YOUNG cricketers at Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools proved a bit hit with Pembrokeshire schoolchildren when they used their skills and knowledge to deliver fun and engaging outreach coaching to pupils.

The under-13 girls’ and boys’ cricket teams planned and put on a fun-packed one-hour session at Narberth Community Primary School, during a hugely successful three-day tour.

It was the second time that boys and girls had travelled to West Wales together for a cricket tour; the success of these joint trips augurs well for the launch of the new Haberdashers’ Monmouth co-educational school in September 2024.

During the coaching session, the children covered a range of cricketing skills, including how to warm up properly for cricket; bowling; batting; catching; throwing, and fielding.

This proved a big hit with the Pembrokeshire schoolchildren, who particularly enjoyed the batting activity.

The tour party was based at St Davids and the coaching sessions, which built up new friendships and developed the pupils’ confidence and organisational skills, were among the many highlights of the trip, which included fixtures against representative sides.

The children from Monmouth appreciated the beautiful West Wales countryside and coast, the opportunities to work together during the outreach session and to socialise together in the evenings.

The under-13 pupils at Monmouth School for Boys opened the tour against Cricket Wales South Under-13 Performance at Port Talbot; played Cricket Wales West Under-13 at Cresselly and then met Cricket Wales South under-13 Development at Porthcawl.

They won two of the three matches; the boys’ individual performances and teamwork improved noticeably as the tour went on.

The under-13 pupils at Monmouth School for Girls played Cricket Wales South Girls at Briton Ferry; they then played against Cricket Wales West Girls at Narberth and met Cricket Wales South Under-13 Girls Development at Cowbridge.

The girls put in strong performances in all three fixtures and improved their all-round cricketing skills and knowledge.

The pupils were excellent ambassadors for Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools.

One of the local match umpires said that his “faith in humanity had been restored” after supervising a closely contested game, played in an excellent spirit.