Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

43 A Welsh identity throughout South Wales and asking them to recommend any promising young players who could be coached by Bill Hitch or could be considered for selection in the 2 nd XI. One recommendation came from a most unconventional source as Father Hodges, a Roman Catholic priest in Usk, wrote to the Glamorgan captain extolling the virtues of Phil Clift, a 16-year old batsman who had played a number of fine innings for the town’s club, culminating with an innings of 120 against Ross-on-Wye. The upshot of Father Hodges’ letter was that Phil was invited to the Arms Park nets where the teenager suitably impressed the coaches, before winning selection in the Colts side to play their counterparts from Somerset. Phil duly confirmed his rich potential by scoring 137, besides taking eight wickets, and soon afterwards received a congratulatory letter from Maurice inviting him to an interview in the Glamorgan office to discuss professional terms. It was quite awe-inspiring for the schoolboy and, as he remembered: “I nervously sat outside until Miss Poole, Maurice’s secretary, told me to go in. She also said, just stand in front of the desk and let Mr. Turnbull speak to you. I duly did what I was told and stood in front of Maurice’s huge writing desk - ‘Well, Clift, why do you want to be a cricketer?’ he said, to which I replied ‘I love the game of cricket, sir, and want to play it every day.’ There was a pause and then Maurice said ‘We will find out about that’ and then scribbled down a few details about me. The following week, a letter arrived at my home, offering me a contract with the terms of £2 10 shillings a week in the summer, and £1 a week in the winter. I was delighted to accept.” 2 It proved to be a wise decision as Phil remained with the Welsh county for the rest of his working life, later serving as the Club’s coach and secretary. Wilf Hughes was another cricketer from Monmouthshire to have a taste of first-class cricket during 1935, although in the case of the 25 year-old seam bowler from Ebbw Vale, it came rather belatedly after he had opted to go into teaching. A few years before, he had had a brief taste of Minor County cricket before training as a science master and securing a post at a school in Northamptonshire. He played in club cricket for Kettering and so impressed Ben Bellamy, the long-serving wicket-keeper with the East Midlands side, that in their match with Glamorgan, the veteran said to Maurice: “Have you heard about the young Welsh lad who’s playing here