Cricket Witness No 5 - Whites on Green

93 Championship tricks and a victory over the Boks By tea on the second day, the South Africans had reached 54 without loss and the game appeared to be heading away from Glamorgan, as neither of their spinners seemed able to pierce the defence of Springbok openers John Waite or Russell Endean. During the interval, Wooller spoke to his team in the dressing room, cajoling them for one last effort, and telling them that all that was needed was one wicket, as others would quickly follow. His words proved prophetic as a quite remarkable passage of play then followed, witnessed by an increasingly animated crowd of 25,000, as all ten wickets fell within the space of three quarters of hour, and all for just 29 runs. The chief tormentors were Muncer, who claimed 4/10, and Jim McConnon, who took 6/10, including a hat-trick. Both were aided by some breathtaking catches close to the wicket, including one by Wooller at silly mid-on, after deflecting a firm on-drive from Clive van Ryneveld and then clutching onto the rebound inches from the turf. Even Parkhouse, fielding as substitute for Emrys Davies, took two fine catches, and all despite nursing a wrist injury. Believing to be in a winning position at tea, the bottom half of the South African batting order changed into their civvies thinking that they would not be needed out in the middle. It led to some strange sights, as Don Shepherd remembered as Michael Melle, the Springboks’ fast bowler walked out to bat having been promoted up the order in a bid to hit the tourists out of trouble: Jim McConnon.