Pembroke County Cricket Club chairman Trefor Evans.

The members and clubs affiliated to the Pembroke County Cricket Club have just elected a new chairman for a three-year term and the new incumbent, Trefor Evans, has a proven track record, both as player and administrator.

Trefor is very much a Whitland man but since he stepped down from playing he took up umpiring 13 years ago. He has earned a reputation as a solid, no-nonsense official who likes to get on with the job and who has built up a rapport with players who recognise his calm, unflurried approach.

He has been on the committee of the Pembrokeshire Association of Cricket Umpires and Scorers for the best part of a decade, been its treasurer for nine years, helped Dave Brandon train new umpires for three years and has taken over as training officer for a similar spell.

It is a similar story on the executive committee of the Pembroke County Cricket Club where he was elected seven years ago and has just completed a three-year stint as vice-chairman to Dai Morris, taking over the reins last month at the annual general meeting.

Ask Trefor about his hopes for his spell in charge and he provides an unequivocal answer: "I want clubs to look after their young players and nurture their talents. There is always a temptation to keep senior players too long but look at clubs like St Ishmaels and they are showing the real way forward.

"Some clubs need to work at developing their off-field facilities, especially with regard to nets and training. Pitches have improved under the watchful eye of Brian James and now clubs need to keep pushing forward.

"I want clubs to play their cricket in the right spirit. I was very competitive on the pitch but always tried to be fair - and it is my hope that I won't have to chair a disciplinary committee meeting during my three years."

Trefor started his playing days in Pembrokeshire when he started out his teaching career in Whitland and was asked to play for the second team that was newly started by Dr Roy Allen. They set out in division four and Trefor played for Whitland until he stepped down with a view to taking up umpiring.

In his time at the club he served as treasurer and chairman for a while, and is currently the club's child welfare officer, and is immensely proud of the strides made by the club, on the pitch with a young team and off it with their superb clubhouse, new nets, sight screens and scoreboard.

"That is down to the quality of the people in the club. We have some superb workers and the women in the club are really great supporters in all we try to do."

On the pitch, Trefor captained Whitland first XI in 1995 and was second team skipper for several years as a medium pace bowler and occasional batsman.

He is very proud of his only half century, which came late in his career against a touring side, and his best bowling analysis was a 7 for 16 haul against Pembroke Dock.

He had his share of five and six-wicket hauls and claimed 6 for 7 against Johnstown in a friendly, with no fewer than three hat-tricks as a bonus. The last of these came after he had stopped playing regularly, but played in Cork during a tour of Ireland, where he came on to grab three wickets in three balls, just to show the youngsters how it was done!

As an umpire, Trefor has officiated on two occasions at the Harrison-Allen Bowl, firstly alongside Malcolm Mills in 2001, when Lawrenny beat Cresselly, and then in 2006, with Dave Brandon as his umpiring partner, when Cresselly beat Haverfordwest.

Trefor would readily admit to being a very keen all-round sports fan and he is a regular follower of Whitland RFC, where he was delighted to be vice-chairman and then chairman for a three-year period, as well as being their press secretary for the first five years of national leagues. He has also been heavily involved in junior union rugby, having been treasurer there for 27 years, as well as stints as chairman and president.

But it is cricket which is going to keep him even busier for the next three years and he is ready for the challenges ahead, looking forward to visiting clubs and watching as many play as possible. One only has to talk to Trefor for a short while to see his total commitment and Pembroke-shire Sports Monthly can safely say that the Pembroke County Cricket Club is in good hands with Trefor Evans at the helm!

2:58pm Tuesday 8th April 2008

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