Lives in Cricket No 22 - Jack Mercer

33 match was being staged by the Welsh Cricket Union between South Wales and North Wales, assessing the talent ahead of what the Western Mail grandly called ‘the international series of “Test” matches between Wales, Scotland and Ireland.’ 34 After their long journey, it may have been something of a blessing for Jack and his Glamorgan colleagues to find that rain was falling the following morning, delaying the start until after lunch. But when play eventually got under way, Jack showed few signs of tiredness as he dismissed both openers en route to a five-wicket haul, before the following day adding three more scalps as the South Wales side eased to a comfortable victory. The following week, Jack displayed his batting talents in a remarkable innings against Westbury-on-Trym C.C. The Bristol eleven had reduced the city side to 57 for eight before Jack and vice-captain Herbie Tayler added 160 for the ninth wicket, with Jack striking a dozen fours and a six as he made 88. This was the start of a purple patch for Jack: a week later he took seven for 22 against Briton Ferry Steel, before striking 80 at the Arms Park against Bristol Imperial in a match which also saw him take six for 35. 35 The next week Jack showed his liking again for playing against teams from Gloucestershire as he took nine for 33 against Clifton at the Arms Park. Cardiff won by just six runs, with Jack cleverly varying his pace – encouraged to do so by Bowley – and forcing the Clifton batsmen to mis-time their strokes and spoon a series of shots into the hands of the gleeful Cardiff fielders. He then took another nine-wicket haul for Wales against Scotland in a game at Perth – a match which illustrated his immense appetite for playing, and his stamina, after an all-day journey by train from Cardiff. He took nine for 24 as Scotland’s first innings lasted just an hour and a quarter with Jack gaining some lavish lateral movement on a damp surface, before adding four more scalps when they followed on. Wales completed a comfortable victory with a day to spare. The first week of August saw the West Indian tourists visit the Arms Park; the visitors from the Caribbean started as warm favourites. The match seemed to be going to form as the Welsh county mustered just 115 before the tourists built up a lead of 86. Glamorgan’s batsmen did better second time around with Jimmy Stone, the former Hampshire player, and Frank Pinch, a Cornish-born schoolmaster, sharing a partnership of 136 in just over ninety minutes, before Stone – at the age of 46 – became Glamorgan’s first centurion against a touring team. His brave efforts boosted morale in the home camp, but it was not long before the powerful strokeplay of George Challenor dampened Celtic enthusiasm as the tourists attempted to make 239. But it was shortly after Challenor reached his hundred that the contest Early years with Glamorgan 34 Western Mail , 16 May 1923. 35 His performance drew the following plaudit from the Western Mail correspondent on 1 July 1923: ‘The magnificent form with both bat and ball of Mercer was instrumental in the win. He clean bowled Sheppard with the very first ball of the match. With the bat, he showed the best form of the day, hitting with confidence and skill all around the wicket.’