Cricket Witness No 5 - Whites on Green

82 Wartime and after By the time county cricket resumed during 1946, Gilbert was on National Service and for a couple of years, at least, his first-class debut was put on hold. A full programme of county and club games were possible at St. Helen’s that summer, but on several occasions, both the Swansea and Glamorgan elevens had an unfamiliar look about them with many of the pre-war stalwarts, like Gilbert, also on National Service. George Harris was still churning out the runs for Swansea in the South Wales and Monmouthshire League whilst the hearty efforts of Reg Anderson gave the policeman a chance to bowl with the new ball for Glamorgan against Hampshire. With the County Championship having been re-instated, Northamptonshire were the first visitors to St. Helen’s, although some of their bowlers must have wished they had stayed at home as the opening day of the contest saw Glamorgan rattle up 408-8. Thoughts of a Glamorgan victory though were literally washed out as it rained for the rest of the contest. Three weeks later Middlesex completed an innings victory at Swansea with Jim Sims claiming ten wickets in a match where the Glamorgan side included another policeman in Arthur Porter, then “Big-footed Arthur, they call me,” the stalwart of the Newport club used to whimsically say, in parody of the wartime radio star ‘big-hearted’ Arthur Askey, who himself was an enthusiastic cricketer. The first post-War victory for Glamorgan at Swansea duly came in July as Hampshire came west and were beaten by seven wickets. Emrys Davies made 119 on the first day, in a marathon effort taking ten minutes over four hours, and all whilst still on National Service and having to undertake guard duty at night in order to meet his military obligations. It certainly didn’t affect his cricket too much as the all-rounder shared the bulk of the wickets with Johnnie Clay who spent the summer leading the county side and grooming it’s next leader, Wilf Wooller. A view from the Pavilion enclosures of Glamorgan’s match against the 1946 Indians at St. Helen’s.