Lives in Cricket No 22 - Jack Mercer

110 running a nursery and with the young professionals being free during the week, they could continue to have specialist coaching from Bill Hitch. The committee rubber-stamped the proposal and Jack, plus all of the other professionals, gathered in April 1938 as pre-season training began. Usually, the county squad prepared at the Arms Park but in 1938 the demolition of the old pavilion and gymnasium complex at the ground meant the Welch Regiment’s facilities at Maindy Barracks became the club’s temporary home, augmented by a week at Aberystwyth as Bill Hitch ran his eye over the playing staff and several trialists. ‘What we need more than anything else is a good young fast bowler,’ he told journalists. ‘I had my eye on a youngster last year who might well have proved the answer to our prayers. His name was Jones and he came from Ebbw Vale. I did my best to persuade him to adopt cricket as a career, but unhappily he has made other plans for the future.’ 102 Among the new bowlers at some sessions was Wilf Wooller, the Welsh rugby international and Cambridge Blue, now working in Cardiff and playing club cricket with some effect for St Fagans. During 1937 Glamorgan personnel had kept an eye on Wilf. Jack, while recuperating from his injury, had seen the strapping allrounder take a clutch of wickets in one game, before scoring a rapid half-century to win the contest. Jack duly reported back to Hitch and Turnbull about Wooller’s impressive form. ‘He’s a big lad, gets a lot of pace off the pitch and moves it about,’ was his sage assessment. Prophetic words, of course, as Turnbull swiftly took steps to secure the services of the man who went on to lead Glamorgan to their first-ever Championship title in 1948 and who became the public face of the Welsh county in the latter part of the century. The following spring, contact was made with Sir Herbert Merrett, Wooller’s boss and one of the business tycoons at the flourishing docks, to see if the young amateur could be released to play for the Welsh county during the coming season. Merrett was a kindly benefactor to Welsh sport, but even so, he told Turnbull that he was happy for Wooller to have time off to play for the county, but only as part of his holiday allocation. Wooller was included in the Glamorgan eleven to play Yorkshire at the Arms Park in mid-June 1938 – a match which also happened to be Emrys Davies’ benefit match. The veteran was delighted to have Wooller alongside him in the team, especially as the presence of one of the stars of Welsh rugby would help to swell attendances and Emrys’ share of the gate receipts. A large crowd duly turned up, eager to see Wooller take on some of the finest professionals in the country. Wooller never did anything by half, and true to character, he duly made a spectacular start, taking three for 22 and swinging the new ball appreciably as he bowled in tandem with Jack, who also dismissed Len Hutton with a beauty that swung in late to bowl the young Yorkshire opener through the gate. The decent-sized crowd were thrilled at Wooller’s performance and as he later recalled, ‘at luncheon, I could barely believe my good fortune, but what was even Renaissance man 102 Western Mail , 23 April 1938. David Jones played for Glamorgan in 1938 against Sir Julien Cahn’s XI, but he opted to pursue a career in teaching.