The first recorded team photograph of Llantwit Fardre Cricket Club was taken in 1908 and the Pontypridd Observer on 16^th May that year reported that the Club was anticipating a successful season under the officership of its President Mr  Gerald Bruce (Tymawr), Captain J.H. Harris and Solicitor/Secretary Mr Cyril Noel (Church Village).  In 2008 the Club will be celebrating 100 years of cricket within the community.

Various fixtures were arranged in that first year and in 1909 the club moved (we do not know from where) to a new ground in  Newtown Llantwit. After the First World War the team was reformed and played at Hollybush field, currently used by Llantwit Fardre Rugby Club.  During the turbulent 20’s the Club was disbanded in 1927 and reformed in 1932 with all matches being played away.  It was in 1935 that the team was called Central Main Llantwit Fardre (after the Central Mains electricity station at     Treforest) and was strengthened by apprentices and engineers lodging in the area.  No cricket was played in Llantwit Fardre during the Second World War but it was resumed at Hollybush field in 1946.

Those early years saw friendly fixtures played on Saturdays and it was in 1956 that the first Sunday fixture was played against Knighton on 15^th June.  In 1958 the Club won the Ceiriog Williams Knockout Cup at Ynysangharad Park. The Club experienced problems during the 60’s both on and off the field but it  survived.

It wasn’t until 20^th July 1968 that the first recorded century was made by our President Mal Enoch who scored an excellent 131 not out at Blaengarw.  In 1969 Mr Wally Hoskins, Groundsman at Pontypridd Cricket Club offered his help to improve the playing square at Hollybush Field.  He made a  tremendous improvement which was greatly appreciated by the Club.  Following his demise an annual match between Pontypridd Cricket Club and the Club was played for the Wally Hoskins Trophy.

It was in 1971 that the Alliance League sponsored by Welsh Brewers was started with the Club being one of eight teams taking part, Mal Enoch soon became the League Secretary.  At the end of the 1973 season we saw the first Annual General Meeting  combined with the Annual Dinner which was held at the Bear Hotel, Cowbridge, cost £2 per head.  Today it is £25 a head with a speaker and wine!  The Annual Dinner has become the highlight of the year when the presentations are made celebrating the events of the playing season. After dinner speakers of high calibre have  entertained the assembled members, supporters and guests namely: Alan Williams (BBC), Max Boyce, Graham Lloyd , Rev Canon Don Lewis, Eddie Butler, Nicky Piper , Brian Harris, Brian Voyle-Morgan, Roy Noble, Dewi Griffiths, Rod Woodward, Cliff Golledge, Alan Wilkins and Phil Steele                          

The mid 70’s saw the Club take off.  The 1^st XI had between 30/40 fixtures, the 2^nd XI a full programme of league fixtures and there was a thriving Youth Section.  In 1975 Alan Coote scored a Club Record 171 not out at Cwmbran in 48 overs.  With one game to spare of the 1976 season Llantwit were crowned Champions of the Alliance League.  There was a memorable 2^nd XI game that took place in Cardiff on 28^th May 1977.  Llantwit scored 80 on a hostile wicket against Morgannwg and when the home side batted with several 1^st XI players they were emphatically  dismissed for 11 and 4 of those were extras.  The unplayable Viv Helyar     (7 for 4) was well supported by Geoff Bluett (3 for 3).  The 1978 season saw Llantwit in the 2^nd Division of the newly formed Welsh Club Cricket  Conference in which the 1^st XI finished a very creditable third.  The highlight of the season was in July when openers Alan Coote and Mal Enoch scored an unbeaten 234 in 40 overs, while the bowling highlight was performed by Bob Tilling who had the excellent figures of 7 for 12 against Champions elect Whitchurch Heath.  In 1979 was the first of many successful tours to  Cornwall. 

Each season in the late 70’s the Club fielded four Youth teams in the Glamorgan Valleys League, these were at U11, U13, U15 and U17.  This was the breeding ground for the future of the Club which has been maintained to the present time.  During the long winters of those later 70’s there was held annual National Umpires Quizzes into the Laws of Cricket.

 Llantwit’s teams (of three) were quite knowledgeable being runners-up in 1977, the 1^st Team were winners in 1978 and the 2^nd Team were runners-up in 1979.  there has been no quiz since.  In 1980 the long awaited Sports Club opened with four sections, Cricket, Football, Judo and Social.  The 2^nd XI were crowned Champions of their League in 1981 and 1982.  Nigel Phillips hit the first Century in a 2^nd XI game in 1982 and that year saw the first season of the Club’s 3^rd XI, such was the strength in depth at Llantwit.  1983, the Club’s 75^th Anniversary year saw the 1^st XI finish runners-up in Division 2 while most of the special events planned were lost due to  non-cricketing weather. The Glamorgan C.C.C. match only lasted 25 overs by which time the visitors scored 143 for 3.  Robert Lloyd with 966 runs for the season was the Club’s best batsman. Glamorgan played Llantwit again in 1984 to  compensate for the problems of ’83 and amassed 265 for 6 in 45 overs.  The Club could only muster 86 all out in reply.  There was a better game in the bar afterwards!  In 1985 Mal Enoch became the first Llantwit player to score 10,000 runs for the Club while in 1986 Bob Tilling was the Club’s first bowler to take 1,000 wickets for the Club.  It is pleasing to note during these times that cricket is in the blood as we have many instances of both father and son playing in the same team, none more so than Derek Jones and his three sons playing together in one match.  In fact the club became very much a family affair with fathers and sons playing and mothers making teas.  The quality of the teas being the subject of many favourable comments from the opposition. 

Some of the families involved were:

Mal, Wendy and Matthew Enoch

John, Chris, Robert and Richard Lloyd

Derek, Sheila, Gareth, Alan and Philip Jones

Tom, Pam, Gary and Simon Cook

Dave, Elaine and Andrew Evans

Viv, Pat and John Helyar

Geoff, Glenys and Richard Bluett

John, Margaret and Richard Hughes

Bill, Beti and Robert Tilling

Mike and Ian Lenny

Terry, Jan and Carl Perkins

Lyn, Daphne and Stuart Morris

Alan and Geraint Lewis

Peter and Owen Thomas

During 1987 the Club members built their own Pavilion at a cost of £9,000.   At the end of that season Richard Hughes and Ian Lenny were  selected to play for Wales U21’s in the tour of the West Indies.

As the stalwarts gave way to the up and coming Youth talent in the late 80’s and early 90’s, so the Club consolidated it’s position and strength.  During this time the Parish was continuing to expand rapidly with new and varied  activities coming to the area.  Cricket had been and continues to be, well  supported by numerous loyal sponsors, which has kept the Club financially sound