Talented Players

In 2011 we have no less than 26 boys selected to play in the Welsh Squads from Under 11 to Under 17; this amounts to around one-quarter of the total. We also have 16 representatives (again one quarter of the total) in the girls and ladies squads from Under 11 to Under 17.  This year the Wales Emerging Excellence Programme was launched for young cricketers who show the potential to get to the First Class level of the game.  Of the ten inaugural members, seven come from Gwent.  They are: Lewis Coates, Matthew Jones, Jamie Norman, Lauren Parfitt, Harry Powell, Callum Reid and Naomi Williams-Wadley.

Boys

Under 11 - Ryan Avery (Croesyceiliog), Robert Clarke (Newport), Sam Hope-Bell (Newport)

Under 12 - Ryan Ward (Malpas) 

Under 13 -  William Davey (Croesyceiliog), Luc Kear (Croesyceiliog),  Huw Morris (Newport), James Jacob (Croesyceiliog), Jamie Norman (Llanarth), James Scarborough (Croesyceiliog), Robert Williams (Newport)

Under 14 - Gareth Ansell (Chepstow), Luke Harris (Newport), Matthew Jones (Newport), George Lewis (Llanarth), Jack Thorpe-Yon (Newport), Ben Wellington (Newbridge)

Under 15 - Marc Lezar (Rogerstone), Matthew Nash (Ebbw Vale),  Stuart Roberts (Pentyrch)

Under 17 - Tom Baker (Blackwood), Callum Herring (Blackwood), Cameron Herring (Tredegar), Jake Kings (Chepstow), Harry Powell (Newport), Callum Reid (Croesyceiliog), Simon Veall (Crumlin)

Five of the seventeen England-qualified players who are playing for Glamorgan CCC in 2011 learnt their cricket in Gwent.  They are: David Harrison (Panteg), Mark Wallace (Abergavenny), Mike Powell (Abergavenny), Huw Waters (Newport/Usk) and Will Bragg (Malpas).  In addition, John Glover (Panteg) has been given a Development Contract.  Six were selected for the Glamorgan Academy: Imran Hassan (Newport), John Glover (Panteg), Jon Denning (Abergavenny), Tom Baker (Blackwood), Cameron Herring (Tredegar) and Max Scarr (Newport).  Huw Waters, David and Adam Harrison, and Mark Wallace are all Gwent Young Cricketers who have played for England Under 19s. 

Girls

Under 11 - Amy Harris (Newport Girls), Sophie Osborn (Newport Girls),  Charlotte Scarborough (Croesyceiliog & Newport Girls), Megan Simkins (Newport Fugitives & Newport Girls), Jessica Thornton (Newport Girls)

Under 13 - Izzie Berry (Newport Girls), Harriet Coates (Pentyrch), Laura Dixon (Newport Girls), Rose Evans (Newport Girls), Georgia Parfitt (Croesyceiliog & Newport Girls ), Ellis Pheasant (Croesyceiliog & Newport Girls ), Nicole Reid (Croesyceiliog & Newport Girls ), Christina Shaw (Rogerstone)

Under 15 - Emily Pardington (Newport Girls),  Ffion Wynne (Newport Girls)

Under 17 - Lauren Parfitt (Croesyceiliog),  Ffion Wynne (Newport Girls)

Lauren Parfitt was introduced to cricket at a young age through watching her dad and uncles play for the local team, Pentwyn, during the summer season.  She started playing, at 10,  for the Croesyceiliog U11 team which was predominantly a boys team.  Spotted in a league match by the Gwent Girls manager, Ted Tipper, she was invited to the Colwall Festival with Gwent Girls in the summer of 2004 and took 3 wickets for 11 runs in her first game.  The following year she was selected for the Wales under 13’s, at the age of 11, and against Herefordshire scored 58 not out and took the first 5 wickets, clean bowling 4 and running out the 5^th!  A year later, she scored 86 against Northants and continued to take wickets on a regular basis.  By the time she was 13 she had been selected to play in the Under 13, 15 and 17 Wales squads and even for the women’s senior squad and opened the batting and the bowling on numerous occasions.

In 2008/9 she was invited to the Junior Super 2’s in Brighton where she had the opportunity to play and train with some of the most talented players in the country whilst being watched by England selectors. She was then invited to the Super 4s at Wellington College in 2009.

The 2009 season saw Lauren's hard work and dedication pay off by scoring her first ever century at Gowerton CC. At the end of this successful season Lauren was invited to tour South Africa with the England U19s Development Squad at the age of just 15!