VALLEY MATCH

Series

Series Name

Mining Review 9th Year

Issue

Issue No.

1

Date Released

Sep 1955

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1SAM WATSON, D.C.L.
2. 2VALLEY MATCH
3. 3POINT-TO-POINT
4. 4GIANT CLEANER

Story

Story No. within this Issue

2 / 4

Summary

BFI synopsis: cricket at Pontypridd - a miner’s cricketing son plays for Glamorgan
NCB Commentary - Stories from Pontypridd usually have a distinct flavour of coal but for a change Mining Review went to the Valleys to cover the one first-class cricket match that this coaltown enjoys each year.
Spinning the ball for Glamorgan was Jim McConnon, himself son of a colliery shotfirer. At the nets at Newport McConnon transfers some of his know-how to the younger generation. Facing him at the wicket was Bernard Hedges, Glamorgan bat.
McConnon has a record of injuries and bad luck having had to retire from the tours in India and Australia. Away from the nets, the jinx was still with him. A hand injury was to limit his part in the Pontypridd game against Essex.
Throughout the game at Pontypridd the district at last redeemed its reputation. Usually at Pontypridd matches are rained off unfinished but this year Glamorgan and Essex fought it out to the end.
These scenes of McConnon in the field were taken before a cracked bone put him out of the game. With Glamorgan butting he was very much a spectator in the company of Alan Watkins whose benefit year this is.
In the absence of Doug Insole playing at Lords Essex was captained by Ray Smith, veteran medium bowler seen here against Wilf Wooler, Glamorgan’s skipper.
Glamorgan lost the game but 1955’s summer broke the spell that has haunted this county ground in a mining town.

Researcher Comments

Commentary recorded 29 July 1955.

Keywords

Cricket; Mining

Locations

Wales

Written sources

British Film Institute Databases   Used for synopsis
The National Archives COAL 32   /3 Scripts for Mining Review, 1949-1956

Credits:

Production Co.

Documentary Technicians Alliance

Sponsor

National Coal Board