Sportingwales 8

WELCOME TO
SPORTINGWALES
The Ashes Test in Cardiff summed it up for me. All the build up was doom and
gloom, with plenty of fears expressed of potential national shame – but actually it
went very well indeed.
What is it about some sections of Welsh sport that the desire is to knock and ﬁ nd fault – there are plenty of
others looking to do just that without offering any help.
Again the Ashes Test was another perfect example of just that with loads of people queuing up to slaughter
the decision to play the ﬁ rst game in Cardiff.
They arrived ready to bury the SWALEC Stadium, but left having had to praise it. My ire was raised by a
radio commentator spending the ﬁ rst day saying it had all gone very well, but what if it was all very boring on
day ﬁ ve. In other words, he had not found anything factual to criticise, but so he spouted imagined problems
instead.
Well, day ﬁ ve was thrilling, nerve-tingling Test cricket at its best with every forward defensive being cheered to
the rafters. Ultimately it decided a thrilling Ashes Series.
The Cardiff Test was a great success in bringing Test cricket to a new live audience who have been excluded by
the historical carve up which has excluded Wales and the West of England.
It was great to walk round and see so many faces of people you would never normally see at a Test match.
One person walking round meeting up with old friends, as well as doing the day job, was former Glamorgan
captain Hugh Morris, now the managing director of England cricket.
We hear from Hugh in these pages. His is a remarkable story, a former Test cricketer who has risen to the top
Editor: of the game while last year he was given the all-clear after suffering throat cancer.
Hamish Stuart
Art Director: The latest Welsh sportsman to go through this huge battle with cancer is John Hartson – everyone’s best
Paul P Bailey wishes go out to Big John and his family.
Photography:
Steve Pope There is the usual wide range of sporting stories to be found the pages of this latest edition of Sporting Wales.
Advertising Sales Manager:
Wayne McAuliffe
As always it is thanks to our sponsors and advertisers who allow us to make this magazine so widely available
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and free to you – the readers. They are quality backers of a quality product.
staff and contributors Contributors:
Gary Baker
If you struggle to get a copy of the magazine, we know they are snapped up pretty quickly, then there is no
Roger Hughes
need to miss out – subscribe online through www.sportingwales.net . You will also see details of our new
Richard Thomas
Facebook site in these pages.
Jane Williams
Sarah Mogford
There is plenty of good in Welsh sport – we aim to reﬂ ect it here.
Contributing Photographers:
Andrew Fosker
Hamish@sportingwales.com
Stu Forster Getty Images
James Davies
©Sportingwales 2009
Huw Evans Picture Agency
All rights reserved.
Publisher:
Editors Message
No part of this publication may be reproduced, transmitted or recorded in any form or by any means without prior written permission
SportingWales
from the publisher.
Managing Director:
While the publishers believe that all information contained in this publication was correct at the time of printing, they can accept no
Steve Pope liability for any inaccuracies that may appear.
SW
Accounts Manager:
4
John Pope
Contact: info@sportingwales.com Tel: 01633 410450
sportingwales
issue8twothousand&nine
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