All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

159 Jack Mercer Glamorgan v Worcestershire, 1936 County Championship County Ground, New Road, Worcester on 29, 30, 31 July 1936 (3-day match) Toss won by Worcestershire Match drawn Umpires: E Cooke, JA Newman Worcestershire 143 (J Mercer 10-51) and 163-5 dec; Glamorgan 151 and 56-4 Worcestershire first innings RDM Evers c Smart b Mercer 3 CH Bull c Brierley b Mercer 22 SH Martin c Turnbull b Mercer 4 HHIH Gibbons c Turnbull b Mercer 2 *+BW Quaife c D Davies b Mercer 2 J Horton b Mercer 0 RHC Human not out 59 AP Singleton st Brierley b Mercer 29 R Howorth b Mercer 3 RTD Perks lbw b Mercer 0 PF Jackson c Lavis b Mercer 1 Extras (b 6, lb 9, w 3) 18 Total (all out, 51 overs) 143 Fall of wickets 1-14, 2-20, 3-30, 4-40, 5-42, 6-59, 7-113, 8-121, 9-121, 10- 143 Glamorgan bowling: J Mercer 26-10-51-10, GH Reed 12-2-38-0, D Davies 6-1-9-0, DE Davies 7-0-27-0 Glamorgan : AH Dyson, DE Davies, D Davies, VGJ Jenkins, RG Duckfield, CC Smart, MJL Turnbull (capt), G Lavis, TL Brierley (wk), J Mercer, GH Reed Glamorgan’s second highest wicket-taker behind Don Shepherd, Jack Mercer was one of the best swing bowlers between the Wars. Unfortunately his best years coincided with those of the great Maurice Tate and, with other good fast-medium bowlers also around, he never won a Test cap. A fine craftsman, from an easy action he swung the ball both ways at medium pace, and when necessary could slow down and bowl off cutters. He was the cheerful mainstay of the Glamorgan attack, bowling long accurate spells, even well into his 40s: indeed his all-ten came at the age of 43, the oldest player in the match. A colourful character and man of many parts, he had travelled to Russia before the First World War, returning to serve with distinction before being wounded in France, was a decent linguist who could converse in French and Russian, and became a member of the Magic Circle. Born in Southwick, Sussex in 1893 Mercer made his first-class debut for his home county in 1919 but opportunities on the south coast were