When the new cricket season began in Pembrokeshire a notable absentee was Haverfordwest's talented all-rounder Ajay Revu, who has moved to Leicester to continue his work as a doctor.

Originally from Hyderabad, in India, Ajay has graced local cricket since he moved to our county in 2006 and joined The Town, starting off in the second team before becoming a first team regular and not only featuring in league and cup cricket but was one of the star performers in the club's indoor team which battled all the way to the National Finals at Lord's, a day he says he will never forget!

Unforgettable day at Lord’s

"Although I was due to move to Leicester I made sure that I travelled up with the rest of the team and supporters on a bus from the club - and although we didn't quite manage to come back with the title at least we could say we lost to the eventual winners.

"The guided tour around Lord's was brilliant and there was such great camaraderie that all the way home we sang songs, although I didn't know a word of any of them!"

"It was great to play alongside Danny Potter, Ben Field, Huw Scriven, Nigel Delaney and Simon Holliday, and I will miss having them and others as team mates at Haverfordwest, plus all the cricketers I have got to know in Pembrokeshire!"

Early start in Hyderabad, using a piece of wood and a ball made of nylon pieces!

Playing at the home of cricket at Lord's was a very far cry from his start in cricket, when he was about seven and his father Balaraju used to bowl to him on the road outside their home. Joining them was Ajay's brother Anil, who still plays in the Leicester League for Anstey CC and last year was given their 'best bowler' award.

Before long he was joining others of his age, still in the road because there wasn't much traffic, using small planks of wood because they didn't have bats, and a rubber ball or pieces of plastic rolled up into a ball and secured by strong elastic!

Improvised games were great fun

Eventually they were old enough to club together for a bat, and there was also a single bat for their class in school, and he and his pals lived and breathed the game.

"We improvised games against other groups where the wicket was the church door and if we hit the ball to leg and it went on the nearby railway line we were out - so perhaps that is why I learned to use my feet and play straight from that early age!

"I finally played my first full game, on a pitch, when I was 15, with a real bat but an old cork ball which hurt if it hit you. I was playing against Anil's friend, who was a fast bowler, and when I hit him for three boundaries in an over he told my father that I was certainly one to watch for the future!

"At this time I also found I could swing the ball a lot with my left-arm deliveries and Anil gave me lots of advice, sometimes not asked for - and pretty soon I was regarded as an all-rounder, rather than just a batsman who was an excellent fielder, who took lots of catches at silly point or long off.

Recovering from a family disaster

"But then came a family disaster when my father Balaraju died at the age of 42 and I decided that cricket would have to take a back seat so that I could study hard and eventually become a bread-winner for my family.

"There was a huge list of students who wanted to study medicine at the Osmania Medical College in Hyderabad and I was successful at my second attempt - and was delighted when I arrived there to discover they had a great reputation with regard not only to medicine but for their cricket teams!"

Success in medical college cricket

Ajay was made captain of the first year team in 1996 and joined his friend Ravi Kanth as they beat the students from the intakes of 1992 through to 1995 to show their ability - as well as winning the inter-medical colleges competition against all-comers.

In his final season it looked as if Ajay's team would win the silverware again as he hit back-to-back centuries in the quarter and semi-finals - but whilst he was compiling 47 on the big day someone changed the batting order and they fell apart to lose by 26 runs.

Bright start in the UK

It was in his final year in college that Ajay sustained a shoulder injury and tried spin bowling so as not to damage his shoulder any further and it worked a treat when he came to this country in 2003 and played for an Asian team in the Midlands called the 'British International Doctors' Association'.

Ajay also played for Old Edwardians Cricket Club in Sutton Coalfield and in one match they chased 260 to win on 50 overs and after opening the batting he set them off in chasing down such a big score with his innings of 136 runs.

Loved cricket in our county

He had quite a few five-wicket hauls with his slow stuff and also bowled well when he came to Pembrokeshire and settled in with The Town, fully supported by his wife Sarita, who knows how much the game means to him.

"I played my first final, the Alec Colley Cup for second teams, and claimed four and three wickets in the respective innings, as well as scoring quite a few runs - and it was a very nice surprise when I was given the 'Man of the Match' trophy.

"I also enjoyed a game against Whitland where we had to chase 236 to win and after opening the batting and reaching 111 it was unlucky for me because as I went for a second run the ball was thrown in from fine leg and a direct hit had me run out by two feet - but at least we won the match because Avron Roulstone bowled well and skipper Richard Scriven also grabbed his share of the runs."

Indoor success and mutual admiration

It was perhaps appropriate that Ajay's final appearance for Haverfordwest should be in indoor cricket because he produced several match-winning performances in winning the county title and then moving on to the regional and zone finals, principally with his swing bowling that was described by skipper Danny Potter as 'quite superb'.

The admiration is mutual because Ajay told us that he had met so many gentlemen of cricket who were also excellent players in Haverfordwest, like Mr Potter, Ben Field, Dai Davies, Huw Scriven and Simon Holliday, plus many other team mates and opponents.

Ajay has also enjoyed his weekly games of tennis with Eddie Bunston, who helps out in football at Haverfordwest County, and he is also a more than useful badminton player.

This current cricket season will see Ajay Revu playing back with brother Anil for Anstey Cricket Club in Leicester and is sure to create that special aura of happiness that he seems to bring to his play - and we wish him a belated 'bon voyage' and thanks for gracing our summer sport during his stay in Pembrokeshire!