Jim Watkins has played since childhood and is now set to play for his country in a World Cup
A PENTYRCH cricketer has been picked for the Wales squad in the Over 60s Cricket World Cup set for Brisbane, Australia, in September 2022.
The tournament will feature sides from Wales, Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Canada, South Africa, India, Zimbabwe and West Indies.
It was due to be played in 2020, but the pandemic has delayed it. The Welsh team will feature cricketers from across many different clubs.
Jim Watkins, 65, of Caerphilly, who worked for the Inland Revenue, has played cricket most of his life.
“I started off playing the game in the backyard when I was seven, my dad made my first bat out of an old railway sleeper,” said Mr Watkins.
In 1969, during his teenage years, and playing for Caerphilly Grammar School, he helped his side to the Cardiff and District schools championship.
“I just loved the fielding, I used to run around like a dog,” said Mr Watkins.
However, it was during this period he found where he belonged was not out in the field, but behind the stumps.
Mr Watkins said: “There were a lot of talented people in that side like Alan Lewis, he was the wicketkeeper, but he went away on a Lions rugby tour to South Africa in 1974.”
“When he no longer played for us, I was thrown this pair of gloves and that was the start of me being a wicketkeeper.”
Working at the IRS limited his ability to play cricket but his desire to continue playing was met when a friend who worked nearby invited him to play for a side he was setting up.
Formerly called Caerphilly Parish Cricket Club, the revamped Caerphilly Premier Cricket Club was Mr Watkins’ way of playing the game he loved on his weekends.
He said: “Rather than buy all new kit on it with different initials, he just changed the name to Caerphilly Premier to keep the same kit. It was very club cricket.”
After two decades playing for local sides, Jim Watkins was invited to play for Pentyrch Cricket Club in 1992 as they needed a wicketkeeper.
Over the next decade, Mr Watkins helped his club to plenty of success in the South Wales Cricket Association leagues.
In 2001, he helped Pentyrch Cricket Club win the first division of the South Wales CA.
“We beat them all, even the elite of St Fagans, Cardiff and Usk,” said Mr Watkins.
Alex Wharf, who went on to play 13 One-Day International matches for England as a fast-bowler, was involved with the Pentyrch CC side at the time.
“When I was keeping wicket to Wharfy as he was running in, I thought how am I going to fare here, but I absolutely loved it,” said Mr Watkins.
“I had found where I wanted to stay, I’m there now.”
In the batting department, he played alongside Matthew Maynard who played for Glamorgan professionally and was able to get some test caps for England.
In 2005, when Mr Watkins was nearing his 50th birthday, he and his wife of 24 years, Kim Watkins, had a plan to travel to Australia to visit family.
Mrs Watkins said: “If you get injured before we go then that’s your own fault.”
In what appeared to be his last season before retiring from the game at 50, Jim Watkins broke his finger during a game.
“The following day was Kim’s birthday, and we spent the whole day in A&E,” said Mr Watkins.
Nevertheless, this did not scupper their plans and they went off to Australia for three months in early 2006.
During his time in Sydney, Mr Watkins met up with a friend from Pentyrch CC.
“I was in a bar, and he asked if I wanted to carry on playing and after a few drinks I decided I would go for it,” he said..
So, during his 50s, Jim Watkins played for Pentyrch CC seconds and began playing for the Wales over 50s team who played against professional counties’ senior teams.
During this period he was also playing for The Forty Club, a nomadic cricket club without a home ground who always play away. In 2015, the Forty Club toured the UAE and Sri Lanka.
“We were off to play 11 cricket games in 17 days and to enjoy the delights of these countries,” wrote Mr Watkins in the 2015 Pentyrch Cricket Club yearbook.
This tour saw them playing a floodlit game at the Dubai Sport City stadium which has seen many international matches.
Additionally, they played at the former school of Sri Lankan spin bowling great, Muttiah Muralitharan.
At the Forty Club, Mr Watkins also travelled to Barbados in 2017, despite a torn cartilage that put him out of the English summer season that year.
Then, when Mr Watkins was 59 he began playing for the Wales over 60s team as their token youngster.
“You’re allowed only one 59-year-old in the over 60s and that was me,” said Mr Watkins.
The over 60s team compete against many counties across the country in the seniors’ leagues.
Since 2016, he has helped the side win two England and Wales Cricket Board National Championships.
Now, Mr Watkins and the rest of the Wales side are aiming to raise funds and seek sponsorship for their trip to Brisbane in September as it all needs to be self-funded.
Pentyrch Cricket Club secretary Alan Siddall said: “Jim has been a member of the club for 30 years and we are all really pleased of what is an amazing achievement.
“We are all so proud of him and will be supporting him when he’s out there.”
Mr Watkins continues to play for the Pentyrch CC second team and feels too young to retire.
For information on the Wales over 60 team for the World Cup click here.
To sponsor the team for the World Cup, click click here.
