Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

44 A Welsh identity in Kettering? I think you ought to have a look at him as he’s getting a big bag of wickets every week and scoring runs as well!” 3 Maurice duly made contact with Wilf and arranged a trial for him at the Arms Park in front of Messrs Hitch, Turnbull and Clay. All were suitably impressed with what they saw and after receiving a letter from Maurice, the schoolmaster confirmed his availability to play for Glamorgan during his vacations. The Whitsun Bank Holiday of 1935 saw Glamorgan meet the touring Springboks at Cardiff Arms Park, and the game witnessed the virtually unknown bowler enjoy a truly memorable debut in first-class cricket. When play began on the final morning, Glamorgan were following on well behind, and had just six wickets remaining. Things did not improve as Maurice departed inside the first hour. Despite some stubborn resistance from Cyril Smart, Glamorgan had slipped to 114-9 and were on the verge of an innings defeat as Wilf made his way to the middle. The clatter of wickets had prompted some spectators to leave, but how they must have wished they stayed as the debutant launched a blistering counter-attack on the Springbok bowling, and shared a quite remarkable last wicket partnership which added a record 131 runs during a dramatic ninety-minute passage of play. Realising that he had nothing to lose, Hughes counter-attacked with a combination of gusto and glee and completely belied his The selection card sent by officials of Glamorgan CCC to Wilf Hughes in 1935.