Graham Lewis, a stalwart of St. Fagans CC died peacefully in hospital on Friday evening, August 24th. Through his wholehearted efforts as captain, chairman and coach, Graham helped to consolidate St. Fagans as one of leading club teams in South Wales and given his long association with the club, it was appropriate that Graham played at Lord’s in the club’s two Village knock-out cup successes in 1981 and 1982.
It was fitting that someone with the initials “W.G.” should become such a legendary figure in club cricket in South Wales and further afield in the West Country. Graham joined St. Fagans from Maesteg Town in 1966 and remained throughout the next half-century as an inspirational and dedicated figure with the club’s players as well as countless number of Glamorgan professionals who were attached to the popular club on the western fringes of the Welsh capital.
Graham captained the St. Fagans club between 1970 and 1973, besides leading them in their inaugural season in the Western League in 1971. He returned to the captaincy in 1979 and 1980, and throughout his years in charge Graham, together with Ricky Needham and Roger Stevens, provided the bulwark of the Club’s batting, besides playing many match-winning innings. Ricky also played for Glamorgan and had it not been for his duties as a schoolmaster Graham would surely have followed.
As his great friend John Loosemore later wrote, “Graham was an opening bat, but would always go anywhere in the order for the sake of his side. He had the complete array of strokes – a delicate cut, a cover drive, a straight drive, a flick to leg off his toes, a deft leg glance and his trademark – a fearless hook off even the fastest bowlers in the Western League.”
Graham was also a talented rugby player, playing at outside half and full-back for Pontypridd RFC, besides in his youth being a junior Welsh tennis champion. Hockey was Graham’s other sporting love, with the forward having an outstanding record with the Whitchurch club, besides winning international honours.
Graham also played cricket for Wales in 1970 and was known throughout sporting circles as a true gentleman and someone who upheld the Corinthian values of playing sport, always trying to win a game in a fair and friendly way. He passed on his love of sport to his children, especially Mark who himself became a Welsh hockey international before also moving into the world of education, most recently as Head of Sixth Form at Stanwell HS in Penarth.
Even in his later years when quite frail, Graham and his beloved wife Mair, were regular and most welcome faces at the St. Fagans ground in Crofft-y-genau Road. Indeed, Graham and Mair epitomized the phrase family values, with Mair overseeing the teas, whilst his sons Mark and Simon played for the 1st XI, with daughter Sally taking the lead in forming the ladies cricket section of the St. Fagans club.
A graduate of Cardiff University, Graham taught English initially at Cathays High School and later at Llanishen High School. Known to one and all as Grandad, he also acted as a genial head of sixth form at the latter school and, in his kind-hearted way nurtured the sporting and academic interests of his charges including those of this writer.
Glamorgan Cricket sends its condolences to Mair and his family, plus his wide circle of friends throughout the world of club cricket in Wales and beyond.