Rev. David Peirce was another cricketing cleric who played once for Glamorganshire in 1869 besides appearing for several other county teams across South Wales given that this was a time when there were no stringent residential qualifications.
Born in Crickhowell and educated at St. David’s College in Lampter, his first major match took place on 3 June when he travelled to Aberystwyth to play for Cardiganshire against Monmouthshire. He duly scored 10 and claimed three wickets with his brisk round-arm bowling.
These skills were to the for the following month when he played for Breconshire against Glamorganshire at The Gnoll in Neath, with the match – on 14 and 15 July – seeing him complete a match haul of six wickets, as well as scores of 6 and 6. Ten days later, David was included in the Glamorganshire side which met Monmouthshire at Usk. He failed to claim a wicket and scored 0 and 7 on what proved to be his only game for the Club.
His next batch of appearances were for Breconshire, starting with the game on 10 and 11 August 1869 against Worcestershire at Brecon. He took a trio of wickets in each innings and made 4 and 2. The following season he played for Breconshire against Glmaorgan as well as Hertefordshire, claiming ten wickets in the former match and five in the latter, during which he also struck an unbeaten 29.
1 and August 1870 saw Rev. Peirce appear for the Gentlemen of South Wales against the Players at the Bryn-y-Mor ground in Swansea. The game against the paid players rather than the county amateurs saw him go wicketless, whilst he made scores of 0 and 7. The following season he added to his tally of teams by appearing for the Gentlemen of Radnorshire against their counterparts from Shropshire at Shrewsbury – a match which saw him make 33 and 3, besides claiming three wickets.
A fortnight later he was in good form with the bat as he struck 35, besides claiming six wickets for Breconshire against Herefordshire at the Widemarsh Common ground. His final match of note came on 2 and 3 July 1872 when he played for Breconshire against Glamorganshire at Neath. During his playing career he played for the town clubs in Tredegar, Crickhowell, Abergavenny and Brecon. He also served as curate of Merthyr Tydfil, Llanidloes and Sarn.
PEIRCE, Rev. David Davies
Born: Crickhowell, July 1844.
Died: Church Stretton, Shropshire, 24 April 1928.