A Cricketing Memoire by J E Lee ex Reynoldston - 17/12/2021
In 1947, when I was 13, my dad took me to see Glamorgan playing at St Helens (I think it was Surrey or Sussex) and I was impressed. He also took me to an evening event in the ground - British heavyweight champion Bruce Woodcock in a demonstration three-round sparring; I was not impressed. The following week he enrolled me in the boxing club at the YMCA in St Helens Road; it stood me in good stead when joined the RAF in 1951. I was a ‘south-paw’.
In 1948 my sister bought me an early birthday present; a season ticket to watch Glam at St Helens. It was a small booklet with fixtures and cost £9. My seat was four rows down from the pavilion and on the end by the steps, so I was very close to players. A game against Middlesex -Edrich & Compton - lives in my memory: Edrich got run out early, but Compton lived up to the hype. He scored 48 and used his famous leg sweep on one knee for a few 4s.
In 1948 the Aussies were on tour. In those days the touring side played Glam twice; Whitsun in Cardiff and August Bank Holiday (the 1sr weekend in those days) in Swansea. Bradman stayed in London and Barnes captained the side. The match was drawn when it rained on Bank Holiday Monday. The exciting bit was that on the Sunday some of the team came to Horton. The man who invited them was either an Aussie or had worked there, his name was Harding and his address was The Hollies, Horton. He had a business based in Swansea Docks. He invited some of us boys to bat and bowl against them on a big lawn with three nets set up: at each bowling stump there was a bucket of balls. I have a paper cutting picture of Sid Barnes, Neil Harvey, Doug Ring, Sam Loxton and Bill O’Reilly, a past spin bowler who was the journalist chosen to travel with the team; he told us some great yarns. I had a pic of me on his shoulders (lost!) and my head just made it; he was a very tall guy. Sam Loxton was a medium pace bowler but in ten minutes he taught me to bowl a chinaman (googly) with no batter at the other end.
In 1949 my cousin Laurie Jones and I were behind the nets in Scurlage watching Don Shepherd bowling; HE WAS FAST but Glamorgan slowed him to bowl his leg-cuts. The other bowler was Haydn Tanner: Laurie and Bernard Cottee (Overton) called him the mad bull because of his run—up. The South Gower pitch was just along from Scurlage Castle in those day. In 1950 the cricket coach at Gowerton Grammar School had me bowling off breaks at a 6th former who was in the school team: he was also a good rugby player.
I never played for the school team because of the impossible way to get home after the main net practices after school in the evenings. Also, in 1950 I was invited to attend Glamorgan winter indoor nets; they were under the stand, and I was coached by Len Muncer. Other players I met: Emrys Davies, JC Clay, Len Watkins (ace catcher at forward short leg & was capped for one test) Haydn Davies, wicketkeeper who hit lots of 6s and Wilf Wooller, captain in those days.
I joined the RAF Apprenticeship in Jan '51 and had an excellent cricketing career. A lot of the boys in my entry were from public schools and a large percentage were grammar school. We played against the famous schools in the area. My best was 48 against Eton (a lovely cottage pavilion on a mound; and 4 for 20 against Harrow at Halton.
In Germany we played the army garrison in Berlin on the Maifeld; part of the 1936 Olympic complex. It was my birthday, they made me captain and I took a hat trick with my off breaks.
In Cyprus (1965-68) I was secretary then also captain of Nicosia. There was only one venue on the island that had a grass outfield and all had concrete matting wickets. The ‘Nicosia Bowl’ was unique; not a blade of grass anywhere, just a gritty sand. I have still got the cricket file full of fixture lists, averages and newspaper match reports/photos as well as a mini cricket bat with signatures of the oil company players when we visited Kuwait. Boy, was it hot.
In 1968 I was posted to RAF Fairford and played for Highworth in 1968 then Cricklade 1969-71. When we played Fairford Town CC I saw a picture of Don Shepherd in the pavilion. He played for them when he did his National Service at FAF Fairford. He often visited them on special occasions
I finished playing cricket in 1979 at RAF Gutersloh in Germany: I got hit in the ribs by a West Indian who thought he was Wes Hall! At age 45 it was time.
P.S. Laurie Jones, Porteynon, became Chairman of Swansea CC and his brother Haydn opened the innings with Sylvan Jones who had a farm in Knelston. Don Shepherd had a very long and successful career with Glamorgan.
*1948 was the year Glamorgan won the championship for 1st time.
**Lewis Jones played for Wales, full back/wing then International League
