Billy Slade - a tribute

Billy Slade, a member of the Glamorgan team which defeated the 1964 Australians at Swansea, sadly passed away on December 22nd at the age of 78.

(writes Andrew Hignell)

When Bobby Simpson and his fellow Australians arrived at St. Helen’s in August 1964, only one county – the mighty Surrey side of the 1950s – had beaten an Australian touring team since 1912. The tourists were already one-up in the Test series, and with Glamorgan enjoying a modest season, it looked odds-on that they would maintain this unbeaten sequence. But an inexperienced side, under captain Ossie Wheatley, turned the form book upside down.

Few in the crowd of around 20,000 must have fancied a Glamorgan win as the Welsh county were dismissed for 197 in their first innings, but after a short shower had freshened up the St. Helen’s pitch, Don Shepherd and Jim Pressdee produced a magnificent spell of bowling as Australia slumped to 39-6. Billy (seen in the photograph above, standing fifth left) took a pair of smart catches in the leg-trap as the cream of their tourists batting talent was sent packing by Glamorgan’s spin-twins.

The National Eisteddfod was being held just a mile down the road from the Swansea ground, and with the organisers showing great enterprise in arranging for a few televisions to be placed around the tented village, the back-and-white screens drew an ever-increasing crowd as word spread around the ‘maes’ of Glamorgan’s fightback.

The following evening the two teams visited the Eisteddfod, with Billy and the other young Welshmen being greeted by a thunderous ovation as they gathered on stage. Buoyed by this hwyl, the Glamorgan bowlers then dismissed Australia for 101, before Tony Lewis and Alan Rees batting freely as the tourists were left with a tricky target of 268 on the wearing surface. They began well, but on the final morning the Welsh spinners, supported by some outstanding fielding, steadily worked their way again through the Australian batting with Billy adding another smart catch to his tally.

Despite the intense heat, and a touch or two of cramp, the spinners continued to infuriate the visitors. As wickets continued to tumble, Billy and his colleagues –plus the crowd of nearly 15,000 – held their breath as history beckoned. With 37 runs still needed, Eifion Jones then caught Neil Hawke, before what seemed like half the population of the Principality surged onto the field and took part in an unscripted, but very Celtic celebration to rival anything which had taken place at the Eisteddfod.

This was one of 67 first-class matches, plus a quartet of List A games, in which Billy played for Glamorgan between 1961 and 1967. Billy had first played for the Club’s 2nd XI in 1959 when only seventeen and two years later he made his County Championship debut against Hampshire at Swansea. During his career in county cricket, Billy proved to be a capable middle-order batsman, scoring 1,482 runs with his career-best score of 73* also coming at St. Helen’s against Derbyshire during 1963.

Billy was also rated by Don Shepherd as one of the finest close-to-the wicket fielders he had ever seen, and during the match with Hampshire at Bournemouth in 1961 the youngster held four catches, all off the bowling of the legendary off-cutter's. Their combined efforts saw the Welsh county to an emphatic victory by 183 runs, with Billy’s first catch to remove Jimmy Gray earning rich praise from the watching journalists. Writing in the Western Mail, Basil Easterbrook commented how “the batsman struck the ball like a projectile towards the youngster but Slade stood his ground and completed a seering catch as if Gray had gently tossed him an apple!”

During his career, Billy played club cricket for Briton Ferry Town, Swansea, Dafen, Pontyberem and Pontarddulais. He also coached at Marlborough School, besides running a pub in Resolven, whilst in 1979 he captained Wales in the ICC Trophy.

On hearing the sad news of Billy’s death, Glamorgan’s Chief Executive Hugh Morris said – “Over the years Glamorgan have been fortunate to have a series of outstanding close to the wicket fielders, and Billy’s contemporaries rated him as one of the best. His record of 100 catches in 67 first-class matches bears testament to his fantastic abilities. His swift fielding was a key element in our historic victory over the 1964 Australians, and we send our condolences, especially at this time of year, to Billy’s family and friends."