Bill Carne chats to Jack Davies about his being the youngest cyclist in the Milford Tritons Club and his playing cricket for Burton . . .

JACK Davies has made a good start to the new cricket season at Burton but on the day before the first match he engaged in his latest sporting activity as he cycled over 100 miles as part of the Tour of Pembrokeshire, in quite awful conditions.

Jack cycled around parts of the county in quite dire weather but admits that he derived a great deal of satisfaction from the fact that he battled away and although it took him over ten hours he completed it it as proof of his battling spirit.

“Over the Preselis it really was hard going,” admitted Jack but it showed how much his cycling has improved since he joined the Milford Tritons Cycling Club a few short months ago.

Prior to that Jack had often gone for a spin on his old mountain bike with his cricketing chum Toby Hayman, often over a distance of 20 to 30 miles but then when Toby had a new bike he decided it was also time to acquire a new machine and bought a Bianchi Nirone 7, which has two gears in the front and ten at the back.

He also obtained the proper head gear and other stuff like a licre suit with the Titons' motif emblazoned across it after a family friend had told him about for the new club established by Jeff Arnold and decided to give it a try some nine months ago.

"It was a great decision from my point of view," said Jack, "because there are people of different cycling interests who all use it for what they need, from 'Iron Man' prospects to those who just want to use cycling to keep fit and enjoy going out on their bikes once or twice a week.

"We meet every Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday and Jeff lets us know by e-mail where the route is and off we go, often separated into those who like to push on and others who arte not quite so fast.

"I am the youngest and Simon De Wolfe is one of the oldest at 68, with women also welcomed on our trips out over a varying distance each time, after we start from the Lidl Car Park in Milford Haven and use that as our final destination on a circular route.

We even meet up in the winter and if the weather is unsuitable we do some turbo training at ther village hall in Waterston.

It might not sound the most fun-packed thing to do but it certainly helps with fitness and helps build the terrific camaraderie that exists in the club."

Being involved with the Tritons was also the launch-pad for Jack deciding to enrol for the Tour of Pembrokeshire and he elected for the challenge of the longest distance, some 109 miles starting out at St Davids and being tested by the winding roads that included Newport, Mathry and Letterston before arriving in the smallest city at the hog roast to round things off neatly.

"I found it hard going," admitted Jack, “especially the big climbs through the Preselis, but I enjoyed the camaraderie and I am glad I took it on."

The recent training for the cycling has had to be balanced for Jack with his AS Level studies in geography, Business Studies and Design Technology at Ysgol y Preseli, where he has previously played rugby as a flanker, as well as turning out for Neyland throughout the junior age groups.

"We won the county youth final three times against our old rivals Crymych and Narberth alongside Toby Hayman, Iestyn Evans and Joe Brill - and in the last one I was delighted to score what turned out to be the winning try!"

That Jack should play cricket for Burton was perhaps only natural because his father Neville has long been involved - and his younger brother James (14) is just beginning to stake a claim for the first team to perhaps make it a father and two son’s duo alongside Richard, Luke and Toby Hayman. Then there are Steve and Richard Jones and Chris and Gavin Campbell, as other father and son pairings, plus brothers James and Johnny Scale at a family orientated club.

Jack has been involved in the county cricket set-up after starting out in the family garden and at nine years of age was already playing for the Burton under 11s coached by Chris Campbell, and one highlight was an Ormond Youth Cup Final appearance at Carew alongside Gavin and Toby, with all three still available for youth cricket again this campaign.

He played county cricket with the likes of Steff James (Whitland) through the age groups, with good coaching by Phil Thomas and Richard Hayman, followed by Steve Davies and Sam Harts of Cresselly. At the moment, Jack has claimed a few half centuries and a few three and four-wicket hauls to support his claims as an all-rounder.

But it is cycling that now occupies a little more of his time than previously and Jack cut his teeth in a couple of sportives which aimed to raise funds for charity. He also learned a bit of a cycling lesson on one occasion when he stopped for a deserved breather, tried in vain to get his cleated feet out of the special pedals - and took a tumble into the biggest bed of nettles known to mankind. It left Jack looking a nice shade of pink for the rest of the evening, partly through embarrassment but also from a good covering of nettle rash!

Ask Jack about cycling with the Tritons and his enthusiasm is evident.

"I just look on Face book for the times and the routes, turn up and meet some smashing cyclists who like me enjoy the camaraderie," said Jack. "It is good fun, great for fitness and allows you to make friends.

"I'd say that is pretty good value for money in my book."