Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

86 The Wooller Way These sage words swiftly paid off as the novice pouched a series of sharp catches. Although it had been a spur of the moment decision by Wilf, it also enhanced his stock as captain during his first full season in charge, besides helping to build a reputation for making the right decision at the right time. Wilf was also helped by being able to draw upon advice from Emrys Davies, the loyal and very dependable senior professional. Davies had a bank of knowledge about county grounds across the length and breadth of England, as well as an almost encyclopaedic trove of information about the strengths and weaknesses of a host of players. He was quite happy to pass these on to Wilf, especially as it would help prevent the rookie leader being taken for a ride by some of the more experienced captains. Emrys was particularly wary on one occasion when Glamorgan met Middlesex, with the opposition being led by R.W.V.Robins, who had a reputation for being a wily captain and a man who had not earned the nickname “Cocky” Robins for nothing. The game in question was delicately balanced and, with Wilf deliberating on a suitable target for Middlesex to chase, Emrys went over and quietly said “Be careful, otherwise he will do you. Don’t settle for too low a target.” His advice was heeded, but it proved to be of no avail as Middlesex won by seven wickets. Whilst Emrys was pleased that Wilf had taken his advice, there was still one thing that irritated him, namely the way that the new captain allowed everyone to call him by his Christian name. Emrys had been brought up under the more formal approach of Maurice Turnbull, who insisted that the professionals addressed him as Mr.Turnbull. In fact, Emrys had become so agitated that he assembled the team together, hoping that they would agree to a little bit of formality. There was reluctance at first so Emrys said, “For heaven’s sake, if you won’t call him Mr. Wooller, then at least call him Skipper.” The name stuck and for the next few decades, Wilf was known to one and all as “The Skipper”. 6 1. A.K. Hignell, The Skipper: Biography of Wilf Wooller (Limlow Books, 1995). 2. Ibid. 3. D. Miller, Allan Watkins – Lives in Cricket (ACS, 2007). 4. Ibid. 5. Ibid. 6. Ibid. 7. A.K. Hignell op. cit.