Besides offering Frank new terms for 1929, the Glamorgan committee persuaded Norman Riches and Johnnie Clay to share the duties in an attempt to lighten the mood in the camp. Each had the confidence and respect of the professionals, including Frank, but it was a far from ideal situation, and on several occasions, neither Norman or Johnnie were available. The net result was that seven amateurs led the side during 1929 but, at least, Frank was able to return to the team and prove his worth to his doubters with a haul of 68 wickets.
However, Frank almost doubled this tally the following year as he enjoyed a renaissance under Maurice’s leadership and his more gentle encouragement, although the Cambridge graduate had to use very subtle tactics to get the best out of the spinner. These were the days when Frank, like the other professionals, was paid a match fee at the end of each game. On the away trips, Frank would often have frittered away his fee, well before making the long journey home by train with his thirst quenched and a virtually empty wallet. If his wife was meeting him at Cardiff General Station, Frank would often sneak out of the back door of the station, and then find a friend who could lend him some cash, so that he could return home pretending that he still had his full fee.
Maurice was only too well aware of Frank’s little peccadillo’s and was more than happy to lend Frank a few pounds if he seemed down on his luck. He would even slip him a few fivers or tenners after a fine bowling performance, and it was no surprise that Frank enjoyed a wonderful return to form in 1930 with 127 wickets at 21 apiece.
1930 was also the summer when Frank claimed the wicket of Don Bradman when the Australians played at St. Helen’s. In later life, Frank admitted that it was the wicket he cherished most of all during his career as a professional and it came about in rather unusual circumstances after play had been delayed on the first day until 4.30 p.m. The great Australian arrived in the middle after an hour had elapsed with Dai Davies dismissing Bill Ponsford, but at the end of the over, Maurice called over Dai and Frank who was bowling at the other end and said to the pair “Put your sweaters on boys and have a breather.” Frank was flabbergasted and replied “But skipper, let me have another go at him. I’ll get him next over.” Mindful of the huge cash cow which Bradman’s presence at Swansea had created, Maurice duly replied “But that’s just what we don’t want. Can’t you see that we`ve got to keep him in so that we have a good gate on Monday.”
Bradman duly feasted against some gentle bowling for the rest of the evening and to the delight of Maurice and the Club’s other officials, there were over 25,000 people shoehorned into St. Helen’s when play began on the Monday morning. As the Glamorgan team took their places on the field, Maurice threw the ball to the spinner and said ” OK, Frank now you can have a go at him.” “Don’t worry skipper,” he replied, “I`ll get him.”
True to his word, the left-armer breached the master batsman’s defence and clean bowled him during his second over of the morning, before adding a further five wickets to earn a huge ovation from the enormous crowd as he led the Glamorgan team off the field. Frank’s efforts with the ball also nearly set up a thrilling victory as the following day the Glamorgan batsmen put bat to ball in an effective way and, had it not been for some time-wasting tactics by the Australian captain, the Welsh county might have, in a very unexpected way, lowered the tourist’s colours.
As far as Frank’s batting was concerned, he could be something of an enigma. He would often execute some elegant and graceful strokes when standing in front of the mirror in the dressing room, but when out in the middle, he rarely played with any confidence or seriousness and never posted a Championship half-century.
Opposite – Jack Mercer and Frank Ryan. Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.
One of Frank’s most nonchalant and remarkable innings came at Trent Bridge when Harold Larwood was bowling at his fastest. The first two balls whizzed past the edge of Frank’s bat, and also the stumps, as he attempted some airy and expansive drives. Then when Larwood delivered his third ball, Frank hit his own stumps with a resounding smack as he played a rather ungainly slog. The Nottinghamshire fielders could barely believe what they had seen, and as Frank returned to the pavilion, one of the members shouted out “Bad luck, old boy” to which he retorted “Bad luck indeed – it was jolly good luck. Fancy standing up to Larwood for half an hour!”
Click here to read more about Frank Ryan’s career as well as a resume of his career statistics.