The history of Llanelli Cricket Club

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So well known was the Club's choir that it was invited to take part in a Rugby Eisteddfod at the Swansea Uplands Rugby Club. It is not clear who was victorious, but what a great night it must have been. Following the abandoned match at the Uplands, the Wanderers cancelled their fixtures for the remainder of the season and opened the following season (70/71) with a match at Carmarthen Athletic, the proceeds of which were to be donated to the fund. It is remarkable that there were on the field that evening, two players who were to tour South Africa with the unbeaten Lions of 1974. They were Clive Rees of the Wanderers and Roy Bergiers of Carmarthen Athletic. Season 1968/69 was certainly a memorable one for Wynne Davies. Having been appointed as captain for the 'A' XV, he became the 'A' XV highest scorer with 48 pts. from a total of 16 tries. In his appearances with the 1 st XV, he had scored a further 7 tries which meant that the record of 22 tries established in 60/61 by Roger Evans, had at last been broken. Wynne's total of23 tries is a record which stands to this day. Here again, it is worthy of note that the try scoring record was broken by yet another wing threequarter. Wynne continued to distinguish himself when, along with scrum half Lincoln Law, he represented the Llanelli and District Junior Union in their cup winning side.

Following much activity and the dedication of Wynne Davies to his task, what was wasteland had by now become a lush playing surface and on the 1st September, 1975 the ground was officially opened by the then President of the Welsh Rugby Union, Handel C. Rogers. There followed a match between the Wanderers and a team made up of former Wanderers players. For the record, the teams were: Following the success of the Merthyr/Wanderers charity match, the Club was again invited to send a team to play against Merthyr to celebrate the official opening of their new clubhouse. Once again the Wanderers fielded a team which included guest players such as Terry Davies; R. H. Williams; Keith Rowlands and John Leleu. By all account a splendid night was had by all and the Wanderers were congratulated on their "spectacular open rugby and wonderful singing", certain evidence that the choir remained in good voice. The England teams won all three of the matches as once again the Cardiff Test Match proved to be a pivotal match in deciding the outcome of the series in favour of the home team. In 2016 England faced the tourists from both Sri Lanka and Pakistan in the fifth and final One-Day Internationals of each Series. Against Sri Lanka a series whitewash was secured, but the more competitive Pakistan team were victorious in the early September fixture of that year.

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The Canadians were full of praise for the hospitality shown to them during their stay in Llanelli and went on to Aberystwyth to meet the University of Wales team for a match which, incidentally, was to be the first ever encounter on a rugby field between a British and Canadian University. Both sides regarded the match as an International and the Canadians did extremely well to win by 12 pts. to 3. ( As a postscript to this event it’s worth noting that the match couldn’t be played in Aberystwyth because of a frozen ground, and the game took place in Llanelli on the Grammar School pitch.) Alan Prosser Harries; Meredith Evans; Howard Rees; Graham Morse; Howell Davies; Ellis Griffiths; Handel Greville; Howard (Ash) Davies; Robin Williams; Lionel Thomas; Graham Tobias; David Griffiths; John Rowlands; H. D. Williams and D. H. Williams. Among the forwards was a young aspiring prop forward in Howard (Ash) Davies who was destined to captain the town's premier club. The match resulted in victory for the Wanderers by 5-11. The match was reported by the South Wales Evening Post as follows: Off the field, the Wanderers continued to attract notable guest speakers to their "Smokers" at the Club's headquarters. Between 1957 and 1960, these included Cliff Jones; Cliff Morgan; Terry Davies; R. H. Williams, and more rugby friends from across the waters in the forms of A. C. Parker, the Springbok press correspondent and the Australians Shehadie, Cameron and Scott. The Club was delighted by the recent revisit of Sir Nicholas Shehadie as tour manager of the Wallabies on their U.K. tour of 1981/82. The tale is told of a Club member who had been admitted as a patient to Morriston Hospital. He had obviously been missing the hospitality and comforts of the Wanderers so he invited the choir to visit his Ward at the Hospital, without, it should be said, the prior approval of the Hospital Authorities. Arrangements were well in hand but the invitation was not fulfilled as there was "some doubt as to whether the Glee Section would be admitted".

The appointment of Eurwyn Griffiths as Club Captain for the 1970171 season established a Club record by his being selected to this office for three consecutive seasons. The Wanderers again extended their sporting horizons when in early 1963, they formed a swimming club. This, of course, was made possible by the opening of the Jubilee Pool shortly before. In fact, so popular was this new venture in the Club that the Wanderers decided to donate a trophy to the Llanelli Amateur Swimming Club to be competed for amongst its members. The 1976/77 season is another when a try scoring record was established when Michael Morgan, yet another wing threequarter, ran in for 5 tries for the 1st XV against Penlan, and success came to the Wanderers seven-a-side squad when they won the plate competition at the District G competition.

Llanelli Cricket Club

This urge to spread their wings was not the outcome of any split with the Y.M.C.A. The matter was thoroughly discussed and agreed that the team should become a Club in its own right instead of an agency of the Y.M.C.A. So what had been a dream for several years became reality. The Club again extended its sporting activities, this time in darts matches against Mumbles and Carmarthen Athletic. 1962 was also the year of the Club's third Triennial Dinner. Little is recorded of the first two. The Triennial Dinner is a phenomenon which, as its title suggests, occurs every three years. The night of the Triennial Dinner is a very special one in the Wanderers social calendar. It never fails in attracting notable guests and civic dignitaries, in 1962 these being John Faull, Ken Harries and J. B. G. Thomas. While playing for Carmarthen Quins, he was capped for Wales Youth and was then spotted by Welsh giants, Llanelli. The advantages of such an arrangement to the premier club was that it would establish a source of reserve talent and eliminate difficulties that often confronted the Scarlets when selected players withdrew at short notice. It was at the first General Meeting of the Club on 16th April, 1951 that it was agreed that the Club colours be Maroon with a 'W' on a white shield and that the following would serve as a Committee: Messrs. H. D. Evans; Cliff Jones; W. Rees; H. Rowe; H. R. Thomas and R. E. Williams, with the following serving on the Selection Committee: A. Lewis and G. R. Wilson. Team Secretary: Reg Bayliss. A similar situation soon followed when the Wanderers 'A' XV entered the Llanelli and District Junior Union competitions also in season 1978/79.

Terry Davies; leuan Jones; G. Morris; A1un Thomas; ]. Howells; Eifion Thomas; Frank Davies; G. Lee; B. Lloyd; Keri J ones; R. H. Williams; Keith Row1ands; John Leleu; Harry Thomas and P. Williams, The 1964/65 season saw the 'A' XV achieve a success rate of over 50% for the first time in their comparatively short existence. The skipper of the first XV, in this season, Gareth Morris, played a true captains role in playing in all 45 first team matches. Notable achievements continued on the field of play with the Club taking the two year ground record of Bridgend Sports Club in December 1955. Further honours were bestowed on four more of the Club's players in 1955/56 season when Ieuan Jones and Howell Morgan were selected to tour South Africa by the Welsh Secondary Schools Rugby Union, FI.Off. Ian McPherson who was serving at the R.A.F. Camp was selected for the Scottish Rugby Union trial matches and K. Pullham was selected for the Welsh Youth trials.Honours continued to grace the Wanderers when three of its members represented the Royal Navy in the same match. They were Hywel Griffiths, Alan Harries and Hugh Prosser Jones. This memorable event occurred in the 1952/53 season and the Club proudly boasts this event as being a record for a second class club. Such was the popularity of the Wanderers that it had become necessary to form a second team in season 1960/61. Under the inspired leadership of Dennis Shanahan, they played their first match at Tumble coming away victors by 6 pts. to nil.