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Anglesey Aluminium Cricket Club Website |
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History
Anglesey Aluminium first
fielded a Cricket Side in the 70’s but this only operated for few
seasons despite having a potent bowling attack of Don Harris and
Alun Roden. It was the Idea of Adrian
Jones to resurrect the Cricket Club in the late seventies and a team was
introduced to play in friendlies and Rio Tinto inter-company matches.
The better players included Steve Williams (who later represented
the county), Dereck Griffith (an ex county regular), John Mowbary and
Geraint Jones and all the players were employees or relatives to
employees of the company. The
club then joined the Anglesey and Caernarvonshire League as County
Wicketkeeper John Faloon joined the Club from Trearddur Bay. Anglesey Aluminium allowed part of the Penrhos Farm land to be developed
into a pitch and old farm buildings were converted into a pavilion. It
was in 1979 that Mark Turner; MD of Rio Tinto bowled the first ball as
the club competed against Head Office.
The Aluminium Team also played in the Turner Trophy, open to Rio
Tinto Company Teams up and down Britain, with the Anglesey Smelter,
winning the title many times. Employees
playing for other Anglesey Clubs were allowed to play for the smelter
side including Gordon Lyle (Llangefni), Don Harris (Trearddur Bay) and
Selwyn Rees (Llanwyllog and RAF Valley); many became regulars for the
club in later years. It has
to be emphasized that time effort and expertise in developing and
consolidating the club were given by the Committee members Adrian Jones,
John Cook and Brian Spens. In the mid eighties a progressive Youth Policy aided by Selwyn Rees
provided the club with talented youngsters Anthony and Paul Jones (sons
of Secretary Adrian), Richard Lewis and Gareth Rees (son of Selwyn).
Anthony and Paul went on to represent Welsh Universities, with
Paul representing Welsh Schools. In 1984 Anglesey Civil Service amalgamated with the works side and the
club as well as fielding a first side in the Anglesey and
Caernarvonshire League also had a second team competing in the second
division. Stalwart Club
players introduced into the Club included Alun (Fred) Williams, Martyn
Durkan, Phillip Roberts and Paul Langly.
The Side now allowed any member of the Community to play for the
club. The Clubs most successful captain was Elwyn (Llel) Hughes who’s team
won the Gwynedd League, Pike Trophy and Pearson Knockout Cup in 1991.
The club had an array of fast bowlers including Richard Lewis,
Kevin Jones, Celfyn Jones, Suggs, Chris Tilston and Dewi Jones.
Batsman included John Westall, Chris Clowes, Steve Dunne, Gary
Williams and Steve Charlton as well as Paul and Anthony.
Players came from as far a field as Porthmadog and Bangor. Paul Jones took over as first team captain from Llel, to be followed by
Dewi Jones, as the club first team played in the North Wales League and
was aided by batsmen Ian Chipperfield, Quazim Ijaz and Bryn Hughes and
University bowler BJ. In the 80s’s and 90’s the Second 11 finished runners up in the
Gwynedd league in 1987 and 1989, hard working Captains included Alun
Williams, Doug Dumbarton and Gareth Rees. In 1995 Anglesey Aluminium first eleven withdrew from the North
Wales league, as a lot of players from the first and second team moved
away and the club struggled to run one team.
It was left to Dereck Griffith who managed and coached a set of
youngsters that had emerged from Don Harris’s youth team to Compete in
the Gwynedd 2nd division.
These youngsters included Richard Harris, Phillip Westal, Tom
Carter and Peter Parry. The
Club piped Menai Bridge to the second division title in 1998 and was
promoted to the Gwynedd first division. where they competed to the
end of last season. Throughout the 80's and 90's Peter Westall dutifully maintained the pitch to a high standard. All his three sons (twins John and Michael and younger brother Phillip) have turned out for the club and played at a higher level. Phillip still plays today. The Club today has never been as well organised with a structured and hard working Junior Committee, a devoted organiser who combines the the posts of Secretary, Treasurer, Coach and Grounds man and a Junior Coaching Team headed by a Senior Junior Coach. The Club has an excellent wicket, high quality nets, pavilion, tea rooms and score hut. It is hoped soon to have sightscreens and advertising. The Gwynedd League has now been suspended, so the Club has entered the North Wales 5th Division in 2005. The Club is now Captained by Steve Williams and the team consists of a good balance of young and old players. The Junior section is thriving with about 50 members.
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