The popularity of girls’ cricket in Pembrokeshire is continuing to grow – with a record 19 schools fielding teams in this year’s Girls Kwik Cricket Finals. 

The popular annual festival took place was organised by Sport Pembrokeshire – the sports development team at Pembrokeshire County Council.

The event was sponsored by Valero Pembroke Refinery.

Due to the amount of teams, the event took place at two separate cricket grounds for the first time, with the South Pembrokeshire schools playing at Cresselly and the North Pembrokeshire teams taking to the crease at Haverfordwest.

Reaching the semi-finals at Cresselly were Golden Grove/Gelli Aur, St Oswalds, Hafan y Môr and St Teilo’s – with Hafan y Môr beating Golden Grove in the finals by 283 to 241 runs.

Sport Pembrokeshire Cricket Development Officer Martin Jones said that the standard of cricket throughout all schools was good, with Ysgol Hafan y Môr standing out from the beginning with their score of at least 270 runs per game.

“Although all the players in the final were talented, Nel Allen from Hafan y Môr caught the eye with outstanding bowling and batting together with Seren Stock, Lucy Wintle and Mabli Evans,” he said.

The Hafan y Môr team consisted of: Nel Allen (Captain), Aais Kaumaitotoya-Webb, Seren Stock, Gracie Môrgan, Mabli Evans, Isla Rossiter, Lucy Wintle, and Grace John.

The games at the Haverfordwest festival proved just as competitive, with the majority of games decided by just a handful of runs.

Fenton, Saundersfoot, Cleddau Reach and Mary Immaculate Schools earned their places in the semi-finals with some excellent all-round performances.

The Mary Immaculate/Saundersfoot semi-final was decided on the last ball - by a single run – while Cleddau Reach pipped Fenton in another, really good quality game.

The final between Mary Immaculate and Cleddau Reach, which was played in genuinely hot conditions, again included some top cricket.

Alexis Jones for Cleddau Reach made a particularly strong batting contribution as her team went on to win.

The Cleddau Reach team consisted of Alexys (Captain), Kate, Yasmin, Hannah, Harriet, Niamh, Emily, Megan, Sophie and Rosie.

Both Cleddau Reach and Ysgol Hafan y Môr will represent Pembrokeshire in the next stage of the competition, in the South Wales Finals Day at Radyr Cricket Club in Cardiff on Wednesday, July 6.