Steffan James returned to Whitland from Australia in May after spending some time playing cricket 'Down Under' and also starting out in a new sport as he put his undoubted rugby skills learned with The Borderers by playing Australian Rules football.

His chance to play cricket in the Southern Hemisphere came almost by chance as a friend of his named Gareth Ansell from Chepstow (but whose father Barry was a top wicketkeeper/batsman with Carew in his younger days) told him that he was going out to play for a team in Victoria State - and after a very short time thinking about it decided it would also be a worthwhile chance for him.

Cricket played for the fire brigade!

His offer of a regular game came from the unlikely-sounding Kyabram Fire Brigade team which plays in the Goulburn Murray Region, about two hours’ drive north of Melbourne, who sorted out his flight tickets, a place to stay and a job during his stay there with John Deere Tractors.

"The cricket season out there lasts from October to March and games are played over consecutive Saturdays,” Steffan told us, “with a maximum of 80 overs per team, so it demands real concentration and not giving your wicket away because it can be another three weeks before you get another chance to bat.

Good performances in the heat . . .

"Where we have games sometimes cancelled because of rain in this country," he said, “out there games are more often cancelled by extreme heat because there is a league rule that if the temperature reaches 40 degrees centigrade no play can take place!"

Steff produced some useful batting performances that included a half century and a five-wicket haul in the regional T20 cup competition quarter final and back-to back 70s in the next round and a league encounter.

They eventually reached the final, played in front of a very large crowd, but unfortunately they lost.
"But it was a great experience and our supporters were fantastic in trying to keep us going and I hope one day to go back there to play again."

Steffan also played Australian cricket for another team called Moama, which was just over the New South Wales border, and would say that his cricket has definitely developed from his Aussie experience.

. . . And great games to watch as well!

He was also lucky to watch some amazing top-class cricket in Australia.
"I watched the Boxing Day test between Australia and West Indies at Melbourne Cricket Ground and I have never before seen such an immense crowd, all in party mood.

"But even more exciting was the fact that I was able to watch the 'Big Bash' match between the Melbourne  Stars and Renegades in front of a crowd of 85,000 at the same venue on a Friday night - it would be great if we had that sort of atmosphere for cricket in the UK.

"On the very next day I flew to Sydney to watch the test match there between the Aussies and the West Indies so I was delighted to be able to fit it all in."
 

Exciting new sport – Aussie Rules!

His new sport started because a number of his cricketing colleagues were ardent Australian Rules football and he went along to watch a game that he said resembled all-in wrestling with an oval ball.

"There is an oval pitch and there are four upright posts at each end, with six points allocated for a shot that went between the two central uprights and a point for a shot either side, signalled by an official dressed in a white coat (like a cricket umpire), a white trilby hat and a white flag to signal points scored.

"I said I would like to give it a try and before I knew it I was training with Kyabram Bombers, and pretty soon playing my first game for them in a squad of 22 that has 18 players on the pitch at any one time, with regular changes allowed from those on the bench.

"I was thrilled that I kicked a six-pointer in my first game and also played a couple of local derbies in front of very noisy supporters who made it clear whose side they were on for the four quarters of 20 minutes apiece."

Rugby in school – and a spot of singing too!

It was undoubtedly Steffan's rugby-playing experience that helped in his new sport because he had previously played from the time he was in Ysgol Dyffryn Taf and played outside half, under the watchful eye of teachers Graham and Geraint Evans, which won the Carmarthenshire Schools' competition at under nine level and he played when they took on Pembrokeshire champions STP and won by 50 points.

During his time at Ysgol Dyffryn Taf he was also honoured to be head boy and showed that his talents spread beyond the sporting fields as he helped the school celebrate its 25th anniversary by taking the lead role in their musical presentation of 'Les Miserables".

A Borderer through and through

Back on the rugby front, Steffan then played for a Whitland youth team coached by John 'Hogg' Davies that beat Pembroke in the Griffiths Cup Final but lost in another season to their counterparts from Crymych.

He made his senior debut for The Borderers just a week after his 18th birthday in an away match at Amman United and scored a last-gasp try that secured a losing bonus point - and did really well for the rest of that campaign as he wore the No 10 shirt with distinction against some very tough opposition.

Family matters . . .

That he should be a good sports player should come as no surprise because his father Meirion was a useful scrum half for Whitland in his younger days and brother Dan has played in goal for Haverfordwest County at youth level and now with Carew FC, as well as being a useful cricketer, with mum Carys ever-ready to ferry her boys around after they both set out playing in the family garden at their home at Pengawse Farm, just outside Whitland.

Another treat for Steffan over recent years has been the fact that he has enjoyed being the dressing room attendant with test matches at the Swalec Stadium, after previously doing work experience there thanks to former Cresselly and Glamorgan player Dan Cherry.

An amazing part-time job

He started two years ago with two Glamorgan games in the T20 Blast and then for the one-day international between England and India, where his role is to look after the kit and anything else needed by the players, who are very nice and no trouble to be involved with.

"Then I had seven days for The Ashes' game, starting with the practice days and although I don't have time to watch all the play it was a real treat to occasionally go out onto the balcony to see the amazing crowds below.”

Throughout the summer months Steffan has been playing cricket alongside ex-Llangwm batsman Steve Inwards for Carmarthen Wanderers against the likes of Panteg, Penarth, Miskin Manor, Ynystawe and St Fagans.
"It is a good quality of cricket," he told us, “and we did well to come fifth."

So now it's off to College to study Sports Business and he will hope to be involved in both cricket and rugby at Leeds Beckett University for the next three years - and another visit to Australia as soon as possible after that.

There's one thing for sure - whatever happens in his sport Steffan James will continue to take part with his absolute commitment and high skill levels as a true son of Hendy Gwyn a'r Daf!