Cricket Witness No 5 - Whites on Green

156 Appendix C Dedication This book is dedicated to the memory of sports writer, historian and cricket lover Bob Harragan, as well as two other gentlemen, Harvey Thomas and Alcwyn Jenkins, both of whom tragically lost their lives as a result of cricketing activities at St. Helen’s. Harvey Thomas was a building contractor and property developer who, during the 1900s enthusiastically played cricket for Swansea’s 3 rd XI, as well as making occasional appearances for the club’s 2 nd XI and Wednesday afternoon team. He embodied the type of sportsmen for whom St. Helen’s existed purely in terms of recreational cricket and healthy exercise. Harvey harboured no ambitions for appearing for the Swansea 1 st XI, nor the county side - instead it was playing, practicing and socialising with his friends in the club which meant most to him. Sadly, it was also to cost Harvey his life as on 13 June 1907, the thirty year-old was struck on the head whilst bowling in the nets at St. Helen’s. 1 A fortnight before he had also been hit on the head whilst playing for Swansea 3 rd XI at Ammanford, with his nasty head wound requiring a couple of stitches. He soon recovered and on that fateful afternoon in June 1907, he was bowling in the nets at St. Helen’s to Jack Bancroft, the 1 st XI wicket-keeper, together with Billy Trew – the captain of the Swansea 1 st XV - and George Davies. 2 The tragic accident happened after Trew had bowled a short ball to Bancroft which was forcibly struck towards mid-off where Davies and Thomas were standing and awaiting their turn to bowl. Sensing what could happen, Bancroft shouted out, with Davies ducking but Thomas turned and was struck on his neck below his left ear. Thomas fell to the ground and was helped to his nearby home. He went straight to bed but two days later he fell unconscious and passed away shortly afterwards. On 4 July 2009 Alcwyn Jenkins, a well-liked umpire, was killed whilst standing in the South Wales Cricket Association match between Swansea and Llangennech at St. Helen’s. 3 Alcwyn had stood for over 25 years both senior and junior cricket, besides officiating in several 2 nd XI matches for Glamorgan as well as accompanying various representative teams from South Wales on their overseas tours. His tragic death came shortly after an interruption to the League match because of rain as he was struck on the side of the head by a ball thrown in by a fielder from the boundary. Efforts were made to resuscitate the 72-year old before the air ambulance was called to carry him to hospital. According to one spectator “It was a freak accident, and no one was to