Lives in Cricket No 22 - Jack Mercer

103 George, after juggling with the ball for a few heart-stopping seconds, held onto it with an audible sigh of relief echoing all around the ground. As his delighted colleagues gathered around, Mercer nonchalantly shook the hands of the two batsmen and then walked off with his sweater swung over his shoulder as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. A host of congratulatory telegrams were sent to the New Road ground, with the first fittingly coming from Arthur Gilligan; he was also presented with the ball with which he had taken all ten wickets. Jack also spoke to the small group of journalists at the Worcester ground, and, once again, was magnanimous in his praise of his colleagues. ‘Hat-tricks and MCC tours are the ambitions of most cricketers,’ he said, ‘but I have never had a greater thrill than when the tenth wicket fell. I could never have accomplished it however, without the support of the team, a few of the catches being really brilliant.’ 94 The 1936 season, his thirteenth as a regular first-team player, was also Jack’s benefit year as he became the third Glamorgan professional to be so rewarded by the committee. 95 ‘A most fitting reward to the jovial mainspring of Glamorgan cricket,’ said the Western Mail . ‘Glamorgan has had no more popular personality than this sturdy son of Sussex who has so worthily maintained the best traditions of cricket by his loyalty, perseverance and happy trait of smiling his way through triumphs and troubles.’ 96 Indeed, Jack’s good humour was sorely tested in a remarkable few minutes play against Hampshire at Bournemouth in late July when three catches – all straightforward – were dropped in the space of five balls, and he might have added a nine-wicket haul to his tally had there not been an outbreak of butterfingers amongst his colleagues. He took as his benefit match the game against Sir Julien Cahn’s XI at the Arms Park over the Whitsun Bank Holiday. On the face of it, it seemed a surprising choice as others opted for games against leading counties, but through his friendship with Sir Julien, a disparate side, including four with Test experience (nominally all amateur, though several were employees of Sir Julien’s businesses), was put together under the captaincy of Frank (‘Lofty’) Newman, the baronet’s private secretary. Glamorgan officials were hoping to see Jack’s services rewarded with a bumper crowd, but cold and drizzly weather on the first day restricted attendance to barely a thousand. Further spells of rain delayed the start on the two subsequent days and overall, the match was a major disappointment. Thankfully, Jack had taken out insurance, and with the aid of other functions and matches, including a time-limit match against Gloucestershire at the Malpas ground, his benefit eventually realised £729, equivalent to purchasing power of Ten wickets and a benefit 94 Western Mail , 30 July 1936. Jack was almost invariably successful against Worcestershire. In 34 first-class matches against them he took 176 wickets at 17.25, including 17 of his 98 five-wicket returns. He took the wicket of ‘Doc’ Gibbons, the Worcestershire opener, more often than any other opposing batsman. 95 Benefits had previously been given to Eddie Bates in 1930 and to Dai Davies in 1935. 96 Western Mail , 30 May 1936.