Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

28 A new dawn? first day as by late afternoon, Nottinghamshire were dismissed for 233 with Frank claiming five wickets, and had other catches been held close to the wicket, Jack might have also claimed a ‘five for’. Eddie Bates and John Bell then added 158 as the Glamorgan openers dominated the visiting attack, before three of the Club’s other signings – Yorkshireman Arnold Dyson, Eastender Joe Hills and former Surrey wicket-keeper Danny Sullivan – chipped in with decent innings as Glamorgan amassed a useful and very unexpected lead of 142 runs. But with just over a day to go, and the wicket appearing to be in a benign state, there was still great hope in the visitors camp as they knew that if they occupied the crease for the rest of the game, the Championship pennant would be heading to Trent Bridge. But, once again, they lost early wickets to Jack’s clever new ball bowling, and after starting the final day on 23-2, Nottinghamshire’s plight became much worse as Jack made further inroads, deceiving Dodger Whysall with a clever change of pace as the batsman tamely spooned a ball into the hands of Trevor Arnott at short-leg. Jack continued his splendid spell by bowling Wilf Payton with an off-cutter, before yorking both William Flint and Lionel Kirk. There A photographic montage from the Western Mail newspaper showing the scourges of Nottinghamshire – Jack Mercer and Frank Ryan.