No shortage of wicketkeepers in Wales

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Cameron Herring with Mark Wallace in 2002

A new programme is aiming to ensure Wales continues to produce top-class wicketkeepers.

Cricket Wales’ recently-appointed national wicketkeeping coach, Lee Herring, has completed a series of group sessions for Wales’ young keepers, and has hailed them a huge success.

“The sessions were entirely keeper-specific and covered all age groups, boys and girls,” he explained. “I've no doubt the sessions were a great success as some of the performances I've witnessed already this season have been outstanding. “It's extremely difficult to work with keepers independently at squad sessions due to space and time constraints so these sessions were highly valuable to all who attended.

 “The wicketkeeper is the most important member of the fielding unit, and the lifeblood of the side, but is often unintentionally neglected at training sessions, so we are now working to address that problem.”

Lee is also community coach for Torfaen and Monmouthshire, head coach for Wales Girls u15s, and head coach and wicketkeeper for Newbridge CC in Division 1 of the Glamorgan and Monmouthshire League. “I've been fortunate enough to work with a number of Test Match keepers, and the drills and tips I've picked up from them are invaluable. By passing these tips and drills on to our young keepers at Cricket Wales, it not only improves their skills but also gives them a valuable insight into what the top keepers do day-in, day-out, and how important to a team they are.”

The Cricket Wales youth programme has produced some excellent wicketkeepers. In the recent LV County Championship match between Glamorgan and Gloucestershire in Cardiff, both keepers - Mark Wallace of Glamorgan and Lee’s son, Cameron Herring of Gloucestershire - were graduates of the Cricket Wales ranks.

Several young wicketkeepers from Wales are now involved with  the England development programme, and young keepers are being monitored over the summer to ensure all the pre-season work is successfully transferred into match situations before regular sessions resume in September. 



Mae rhaglen newydd yn anelu at sicrhau bod Cymru’n parhau i gynhyrchu wicedwyr o’r radd flaenaf.

 Mae’r hyfforddwr wicedwyr cenedlaethol, Lee Herring, sydd newydd ei benodi gan Criced Cymru, wedi cwblhau cyfres o sesiynau grwp ar gyfer wicedwyr ifanc Cymru, a oedd, yn ôl Lee, yn llwyddiant aruthrol.

 “Roedd y sesiynau’n gyfan gwbl ar gyfer wicedwyr ac ar gyfer pob grwp oedran, yn fechgyn a merched,” esboniodd.  “Does dim dwywaith bod y sesiynau’n llwyddiant mawr oherwydd mae rhai o’r perfformiadau rwyf wedi’u gweld eisoes y tymor wedi bod yn benigamp.

“Mae’n hynod o anodd gweithio gyda wicedwyr yn annibynnol yn ystod sesiynau sgwad oherwydd prinder amser a lle, felly roedd y sesiynau hyn yn werthfawr iawn i’r rhai a’u mynychodd.

 “Y wicedwr yw aelod pwysicaf yr uned sy’n maesu, ac asgwrn cefn y tîm, ond yn aml caiff ei esgeuluso’n anfwriadol yn ystod sesiynau hyfforddi, felly rydym wrthi’n gweithio i geisio datrys y broblem honno.

” Mae Lee hefyd yn hyfforddwr cymunedol ar gyfer Torfaen a Sir Fynwy, yn brif hyfforddwr Merched Dan 15 Cymru, ac yn brif hyfforddwr a wicedwr Clwb Criced Y Bontnewydd yn Adran 1 Cynghrair Morgannwg a Sir Fynwy.

“Rwyf wedi bod yn ddigon ffodus i weithio gyda nifer o wicedwyr Gemau Prawf, ac mae’r ymarferion a’r cynghorion a gefais ganddyn nhw’n amhrisiadwy.  Trwy’r basio’r cynghorion ac ymarferion hyn ymlaen i wicedwyr ifanc gyda Criced Cymru, gallaf nid yn unig wella’u sgiliau ond rhoi darlun gwerthfawr iddyn nhw o’r hyn mae’r wicedwyr gorau’n ei wneud ddydd ar ôl dydd, a pha mor bwysig ydyn nhw i’r tîm.

” Mae rhaglen ieuenctid Criced Cymru wedi cynhyrchu rhai wicedwyr gwych.  Yn y gêm Bencampwriaeth Sirol LV rhwng Morgannwg a Swydd Gaerloyw yng Nghaerdydd yn ddiweddar, roedd y ddau wicedwr – Mark Wallace, Morgannwg, sef mab Lee, a Cameron Herring o Swydd Gaerloyw – wedi dringo drwy rengoedd Criced Cymru.

Erbyn hyn mae nifer o wicedwyr ifanc o Gymru’n rhan o raglen datblygu Lloegr, ac mae wicedwyr ifanc yn cael eu monitro dros yr haf i sicrhau bod yr holl waith a wnaed cyn dechrau’r tymor yn cael ei drosglwyddo’n llwyddiannus i sefyllfa gêm cyn i’r sesiynau rheolaidd ail-ddechrau ym mis Medi.


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