Cricket Witness No 5 - Whites on Green

73 “Good Old Johnnie” wicketkeeping attracted the attention of Glamorgan’s officials who were looking for a young and agile person behind the stumps. Terms were agreed for the 1926 season, and Joe soon proved to be a useful acquisition for Glamorgan, recording his maiden hundred against Nottinghamshire on a quite lively Trent Bridge wicket. In 1926/27 Joe had a spell as goalkeeper with Swansea Town, before joining Fulham as their reserve goalkeeper, but in September, he broke his forearm and ruptured elbow ligaments in a reserve team game. Although he was able to return to action later in the season, he was increasingly handicapped by the injury, so he retired from football, and concentrated on cricket. The injury also meant that he gave up keeping wicket, and he played as a specialist batsman for the next few seasons. As befitted someone who had been decorated for gallantry, Joe featured in several stubborn lower-order partnerships, adding 202 for the eighth wicket with Dai Davies against Sussex at Eastbourne in 1928, followed by the unbroken 203 with Johnnie Clay for the ninth wicket against Worcestershire in 1929 which gave the Swansea crowd one of those rare treats which are gloriously funny for home supporters. In just over an hour and a quarter, the pair had bludgeoned a stand worth 150 for the ninth wicket, with a series of withering drives and pulls to all parts of the St. Helen’s ground. During their stand, Clay frequently ran two or three yards down the pitch to drive Fred Root on the half volley. One straight drive cleared Mumbles Road and landed in the goods yard of the Swansea Bay station on the Mumbles Railway, bouncing and smashing through an office window. Hills also used a series of short-arm jabs plus firm punches off the back foot to further accumulate. Joe Hills.