Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

30 Chapter Three The tricky question of the captaincy Financial problems were not the only concerns occupying the minds of the Glamorgan management during the 1920s, as the committee frequently faced the problem of appointing a suitable captain who, at the time, traditionally came from the amateur ranks. Stability and a continuity of approach were badly needed, but the amateurs were often unable to commit to being available on a regular basis for any length of time. The departure of a dispirited Tom Whittington had been something of a blow as he had always rearranged his duties as a solicitor in Neath in order to play as often as possible. It was in recognition of his willingness to make himself available, as well as his outstanding efforts in securing the agreement of English counties to fixtures in 1921, that he was appointed by the committee as the Club’s first-ever Honorary Life Member. His eagerness to turn out practically at the drop of a hat was badly missed, especially as most of the other amateurs had more restrictive business commitments. Norman Riches ran a thriving dental practice in Dumfries Place in Cardiff whilst Johnnie Clay was heavily involved in his family’s shipping business at Cardiff Docks. The only crumb of comfort for the cash-strapped club was that their contacts within the commercial world of the coal metropolis were invaluable, and the Club’s coffers greatly Tom Whittington.