Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

81 The Wooller Way Finding a bowling replacement for Johnnie Clay was at the top of Wilf’s shopping list, as the veteran had informed the committee that he would soon retire. There had been high hopes that Closs Jones would cut the mustard, but injuries and a loss of form now ruled him out of stepping into Johnnie’s boots. After speaking to a few contacts at Lord’s, Wilf made an offer to 33-year-old Len Muncer, an assertive middle-order batsman with Middlesex who could bowl both off-breaks and leg-spin. Len had not commanded a regular place in the Middlesex line-up, so the prospect of regular cricket in South Wales made great appeal. Middlesex also owed Glamorgan something of a favour as during 1946 they had agreed terms with Jack Young, a talented left-arm spinner who had played for Glamorgan during several of the wartime friendlies. He had been on Middlesex’s books since 1933, but never commanded a regular place in their line-up. In 1939 there had been talk of him joining Leicestershire so when he was stationed in South Wales during the War, Johnnie hoped that the unsettled spinner might opt for a permanent move to Glamorgan. Young duly signed terms, but after Johnnie had contacted Sir Pelham Warner with the news of his signing, the highly influential figure at Lord’s persuaded the spin bowler to change his mind. His return to St. John’s Wood aggrieved Johnnie, and his mood Wilf Wooller (right) is welcomed to a function in Dowlais in 1952 by the town’s mayor. Wilf’s good friend JBG Thomas, the Western Mail journalist, is far left.