Cricket Witness No 5 - Whites on Green

113 ‘Well Garry, we’re now together in the world record books, and you couldn’t have done it without me!’ In the dressing room, Malcolm had often expressed the view that given the chance. He could be as good a slow bowler as any in the country. Never short of self-confidence and irrespective of the state of the game, he always wanted the ball in his hand. Not for nothing had we nicknamed Malcolm, whose initials were M.A.N. – superman!” 2 Almost nine years later to the day, Nash was also on the receiving end again – this time in normal seam and swing mode from the Mumbles Road End – as Lancashire’s Frank Hayes struck him for 34 runs in an over during their Championship match at Swansea. The onslaught by the visiting batsman took place straight after lunch on the second day as Glamorgan took the new ball in Lancashire’s second innings. The first delivery from Nash disappeared over long-leg as Hayes pulled a short ball to the ropes before the second was driven square of the wicket for four. Four maximums then followed as Hayes deposited Nash high over mid- wicket and onto Gorse Lane for six, before the next ball was nonchalantly clipped over long-on for six. The fifth ball of this eventful over was then planted over the head of the fielder at long-off and into the seating in the Rugby Grandstand before the final ball, accompanied by huge cheers from the Lancashire contingent, clattered into the scoreboard positioned on the embankment beyond the ropes at mid-wicket. This time there were just brief handshakes from the Glamorgan fielders to Hayes as the fielders swopped positions at the end of an over which had nearly given the watching journalists some memorable copy as the Lancashire man came within two runs of equalling Sobers’ feats. Understandably the writers were eager to find out Nash’s thoughts so a hasty press conference was called. They need not have worries as Nash duly gave them a golden line for their reports. With a wry grin on his face, he quipped “it was nearly a case of déjà vu and now it’s happened to me from both ends of the ground. Not many people can say that!” 3 The major difference with 1968 was that Hayes’ run-spree had come without the television cameras being present and no photographers recorded his feat, blow-by-blow. In contrast, Sobers’ fusillade was captured for posterity by BBC Wales, but only with a huge slice of luck. After undertaking a live broadcast earlier in the afternoon, the producer and camera crew agreed to continue filming the game. Ever since the early 1960s, BBC Wales had been covering Glamorgan’s matches at Swansea, with the coverage of Championship and tourist matches also being used by the Corporation as an opportunity to train camera crews from other regions. On this particular afternoon, the producer/director John Norman had initially told the cameramen to stand down but one of them, John Lewis, asked if he could stay on. Norman agreed and asked Wilf Wooller, the legendary Glamorgan captain, who was providing the commentary to stay on as well in case something should happen which could be used in a highlights programme the following day. Sixes at Swansea