29th January

2012 South Wales Premier League panel comprises
John Dye
Simon Green
John Furnham
Lyn Hall
Ken Hembrow
Mike Harries
Mike Holcombe
Steve Kuhlman
Mostyn Lovett
Robert Miles
Dean Price
Bob Szpadt
John Schofield
Rajni Shah
Richard Thomas
Peter Williams

16th January

Llanelli & District AGM

Derek Rees continues as chairman. Richard Lewis replaces Ken James as secretary. Website contact details amended.

6th January

Swansea & District AGM

John Hunt and Trevor Jones continue as chairman and secretary respectively.
John Edmondson appointed treasurer.

31st December

John Owen's funeral will be on Tuesday 10th January 2pm @ St Peter's Church, Goetre.

The church is situated just outside the village of Goetre (signposted Goytre), to the east of the A4042 between Pontypool to Abergavenny.

Google Maps link.

30th December

We are deeply sorry to report that John Owen died earlier today at St Anne's Hospice in Newport at the age of 80. He had been seriously ill for some considerable time.

John's playing career began with Pilkingtons CC in Pontypool but he later moved to Usk Cricket Club. During his time at Usk CC he served in a number of capacities with the club and found time to join the administration of the former Three Counties League.

He moved into umpiring and after himself qualifying via the ACU&S became both a local and regional instructor. Many of the current umpiring fraternity in South East Wales learnt their craft by attending John's courses at Panteg House.

John was the Welsh representative on the ACU&S Education committee until the Association was wound up and he became the first Regional Education Officer for Wales when the ECBACO took over, only resigning from that post at the end of 2010 when his health began seriously to fail.

His services to cricket did not stop there. He was also the secretary of the South Wales Cricket League (or the Glam & Mon as it was renamed) and served as the ACO's regional appointments officer until the end of the 2010 season.

As reported below, the ACO recently awarded him life membership, an honour of which he was hugely appreciative.

John will be remembered for his unfailing courtesy, his quiet efficiency, and his enormous contribution to the administration of cricket in Wales. We mourn his passing.

30th December

The 2012 SWPCL match regs are now available via their website here

The 2012 SWCA match regs are now available via their website here

22nd November

We are very pleased to report that John Owen, tutor and training officer for Wales under both ACU&S and ACO regimes, has been awarded honorary life membership of the ACO. The certificate was collected from Lords at the recent AGM and will be handed to John shortly. Congratulations to an outstanding servant of cricket in general and umpiring in particular.

The award was presented to him by Mike Rouse and Richie Thomas on behalf of the ACO.

29th October

We regret to report that Derek Dennis passed away on 22nd October. Derek was well known to the umpiring fraternity in South Wales. He was a former first class umpire.

For many years he stood in the SWCA and was mentor and tutor to a large number of the membership. In recent years, after retiring from onfield duties, he was trainer to the Swansea branch. He was often to be seen on Saturday afternoons on the boundary at Ynystawe and Clydach, immaculately and stylishly turned out. Words of wisdom were always forthcoming at teatime and, occasionally, a gentle prod if he felt that an umpire wasn't quite getting it right. Derek was always a great exponent of Law 43.

He moved back to Berkshire in 2010 to be near his family. However, he kept in touch and was often on the phone asking how people were progressing and for news generally.

A true gentleman. We will miss him.

Funeral is at Slough Crematorium,Stoke Rd, Slough SL2 5AX at 12:30pm on Wednesday 2nd November. Family flowers only. Donations to British Heart Foundation c/o E. Sargeant & Son, Funeral Directors, 40 Church Street, Slough SL1 1PJ.

5th September

Tom Smith's 4th Edition available post free from Amazon for £8.79