Talented Sporting Youngsters - Fin Atyeo

Fin’s firing on all cylinders for Haverfordwest

Fin Atyeo is one of the promising young cricketers starting out in senior cricket at Haverfordwest despite being only 15 years old - and he recently showed his promise by being chosen for the first team against Llangwm and he helped them win at Pill Parks as he bowled really well up the slope and had the home batsman being ultra-careful facing his pace, good line and length.

Other sports

But it isn’t only cricket that sports-lover Fin plays because at the time of writing this article he was in the process of getting ready to jet off to Canada with his school pals from Ysgol Caer Elin for a rugby tour where he’ll be playing on the wing for the school in the Toronto area - and with typical honesty says,

“I’m not really a rugby player but I turn out for the school and will enjoy the trip!”

It is football that Fin occupies much of his sporting time with outside the cricket season because he plays for the Haverfordwest County under 16s team which is coached by Steve Batty and he plays in central midfield or as central defence midfielder.

“We play all over the M4 corridor and it’s a good standard but we train hard together and Steve does a great job in coaching us,” Fin told us.

Fin is clearly one to watch at The Ogi Bridge Meadow Stadium because in his football he has already won the coaches’ player and players’ player awards, plus quite a few more when he was a little younger!

In golfing, Fin is the current junior captain at Haverfordwest Golf Club after starting out three years ago because dad Steve was playing there. He hasn’t played much this summer because of his cricket but says when he takes on dad off Fin’s current handicap of 22, he can win a few times - but it doesn’t make his father very happy because he is so competitive!

Family matters . . .

It was only natural that Fin should be a footballer because the Atyeo family is known for its involvement at Prendergast Villa, where his dad Steve was a very good player in defence. Fin played there up until he was in the under 12s, with dad doing some of the coaching - and the football in the family is being continued because his brothers Harri (12) and Iori (9) also play, alongside their cricket and a bit of golf.

And the final analysis, and most important family member is mum Delyth because she not only plays cricket for Haverfordwest CC but organises everyone else but has been a brilliant taxi driver for them all!

In golfing, Fin is the current junior captain at Haverfordwest Golf Club after starting out three years ago because dad Steve was playing there. He hasn’t played much this summer because of his cricket but says when he takes on dad off Fin’s current handicap of 22, he can win a few times - but it doesn’t make his father very happy because he is so competitive!

Cricket is going from strength to strength

Back on the cricket front, Fin played for the county as a nipper after starting out in the under 9 team at Hook but then joined Haverfordwest with his father and hasn’t looked back since.

“Last season I played mainly in the thirds where Danny Dewstowe is a brilliant captain and my father is vice-captain - but I played the last few games in the seconds, where I had lots of help from Simon Williams and James Marchant.

There is obviously mutual respect there because Simon, the club’s head of coaching, told us,

“Fin is finitely an old head on young shoulders as he showed as captain of the under 17 team in cup cricket and almost ran them single-handed.

“He is rapidly improving in all aspects of the game and we hope he will serve Haverfordwest Cricket Club for many years to come.”

Finn told us, “I started out again with the seconds at the start of this year and I took 5 for 19 in eight overs on The Racecourse against Narberth, which is my best set of figures so far - and my top batting is 50 not out - but that was with the school team so it is a bit easier there.”

Recent first-team action

So now Fin has made his break through into first division cricket with The Town but he told us that he was happy to wait so that he plays whenever he is needed there, because he was delighted with the support and advice he has been given there by Ben and Dan Field, Adam James, Mikey Jones and skipper Chris Phillips.

Ben Field, Haverfordwest’s free-scoring batsman, told us,

“Fin played really well and his bowling spell helped us win a vital match. In our most recent game he claimed 2 for 16 and helped us win again - He has an old head on young shoulders, listens to advice and is certainly one to watch for the future of The Town.”

We couldn’t pay Fin any higher compliment and at the moment it is clear that he is happy to just enjoy playing his cricket alongside a range of other sports - and we at PembrokeshireSport.co.uk are confident we will hear lots more about Fin Atyeo in the years to come!