Lives in Cricket No 1 - Allan Watkins

Born and bred at Usk in Monmouthshire, Allan Watkins made his debut for Glamorgan in 1939, just three weeks after his seventeenth birthday. Now, aged 85, he looks back on a career that brought him 15 Test caps and earned him a reputation as one of the world’s finest close fielders and a doughty left-hander good enough to average over 40 in Tests. At his best when there was no place for him in the stronger England sides of the mid-1950s, he continued to give whole-hearted commitment to the county of his birth, cementing his place in history as the most successful all-rounder in the annals of Welsh cricket. This is the tale of a cricketer who struggled to establish himself at the highest level. It tells of man whose passion for the game remains unquenched, but it reveals that beneath the confident and cheery exterior lies a vulnera- ble soul, afflicted throughout his life by nerves. Belying the impression he gave to spectators, Allan’s nerves undermined his health and contributed to his relatively early retirement. Yet, once his playing days were over, he was to find renewed fulfilment as an outstanding coach at Oundle School. The values that he instilled in his young charg- es at Oundle epitomise the way Allan believes the game should always be played. Still living in the town, he gives vent to some forthright opinions when he sees modern developments that threaten to mar the game he cherishes. But he counts himself the luckiest of men. “It’s what I always dreamed of doing, playing sport,” he says, “and I wouldn’t change it for a minute.” £12.00 Allan Watkins A True All-Rounder DOUGLAS MILLER LIVES IN CRICKET