One of the novel features of games between Glamorgan and Somerset was that the Welsh county’s team, and their supporters travelled by Campbell’s Steamers from Pier Head in Cardiff when games were staged at Clarence Park in Weston-super-Mare. This was the case in early August 1948 for what proved to be one of the most enthralling victories of the summer, with Glamorgan’s combined spirit seeing them clinch a nail-biting win, and all after Somerset had secured a decent lead of 96. With the wicket expected to turn, Somerset appeared to be in pole position and by the time Wilf arrived at the crease, Glamorgan were six wickets down and just 42 runs ahead. He single-handedly launched a counter-attack, extending the lead to 104 before Hever reduced Somerset to 25-5. Further wickets tumbled before Maurice Tremlett took a leaf out of Wilf’s book by using the long handle himself.
The target rapidly dropped to 20, then 15 and 10 before Tremlett edged Muncer to short-leg where Wilf held a smart catch before being mobbed by his jubilant team-mates and then leading them off the ground to a standing ovation from the thousands of Welshmen and women who had also crossed the Severn Estuary by ferry or under it by train through the Severn Tunnel to witness a victory which saw Glamorgan return to the top of the table.
Opposite – Len Muncer in bowling action. Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.
The platform at Weston-super-Mare’s railway station that evening was crammed full of Welsh supporters, as the Glamorgan team headed to London where they were meeting Middlesex the following day at Lord’s. There were cheers and good luck messages as well for Allan Watkins who, a few days before, had been included in England’s squad for the Fifth Test against Australia at The Oval, as the selectors recognised his growing reputation as one of the most prehensile close fielders in the country as well as his all-round talents with bat and ball.
After changing trains at Bristol Temple Meads, Wilf gathered his team together in one of the compartments where they discussed their strategy for the remaining games of the season with the visit to Lord’s being followed by matches against both Northamptonshire and Surrey at the Arms Park, before away games in Hampshire and Leicestershire. Given Surrey’s decent form and the presence of the wily Australian spinner Jack Walsh in the Leicestershire side, they agreed with Wilf that they would have to make the most of the other three contests. But their plans met an immediate hitch as rain fell yet again in London allowing just one out of the three days seeing any play. To make matters worse, Surrey enjoyed fine weather at Weston-super-Mare and routed Somerset by eight wickets.
Another series of rain-bearing fronts then saw the game at Cardiff against Northamptonshire also end in yet another soggy draw, but Surrey were also blighted by the weather at Cheltenham where rain prevented Surrey from sneaking another victory against Gloucestershire. But there was plenty of sunshine at Bradford where Yorkshire defeated Worcestershire with less than ten minutes remaining to put themselves into the title race. Wilf and his team duly sat in the changing rooms at Cardiff, listening to rain pelt down on the tin roof of the North Stand and realised that the next match with Surrey was likely to decide the destiny of the title. Just to add to the conundrum, Phil Clift had picked up an injury in the draw with Northants, so with Watkins on England duty, Wilf recalled Johnnie Clay for this vital game. The following morning he gleefully won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first on a dry surface which was likely to assist the spinners later in the game.
This time, everything went according to plan as Arnold Dyson and Emrys Davies added 91 for the first wicket, before Wilf counter-attacked the spin of Jim Laker during an innings of 89, laced with powerful drives and rasping square cuts to manoeuvre Glamorgan to 239. With the weather forecasters predicting rain on the third day, Glamorgan’s bowlers had around an hour and a quarter’s bowling at the visitors on the first evening with Wilf hoping they could make early inroads. The ninety minutes exceed even his wildest dreams as Surrey subsided to 47-9 with Clay dismissing Arthur McIntyre, Eric Bedser and Laker within the space of six balls, prompting hordes of shop assistants and office workers to sprint across Westgate Street and through the entrances, eager to share in the unfolding drama.
The clatter of wickets continued the next morning as Surrey followed-on, slipping to 88-6 by lunch. As news spread around Cardiff of Surrey’s predicament, the city centre shops and offices emptied once again and, after lunch, there were estimates of over 10,000 people in the ground to observe the final rites. It did not take long and when John McMahon struck Willie Jones into Clay’s grasp at mid-off, Glamorgan had sealed a vital win which also knocked Surrey out of the title race and left Wilf and his team knowing that they would be County Champions if they won their next match at Bournemouth and Yorkshire failed to win both of their remaining fixtures.
Click here to read more about the Championship-winning summer of 1948.