In some ways 1947 was the start of a new era, as Wilf Wooller succeeded Johnnie Clay as Glamorgan’s captain, but in many ways, it was business as usual given the fact that, whilst other English grounds had grandiose facilities, Glamorgan’s cricketers were still the paupers of the county game. The veritable princes at Lord’s, The Oval, Trent Bridge or Old Trafford had a series of pristine net facilities, plus indoor areas for general exercise. For Glamorgan, much of the pre-season training – with the blessing of Cardiff Athletic Club – took place in the corridors of the North Stand where a series of makeshift nets had been created, before the squad ventured outside to use the modest grass nets at the Arms Park.
Things improved as the season unfolded with money raised through the Nursery and Development Fund, overseen by Wooller during the previous winter, led to the creation of better training facilities and seating at the Arms Park. In the same way that the infrastructure started to improve under Wooller, so did the results. The season had begun with a heavy defeat by Yorkshire but the results improved as the summer unfolded with Wilf’s team winning five of their last nine games.
They also gave the Springboks a run for their money in the contest at Swansea – a game which was watched by a crowd estimated at over 50,000, much to the delight of the county’s Treasurer. The culmination of the three-day game saw the South Africans set Glamorgan a target of 252 on the final afternoon, and at 39-6 another embarrassing defeat looked imminent. But there was a doughty rear-guard action, led by Allan Watkins who made a fine 75 and received useful support from Maurice Robinson, the diminutive all-rounder, plus George Lavis and Haydn Davies, all of which forced Alan Melville to recall his frontline seamers to quell their resistance and secure a hard-fought victory by 40 runs.
Watkins also led a successful run-chase against Somerset at Weston-super-Mare later in the season. Set 290 to win, he scored a fine century, with George Lavis also making 87 as the pair of batsmen from Monmouthshire saw Glamorgan to a handsome six-wicket win. 1947 proved to be a breakthrough season for Watkins, who had made his first-class debut in 1939 after being recommended for a trial with Glamorgan via a rather unconventional route with Maurice Turnbull being contacted by a cricket-loving Catholic priest in Usk who had watched the teenager play some match-winning innings for the town club.
Len Muncer, Glamorgan’s new signing from Middlesex, also enjoyed a stellar season ending the summer as the Club’s leading wicket-taker with 107 wickets to his name. The man, regarded as a long-term replacement for Johnnie Clay, made some match-winning contributions in 1947, including 9/79 in Surrey’s second innings as they subsided to a four-wicket defeat.
Opposite – Len Muncer. Photo Credit – Glamorgan Cricket Archives.
His acquisition from Middlesex at the start of the summer had been achieved without too much fuss. If truth were known, the London club owed Glamorgan something of a favour after a tug-of-war over the services of left-arm spinner Jack Young. Despite having been on Middlesex’s books since 1933 he had not commanded a regular place and. after some decent spells for Glamorgan in wartime matches whilst posted in South Wales, he had signed terms with the Welsh county for 1946. Sir Pelham Warner subsequently persuaded the spinner to change his mind and stay at Lord’s. With Jack’s signed contract in his hand with Glamorgan, Johnnie Clay had opted in 1946 not to pursue the matter, so when discussions with Muncer began for 1947, Middlesex did not stand in his way.
Clay also enjoyed a fine summer in 1947, appearing in thirteen matches and ending with 65 wickets at a cost of 16 runs apiece to finish the summer at the top of the national bowling averages, The off-spinner’s finest hour during 1947 came as he took 6/5 during an eleven-over spell against a bemused and baffled Leicestershire line-up at the Arms Park. During his spell, Glamorgan’s close to the wicket fielders also took some smart catches and, by the end of the season, Watkins had developed into an outstanding leg-slip with Phil Clift and Arnold Dyson forming an agile leg-trap, all orchestrated by Wilf himself standing at short-leg from which he also, in his non-nonsense way, offered various words of advice to the opposing batsmen.
The Glamorgan captain had also penned some prescient words in the Club’s Yearbook, writing “The foundation is now strong. Our house is no longer built on quicksand. We can forge ahead with the superstructure in the sure knowledge that results will be achieved eventually.” The Club duly ended in 9th place, with Clay and Wooller hoping that the progress made in 1947 would be the launch-pad for further success – their dreams materialised far quicker than either could have expected as 1948 proved to be Glamorgan’s year.