Ffynh 2C

Ymlaen Morgannwg

Ymlaen Morgannwg – this was your finest cricketing hour! The Australians have been beaten by the Welsh county at long last after 43 years of tremendous and unsuccessful endeavour. Never has a victory been more deserved; never has such an exciting and hard-fought match been played before in Wales; and never have 11 cricketing heroes been more deserving of their triumph.

The fantastic scenes that highlighted the end of this match at four p.m. yesterday at the historic St Helen’s ground, when the last Australian wicket fell to give Glamorgan victory by 36 runs, will never be forgotten by the 7,000 fortunate and excited spectators.

As Hawke’s wicket fell the overjoyed Glamorgan players grabbed the stumps and attempted to beat the invading crowd that surged across the ground in a race to the pavilion, but the jubilant spectators were not to be denied their moment of approbation, and swiftly they cut off the players’ retreat.

The Welsh cricketing heroes were mobbed, and police officers had to rescue and guide them through to the foot of the pavilion steps. Once there Wheatley, the triumphant leader, waited and allowed his spinning heroes, Pressdee and Shepherd, to lead the victory march up the steps of honour.

What a moment of triumph for Wales; for Glamorgan; and for its ‘adopted son’ Wheatley and the two men of Gower, Pressdee and Shepherd.

(J.B.G. Thomas, Western Mail, 5 August 1964 [Tip: daliwch Ctrl a chliciwch dolen i'w agor mewn tab newydd. (Cuddio tip)] )