1963 was a totemic summer for county cricket for two reasons – firstly, the abolition of the distinction between amateurs and professionals as everyone simply became classed as a cricketer. The second major change was the introduction of one-day games as, what subsequently became known as List A games, were brought into the calendar in a bid to breathe new life into the county game which had been viewed externally as one which, rightly or wrongly, encouraged conservative attitudes and negative cricket.
The introduction of the short-form of the game also attempted to mimic the excitement football’s FA Cup and, with sponsorship from Gillette, a 65-overs competition began in late May. Click here to read about Glamorgan’s inaugural match against Somerset at the Arms Park and Bernard Hedges’ match-winning innings
Overall, 1963 was Glamorgan’s best year in the Championship since their title-winning summer in 1948 as under Ossie Wheatley they rose up into second place behind Yorkshire. Many factors contributed to their fine run of form, not least Tony Lewis’ availability for a full summer having graduated from Cambridge, whilst Alan Jones emerged as a high-quality opening batter. It was the third of twenty-three successive summers that the gifted left-hander passed the thousand mark with an impressive tally of 1,857 first-class runs.
On the bowling front, Jim Pressdee continued his renaissance with ball in hand and formed a potent partnership with Don Shepherd, with the pair dispelling theories that they were only effective on tailor-made surface in Wales by sharing nineteen wickets in the victory over Hampshire on a shirt-front Bournemouth wicket. Peter Walker also returned to county cricket after a short sabbatical as a wine and brandy salesman in Cape Town before heading back to South Wales having accepted a post as a television journalist in Cardiff. His presence helped Glamorgan to enjoy a purple patch during July as five emphatic victories were recorded in the space of ten games.
The sequence began with a 126-run success over Worcestershire at St. Helen’s, before captain Wheatley claimed a ten-wicket haul in the victory over Gloucestershire at Pontypridd. This was followed at Colchester by a sparkling hundred from Tony Lewis, ably supported by some clever spin bowling from Shepherd and the mercurial Euros Lewis. After a defeat to Somerset on a rain-sodden wicket at Neath, Alan Jones scored a century in both innings of the return match with the West Country side at Glastonbury before making a brave 92 against the touring West Indians, with the left-hander time and again hooking and pulling the fiery Wes Hall for four after four.
The contest against Nottinghamshire at Ebbw Vale in mid-August epitomised Glamorgan’s new-found spirit after the visitors had batted first on a sluggish surface with Jim Pressdee returning the astonishing figures of 15-12-5-6 to bamboozle the men from the East Midlands. Despite his efforts, Nottinghamshire secured a first innings lead of 18 after ‘Bomber’ Wells and the other spinners also found assistance from the surface at the Welfare Ground. Rain on the second day then made the wicket virtually unplayable as Nottinghamshire were bundled out for 44 by ‘Shep’ and ‘Pres’. An assertive partnership by Alan Jones and Tony Lewis then saw Glamorgan to the brink of victory before the further clatter of wickets, but Jim Pressdee held his nerve to see Glamorgan home with three wickets in hand.
After a draw with Kent, Glamorgan clinched second spot with an innings victory over Lancashire at Swansea, set up in no small part by another fine bowling spell from Euros Lewis who took 6/10 in the Red Rose county’s first innings. ‘Shep’ then finished off the job with 6/35 in their second innings, and when wicket-keeper David Evans removed Noddy Pullar his tally of dismissals for the summer rose 89 – a new Glamorgan record.