Cricket Witness No 5 - Whites on Green

70 Swansea-by-the-sea Out of the eight centuries and 22 fifties that Gilbert recorded in Championship cricket for Glamorgan at Swansea, perhaps the most remarkable, given the context on the game was his century which steered his side to victory against Worcestershire at St. Helen’s during the middle of May 1959. Not only was it the Welsh county’s first victory of the summer, it was made when several players, including Gilbert, were carrying injuries. A severe leg strain was enough to prevent Wilf Wooller from taking to the field so Allan Watkins was in charge. Despite having strained the muscles in one leg and badly bruised the other, Gilbert felt fit enough the play and with his name in the Test selectors notebooks and calls for his recall to the England side, he did not want to miss out on any opportunities to add to his tally of England caps. But to make matters worse, Bernard Hedges, his opening partner, pulled a groin muscle on the first day’s play so when the pair went out to chase a target of 263 on the final afternoon, Bernard had to have the help of a runner. It was far from being the recipe for success but after hobbling around at first, Gilbert unleashed some typically elegant strokes, besides unfurling some textbook defensive strokes and, despite wincing pain, he occupied the crease for five and a half hour during which time he shared an opening stand of 170 with his infirm partner before ending up unbeaten on 111. No surprise that the following morning the Western Mail carried the headline ‘Crocks Crack Way to Fine Win!’ Gilbert Parkhouse is congratulated on his England call-up in 1950 by Billy Bancroft, the former Glamorgan player who had first coached him as a youngster during the 1930s. Emrys Davies looks on approvingly.