As most of you will be aware I am standing down at the next AGM after sixteen years on the committee, having had the privilege and pleasure of being Chairman for the last eleven years. I must take this opportunity of thanking club officials and fellow management committee members for their support during that time.
The Association has changed over the years, the standard of ground facilities has certainly improved whilst perhaps the standard of play in the top divisions hasn’t due to the curtailing of overseas players and less players coming in from other leagues. It is a fact however that this has given our home-grown talent more opportunities which should be good for our cricket in the long term. The main purpose of a local cricket club after all is to provide opportunities to local cricketers to enjoy this wonderful game of ours.
With the number of clubs in the SWCA now having dropped to 46 it was great to see the fourth and fifth division clubs coming up with their own solution to the problem which will give them a full 18 match league program this coming season. Hopefully this sort of inspired approach will help deal with any problems of this sort that may arise in future.
Last season Pontarddulais won the Championship of the SWCA taking the Dan Radcliffe Trophy and Swansea won the Andrew James Knox knockout cup beating Llangennech in the final. In congratulating the winners of each division and commiserating with relegated teams lets remember that enjoying the game is what matters most.
Like everyone else in Welsh Cricket I was thrilled with James Harries’ exploits for Glamorgan, it was a fairy tale start for him in county cricket and brings honour to his club and the SWCA as a whole. I’m sure we’d all like to wish him well for the future.
The First Division ‘Batsman of the year’ award for 2007 went to Mel Williams (Briton Ferry Steel C.C.) for scoring 667 runs and the First Division ‘Bowler of the year’ award for 2007 went to Stuart Phelps (Port Talbot Town C.C.) for taking 38 wickets.
Only one disciplinary hearing last season thankfully continues the improvement to this aspect of our game but the continuing drop in availability of umpires is worrying and if anyone has ideas to help the situation please contact us.
Looking to the future, the new ground assessment marking system will be a challenge to clubs to continue to pressurise for improvements in playing surfaces and increased use of the internet will give the Secretary the means to provide a faster and improved administration of the League in which all Clubs are asked to play their part.
The League tour to the West Indies next Jan/Feb is all set, the players who will represent us are:-

Steve Barwick & Rhun Wilson (Briton Ferry Steel C.C.), Ashley Pass, Matthew Roberts & Daniel Roberts (Pontarddulais C.C.), Nicky Maggs, Kieron Howells & Craig Evans (Ynysygerwn C.C.), Jason Davies & Paul Discombe (Pontardawe C.C.), Paul Rees (Landore C.C.), Andrew Barrett (Dafen C.C.), Ben Edkins (Gowerton C.C.), Dean Cox (Port Talbot Town C.C.), Matthew Fisher (Ammanford C.C.)

Please keep the first Friday in October open for the Presentation Dinner and remember the new rule which will fine any Club not represented at the AGM £60.
Finally our thanks to Andrew James Knox Ltd and Readers Balls for their continued sponsorship and may I wish you all an enjoyable season with reasonable weather.