Cricket Witness No 3 - The Daffodil Blooms

92 New faces flannels; loosening up in the nets, and then the news that Wilf had won the toss and that Glamorgan were batting. Shortly before the toss took place, Wilf quietly told Jim – then an amateur – that he was playing and shortly after returning to the pavilion, Jim was able to see on the noticeboard a copy of the match scorecard, duly showing the name of “J.E. Pleass” at number seven in the line-up. As he remembered: “My delight though was swiftly tempered with realism as I quickly looked at the other side of the card and weighed up the opposition. Charlie Elliott, famous opening batsman; Dusty Rhodes, seamer and leg-spinner, whilst the nine, ten and eleven were George Pope, Cliff Gladwin, and Bill Copson, all of whom were England players and seam bowlers much to be feared.” “The match duly started with Arnold Dyson and Emrys Davies opening the batting. By lunch three wickets were down, and I sat with my pads on, listening to the dismissed batsmen and their comments; “It’s moving about a bit – in the air and off the seam”. Words probably used thousands of times by batsmen looking to excuse their errors, but hardly inspiring to one about to undergo his baptism in first-class cricket. At about three o’clock, and, with the fall of the fifth wicket, I found myself walking through the Members’ Enclosure, past the pavilion gate, and out into the middle of the Derby ground and in front of five thousand spectators.” “Before walking out Arnold had turned to me and said “Have a good look first, and then just play your normal game”. Wilf was still in at the other end, and he greeted me with the same message as I found myself facing some of England’s finest seam bowlers. It felt at first as if time had stood still; I found myself in the loneliest place on earth, out in the middle; massive men were hovering around my bat; no quarter was given, and there was no chance that I would be given one off the mark as an encouragement. No – this was county cricket and a real challenge. Although I was an amateur, I was representing my county, and I was determined to do my best.” 6 It had been a very steep learning curve but Jim enjoyed good fortune in making 26 – the second highest individual score in the Glamorgan innings after Wilf’s much more combative 89. However, it was not a Boy’s Own debut as, after a second innings declaration, Derbyshire went on to record a four-wicket victory. He kept his place in the side for the next few games, and helped