After the bizarre events at Bournemouth, Glamorgan defeated Sussex and Worcestershire besides drawing a remarkable game against Leicestershire at Colwyn Bay during which Tony Cordle came on as seventh change and took career-best figures of 9/49. A trio of draws then followed, including the game with Somerset at Glastonbury where Peter Walker bowled a record 84 consecutive deliveries without conceding a run. His feat came as Somerset were set a target of 271 in three an three-quarter hours, but after slipping to 170-6, the final hour saw the West Country side shut up shop. Roy Palmer defended stoically, without scoring a run as the game ended in a draw with Shepherd returning figures of 33-21-41-4 and Walker 36-22-65-2.
A fortnight later Glamorgan returned to winning ways as they completed the double over Sussex at Hastings, with their 72-run victory seeing them rise up into second place in the table. By this time, Gloucestershire had built up a healthy 50-point lead and when they visited Cardiff in mid-July, the West Country side looked to be well on course for the title. But they nosedived to a demoralising 208-run defeat as the triumvirate of Williams, Cordle and Nash scythed through their batting. Gloucestershire’s lead was whittled away by further Glamorgan victories in the East Midlands. Firstly, Derbyshire were beaten by an innings after Alan Jones and Roger Davis had shared an opening stand of 224, before Alan shared further match-winning stands, this time with Majid as they added 179 in the first innings and then 132 in the second as Glamorgan’s title-winning bid was further boosted by a seven-wicket win.
The Cheltenham Cricket Festival during mid-August is always a highlight of the domestic calendar but there was extra spice about the games at the historic College ground during 1969 as Glamorgan travelled to the Cotswold town for a match which everyone knew could be decisive in determining the destiny of the Championship crown. Nash began by exploiting a verdant surface, claiming 6/37 as Gloucestershire’s batting woes continued, before their bowlers made early inroads into the Glamorgan line-up. But Majid drew on all of his experience as, together with Bryan Davis, he helped the Welsh county garner a lead of 210. It continued to be a new ball wicket as the home batsmen struggled for a second time, before the Glamorgan spinners tricked and teased the lower order to secure an innings victory.
Gloucestershire’s bubble had burst and the London press now realised that a serious challenge was being mounted from the other side of the Severn Estuary and many in the press corps hastily re-arranged their schedules so that they could travel to Swansea to cover Glamorgan’s next game against Middlesex. They were treated to a topsy-turvy game which showed the best and a little bit of the worst of Glamorgan cricket at the time.
The initiative had swung to and fro like the tide out in Swansea Bay on the first two days, before Glamorgan were left with a target of 196 to win on the final day. Tony Lewis led by example with a fine 71, but the Welsh county quickly lost the wickets of Peter Walker and Tony Cordle before Bryan Davis departed to a silly run out. The captain was rightfully annoyed with the team saying “the Championship will be out of reach if we lose this one.” But Malcolm Nash who was about to go into bat to join Eifion, looked up and said. “Don’t worry, Skipper,” he said. We haven’t lost yet.” He was as good as his word as the pair shared a half-century stand before the stocky Eifion pulled Ron Hooker for six in the final over as Glamorgan won by three wickets and soared to the top of the table.
Heavy rain at Chelmsford prevented the Welsh county from consolidating their position but with a game in hand over Gloucestershire, Tony and his team knew that wins in two of the last three matches would secure the title. Fortunately the next match, against Essex, was at Swansea, and was followed by the visit to Sophia Gardens by Worcestershire, so an enormous crowd, plus the BBC TV cameras were present at St. Helen’s for the game with Essex. They, together with audience at home, witnessed a superb game of cricket which went down to the final delivery as Essex chased a target of 190 in two hours on the final afternoon. Click here to read more about the last-ball victory against Essex in 1969.
Click here to read more about the 1969 season and clinching the Championship title.