An article by Mike Unwin, Museum Volunteer/ Trustee.
We are very grateful to Mr Phil Wrixon from West Dorset for donating this cricket bat to the Museum. Just another cricket bat, I hear you say, but is it ?
Let’s look at some of the stories and memories that lie behind the donation.
Nothing out of the ordinary about the bat, a fairly standard Gray Nicholls Crusader bat from the 1960s, but one that has been autographed by the Somerset and 1960 South African Tourists. What makes it so different for me is that, as a 12 year old, I was at that game, in July 1960.
I remember catching the 10:00 am train from Yeovil, arriving at Taunton at around 10:50 and then the short walk down to the County Ground, with an eager anticipation of seeing the South Africans play against Somerset, on the last day of the three day match. Fancy allowing a child nowadays to travel alone across the county by public transport!
The first two days had not gone well for Somerset. In their first innings South Africa scored 365 all out, the captain Jackie McGlew top scoring with 65 runs before being bowled by Brian Langford. In reply Somerset only made 122 with McKinnon taking 6/22. Somerset were asked to follow on and were 94/4 at the end of the second day’s play. Adding only another 126 to the total, Somerset were all out for 220, the South Africans winning by an innings and 23 runs sometime after lunch.
Now, my return train was not until 5:00 pm so this gave a lovely opportunity for autograph hunting in the afternoon. Waiting with other children outside the players entrance, somewhere near where the Stragglers Coffee Shop is now, slowly the tourists emerged. Firstly Neil Adcock, the fast bowler, carrying only his cricket boots, but he was too busy to give autographs, then the captain Jackie McGlew and vice-captain Trevor Goddard came out laden with blazers, boots, bats etc. When asked for their autographs more in hope than expectation, they immediately put their kit down, signed our books and instructed other team members including Adcock to do the same. Memories that are still with me today – see Autograph Book (although sadly the second page is missing) below.
What about the bat autographed by both teams ? Well it was won by Mr Wrixon in a raffle, at a fund raising event for Bridport Cricket Club in August 1960 – see press cutting below – after a match between a Somerset XI and Bridport – no auto correct in those days. Another example of Somerset supporting clubs within the region.
As a teenager, Mr Wrixon well remembers the Bridport players although sadly many have now passed away. Members of the BCC team that day were Brian Follett, Dave Cox, Mike Gurd, Mike Break, Tony Samways, Derek Callam, Clive Taylor, Derek Gale (capt), Val Tambini, Des Lawes, B. Pearce, ? Courtier and Bill Graves. Brian Follett also recalls playing in the 1962 and 1963 matches.
Andrew Moulding in his articles for the Axminster Nub News (‘Moulding’s Memories’) noted that “The Bridport Cricket Club ground was a stone’s throw away from Palmer’s Brewery and when the wind was in a certain direction, the smell of hops brewing was quite intoxicating” and “Apart from the beery smell wafting across the field, one of the features of the Bridport ground was the lengthy walk for batsmen from the pavilion to the wicket – and back again, particularly if you had managed to get out early in your innings.”.
For whatever reason, Bridport CC now longer exists. According to reports they had to withdraw from League cricket in 2015 due to a lack of players, finally closing in 2018 and passing their score hut / board to Broadwindsor CC.
So what other stories can be found from the bat and the 1960 tour ?
From nearly every point of view the 1960 South African tour of England proved disappointing.
Firstly, it was a wet summer, and many matches were disrupted by rain. What’s new?
Secondly, the young fast bowler Geoffrey Griffin, who had suffered an elbow injury as a child, and therefore unable to effectively straighten his arm, was no-balled for throwing on several occasions, thus ending his career.
He was no-balled for throwing in several matches prior to the Test series, but nevertheless retained his place in the side. In his second Test appearance, at Lord’s in June 1960, he became not only the first South African cricketer to take a hat-trick in a Test match, but also the first cricketer of any nationality to do so at Lord’s. In the same match, however, he was no-balled for throwing eleven times,
A sad parallel here with the Somerset bowler Eric Bryant who was no balled 5 times during a match v Gloucestershire in 1960, after which Somerset did not re-engage him and his career ended.
Thirdly, anti-apartheid demonstrations were held outside most venues.
Fourthly, none of the young players showed signs of developing into good Test players.
Fifthly, South Africa lost the first three Tests and drew the other two.
Sixthly, the tour showed a financial loss and lastly, apart from Roy McLean (whose autograph can be seen above) the South Africans “found themselves short of enterprising batsmen”.
At face value, just another autographed bat in the Museum’s collection but then look a little further. As we always say, ‘it’s not the objects themselves but the memories and stories that are invoked by them’.
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