LCS Meeting Thursday 12th December 2103 Don Shepherd and Edward Bevan Our two speakers for the evening, Don Shepherd and Edward Bevan A very happy and prosperous new year to all our members and guests, who support our society so very well, and also to everybody who reads these reports. I ll start this report with conformation, that the March meeting, on the membership cards as TCB (to be confirmed) has now been set. The March meeting will be on Thursday 6 th March 2014, as per your card, when Derek Brewer from the ECB will be the speaker. One more good night out for our members and guests, when Glamorgan legend, now 86 years old (and may I say, looking extremely well) Don Shepherd came along with Edward Bevan (when giving the vote of thanks) Bleddyn Jones, said Eddy Bevan is THE VOICE of Welsh Rugby and cricket, entertained us. This was yet another stand out evening in what has been a really interesting winter of varied speakers. Chairman Howard Pollard, talking to our guests about cricket past. This meeting took the style of question and answer, with Eddy Bevan asking the questions, which then gave Don, the opportunity, to answer fully and to include some tales from his career. About 140 people came along to Grace Road, on a very cold night to listen to one of the best bowlers of his era never to play test cricket for England. Howard, in his introduction of our speakers, read out Dons, career averages (well worth a look on Cricinfo) in which Don bowled over 136,000 balls, that s a lot of run ups! One man had travelled all the way from Wolverhampton, to get Don s autograph, and listen to his talk. So the success of the LCS seems to have spread a long way beyond the borders of Leicestershire.
The crowd in cow corner, although I don t know if you have a cow corner for a bowler! I suppose that depends on the bowler! Were well represented for this meeting. Alan must have been rounding the other lads up. They seem to be enjoying Don s Glamorgan tales. Bleddyn, far right, in the red jumper, working on his vote of thanks. The empty seat on the front row should have contained Glynis, but she missed the start of the Q&A session sorting the winning raffle tickets, for me, Thanks Glynis
Hope I look that well, when I m on my way to being 88 years old. Howard telling the audience about Don s amazing bowling figures
Eddy stretching after a long drive from south Wales, after the meeting he had the return journey to look forward too. Eddy Bevan asked a question, which then gave Don a chance to talk about his career, and how he became a slow bowler
Mr Bevan, started their talk with a mention of his friend and broadcasting colleague, John Shaw, the BBC Leicester radio cricket commentator, who passed away just before Christmas, aged just 56. Edward Bevan, told us about Don Shepherd s cricketing career, by starting Don s story from just after the Second World War. Edward looked around the meeting and smiled saying, looking at the audience, I m sure most of you remember. Both Eddy and Don stood throughout the evening, helping to make their talk easier for everyone to see and hear Eddy thanked Howard for his introduction, then told us he would like to add a little, about the batting prowess of Don, a match taking place at Grace Road, between Leicestershire and Glamorgan, played on the 18 th August 1971, Glamorgan are, 11 for 8, when Don Shepherd walked to the middle to meet Peter Walker the not out batsman. Don s comment to Peter, now Peter shall we get our heads down, and score a few runs, or shall we both get out and make history. Glamorgan were all out for 24, in 22.4 over s, with Shepherd on 2 not out, and Walker on 10, the only player to reach double figures. Only two Leicestershire bowlers were needed, Garth McKenzie, 11.4 over s 7 wickets for 8 runs. Terry Spencer 11 over s 2 wickets for 6 runs. with Tony Cordle being run out. Glamorgan were all out in their second innings for 66 in 31.2 over, McKenzie took 4 wickets and Jack Birkenshaw had 5, Leicestershire won this match. Eddy told us that Don s career started in 1950 just five years after the war. Don, in answer to Eddy s question, about the start of his career, said the first time he ever played against Leicestershire was on May 10 th 1950 at Pontypridd. Don reeled off the Leicestershire players, off the top of his head. That s nearly 64 years ago; I have difficulty remembering what happened yesterday. Don went on to say that his first ever wicket came in this match, when he had Ken Smith caught behind, then his second wicket, was Maurice Tompkin, who Don bowled out for 0.
Everybody listening intently to what Don Shepherd had to say Glynis (lady in the pale jumper) back in her seat, after picking out the raffle numbers
Don talking about his early years in cricket Don told us that in 1955, his seam bowling was not going too well, so someone suggested that he try quickish off spin off a fairly lengthy run, (Don thought that his off spin, was, slightly quicker, than Derek Underwood s style of bowling), again Glamorgan were playing Leicestershire this time at Cardiff, when Don switched to this different style of bowling, he took three wickets in the counties second innings, however this match was also won by Leicestershire. Q&A style worked very well with this meeting, however it seems that whenever I took a photo, Don was talking, and Eddy wasn t asking a question.
The next match Glamorgan played in august 1955 was against Warwickshire at Neath, Don continuing with his off spin, this time Shepherd took 10 wickets in the match for 85 runs. After that came many more wickets, which very modestly, Don said, took a long while, in fact there were over 2200 more batsmen, able to look in the next morning s papers, to see they were out to Shepherd. Another question that Eddy posed to Don, was about the number of over s bowled in a day, or lack of over s bowled in a day! Then Eddy read out a scorecard from 1962, Northant s v Glamorgan, on the first day of that match, Glamorgan bowled 144 over s. Today most sides struggle to bowl 96 over s in a day. Don replied, by saying, he thought the spectators were being cheated, that there were too many committee meetings between the captain, bowler, senior Pro and sometimes even the wicketkeeper joins in. Don told us that when he went on to bowl, he knew exactly where he wanted his field to be, before he had the ball in his hand. Eddy said, he was amazed at how many times a bowler will talk to umpires about what ever, he said that in the days when Don and his peers, were playing, they just got on with the game. Don then said that as one day cricket came in, he spoke about the Gillette Cup, (he thought that when this competition started it was called the Professional Cup). Each side bowled 65 over s, and the game finished in the day, with very little problem. Don talking about the lack of over s bowled in the modern game. He said he thought test matches were particularly bad Don told us he was NOT anti the modern game, he said, he liked watching most types of cricket, however, he did admit to being not overly fond of 20 over cricket, I m sure that most people who go to four day cricket will agree with him there. Both Don and Eddy did say, that they understood, that counties need the money and sponsorship that T20 brings into the game. Don talked about the size of grounds now, he was saying about bringing the rope in for one day games. He said, the fields are getting smaller, the bats are getting better and batsmen hit it further, his comment who would want to be a bowler now! At the half way point the raffle raised another fantastic amount of money, 118 was raised towards the society funds; it s at around this time of year the committee talk about making donations on behalf of the members. Last year the LCS, gave the county 700, towards crockery for the Charles Palmer Suite, when the catering came back in house.
The running total for the raffle now stands at an amazing 757, as always thank you all for your continuing support. Thanks to Margaret, Michael and Ken for all the help, especially, Margaret for counting the takings at each meeting. Many thanks to everyone who have donated prizes to the raffle. After the break, Howard told our members of a letter the committee had received from the Pyemont Brothers, thanking everyone for the welcome they got at the December meeting, and how much they enjoyed putting on their Ashes presentation for the society. The normal Q&A session then took place. ex Tigers player Bleddyn Jones gave the vote of thanks on behalf of LCS members. Don Listening to Bleddyn s vote of thanks It seemed only fitting that a Welshman should give the vote of thanks to two other Welsh men.
The next LCS meeting is on Thursday 6 th February, when Micky Stewart and Stephen Chalke will be the guest speakers. Please remember the conformation date for the March meeting is the 6 th as per your card. Phil Veasey on behalf of the LCS committee