Lives in Cricket No 22 - Jack Mercer

83 Glamorgan winning by 215 runs. 83 His sterling efforts against Worcestershire took his seasonal tally to 98 wickets, and in the first week of August at Old Trafford, he took his hundredth wicket of the season as Charlie Hallows chopped a ball onto his stumps during Lancashire’s second innings. There was little time for celebration though as, straight after the match, the Glamorgan team returned by train to South Wales ready for the start of the plum fixture against the Australian tourists the following morning at Swansea. This was the first time that Jack had bowled to the legendary Don Bradman, who enjoyed a wonderful first tour of the UK, with 254 in the Second Test at Lord’s followed by the small matter of 334 in the Third Test at Headingley. In the weeks leading up to the tourists’ match at Swansea, there was only one thing on Welsh cricket enthusiasts’ minds: ‘Will the Don be playing?’ To their glee, and to the delight of the cash-strapped Glamorgan treasurer, Bradman was named in the Australians’ line-up for the match, but the weather on the opening day put a dampener on their enthusiasm as play did not start until 4.20 pm. Nevertheless, those who had waited in the damp conditions were rewarded for their patience as Australia won the toss, and in the couple of hours before the close, they had a brief glimpse of Bradman who came in shortly before the close of play. Jack struck soon after the arrival of ‘the Don’, having Archie Jackson snaffled at leg slip by Joe Hills, but Bradman remained resolute until the close. After a Sunday of rest on the Gower peninsula, the tourists resumed their innings on Monday under clear blue skies in front of a massive crowd. Soon after breakfast time, long queues had developed outside the ground, with thousands of men, women and children eager to see ‘the Don’ continue his innings. By the start of play, there were nigh on 25,000 people inside the ground, and by the time he reached his half-century another couple of thousand had somehow squeezed their way in. It was the largest crowd Jack had ever seen, and given Bradman’s outstanding form, it was quite an intimidating moment when he and Frank Ryan resumed the bowling to Bradman and Stan McCabe. The Glamorgan pair performed magnificently in the pre-lunch session, restricting the two prolific Australians. One local journalist wrote about Bradman’s fifty: There was scarcely a stroke or feature about this innings to stamp him the great player he has proved. He looked quite an ordinary batsman as the boy who hit 300 runs off England’s bowlers in a day took two hours to make 58! His innings ended ingloriously to Ryan. He played back and appeared to try to cut the ball, but was so badly beaten that the middle stump was dislodged. That was not all, for in completing the stroke, Bradman caused the wreck to be more complete by accidentally hitting his own wicket. 84 I wish we had more like him 83 Western Mail , 29 July 1930. 84 Western Mail , 14 August 1930.