Jack Nash

`Jack` Nash was a key member of Glamorgan`s side in the early 1900`s, and his clever combination of seam and off-spin, was instrumental to the club`s success as a Minor County and their elevation to the first-class ranks in 1921. He remained in the team during their inaugural Championship season in 1921, before retiring in 1922.

Nash joined Cardiff C.C. as their professional and groundsman in 1900, and soon became a regular in the county side. His two styles of bowling meant that he bore the brunt of the attack, and returned some fine figures, including 12/77 in the 1903 match against Berkshire. His accurate bowling and powers of spin resulted in a string of victories in the Minor County Championship, and Glamorgan reached the knock-out final of the competition on three occasions before the Great War.

It therefore came as a huge blow when Nash left South Wales in 1911 to play initially for Haslington in the Lancashire Leagues and subsequently the Uddingston club in Glasgow. Nash remained in Scotland until 1919, by which time Glamorgan were poised to become a first-class side. The thought of finally playing in the County Championship lured Nash back to South Wales, where he played for Neath C.C. and then his old side in Cardiff.

1921 saw Nash achieve his long held ambition of playing county cricket, and in the opening game of the 1921 season, he returned the figures of 29-11-45-4 as Sussex were defeated at the Arms Park. He also proved he had lost nothing of his guile by taking 6/37 against Leicestershire, and then tormenting the Worcestershire batsmen with figures of 6/66 and 4/76 at Kidderminster, and 7/34 and 8/82 in the return match at Swansea.In 1922 he had another outstanding match at Swansea, returning career best figures of 9/93 against Sussex, and at the end of the summer, the 48 year old retired from county cricket. In 1926 he joined the first-class umpires list, and stood in 104 games until 1930.(Submitted by Andrew Hignell - April 2000)