Louis Nicholl, who played for Glamorgan on an infrequent basis in their Minor County Friendlies between 1893 and 1895, was a member of one of the most important sporting and political families in the Vale of Glamorgan.

His father John Illtyd Nicholl had been the Conservative MP for Cardiff between 1832 and 1852 besides serving as High Sheriff of Glamorgan in 1884 and lived at the family’s home, Merthyr Mawr House, three miles to the south of Bridgend. Merthyr Mawr was the venue for several of the early county games staged by the Glamorganshire club in which John Illtyd Nicholl was a highly interested party. His son John Cole Nicholl also played in these games during the late 1860s, and with cricket in the family’s blood, it was no surprise that his grandsons Louis Dillwyn and John Illtyd Dillwyn should each play for the Glamorgan side during the 1890s.

In all, Louis played six times for Glamorgan and came within nine runs of making a century on his county debut as he made an excellent 91 against Monmouthshire at Newport in August 1891. Educated at Clifton College and the Royal Agricultural College in Cirencester, his call-up into the county side stemmed from some good performances initially for Bridgend CC, and subsequently for Swansea CC following his move to live at Hendrefoilan House in Sketty. He never passed fifty again in his five subsequent matches, although he did make 45 against the MCC at Lord’s in 1892. His final appearance for the county came during the visit to Lord’s in the following year, and he subsequently acted as a land agent.

NICHOLL, Louis Dillwyn.

Born – Merthyr Mawr, 25 September 1864.
Died – Shipston-on-Stour, 5 January 1956.

Batting and Fielding Record  

	M	I	NO	RUNS	AV	100	50	CT	ST
MC Friendlies	6	8	1	227	32.40	–	1	3	–

  Bowling Record  

	Balls	M	R	W	AV	5wI	10wM
MC Friendlies	5	0	6	1	6.00	–	–

Career-best performances  

Minor County Friendlies – 91 v Monmouthshire at Rodney Parade, Newport, 1891 and 1/6 v MCC at Lord’s, 1892.