescothick scored a classy century for Somerset and came up against the afore-mentioned Mr Warne.

“We were cruising at over 120 for 2 when he came on to bowl for Hampshire,” admitted Rhydian, “when he grabbed seven wickets and we were shot out for less than 150. I managed just three balls and didn’t have a clue what to do against him!”

On the rugby front, Rhydian has been involved at Newcastle Emlyn for a number of years.

“I started out with Whitland at under 11s and 12s because dad was coaching there, playing a year up at outside half. I enjoyed it there but then moved to Newcastle Emlyn because I knew a number of the players there, including Scarlets’ player Josh Turnbull.

“I played for Pembrokeshire Schools at all age groups up to under 15s and then played for the Scarlets’ under 16 team. From there it was on to the Wales ‘A’ under 16 team against Italy and England before I was thrilled to be picked to play for the Welsh first team against England at Welford Road, the famous home of Leicester RFC, playing alongside Jonathan Davies and Lou Reed.

“At this stage I had to focus on either rugby or cricket and chose the latter but remained

part of a Newcastle Emlyn youth team that won the Carmarthenshire League and also did well in the Welsh Youth Cup before bowing out to Pontypool in the later stages. This is now my eighth season in the first team, where I learned my trade playing alongside Huw Evans, the Fishguard player/coach, and we are now coached by Marc Lloyd.

“It is a very young side now,” admitted Rhydian, “and at 25 years of age I am one of the relative ‘old timers’ in the squad that plays in Division Two (West) of the national league set-up.”

His choice of cricket as his main sport is one of the reasons why he is now working for Sport Pembrokeshire and becoming involved in Pembrokeshire Cricket, where his wealth of experience is sure to be of huge benefit.

Rhydian Harries is a modest and unassuming young feller but with clear ideas of what he can offer our local cricket – and the future of the summer sport in Pembrokeshire is in safe hands with people his calibre heavily involved!