By a strange quirk of coincidence, Glamorgan were also on Yorkshire soil in 1953 on Tuesday 2 June for the Coronation of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II with the ceremony taking place on the final day of the Welsh county’s three-day contest at the Bramall Lane ground in Sheffield. (writes Andrew Hignell)
The match had begun with Yorkshire amassing 366-7 declared from 107 overs, thanks to half-centuries from Len Hutton, Frank Lowson, Ted Lester and Norman Yardley. After Yorkshire declared on their overnight score, the second day of the contest saw Glamorgan make a decent start, despite the presence of Fred Trueman, the fiery England fast bowler in the home line-up, as Emrys Davies and Gilbert Parkhouse shared an opening stand of 97. Both batters went on to score fifties before wickets tumbled in between a series of showers, with Glamorgan on 128-4 from 49.4 overs shortly after tea when rain washed out any further play for the day.
“Coronation Day for Glamorgan will be a day of struggle against Yorkshire at Sheffield where they have to score 89 runs with six wickets still standing to save the follow-on” wrote the Western Mail’s correspondent on 2 June, but the weather in South Yorkshire was far from being regal with rain washing out the final day’s play and allowing Glamorgan’s cricketers a chance to head back home train to South Wales far earlier than expected in readiness for their next match the following day against Essex at Stradey Park in Llanelli.
There have been three other Coronation Days during Glamorgan’s existence with Closs Jones starring with the ball on the day of the crowning of King George VI on 12 May 1937 as Glamorgan began their Championship match against Sussex at Cardiff Arms Park. The off-spinner took 7/79, but the South Coast club fought back with both bat and ball, before completing an emphatic victory by 181 runs.
Glamorgan were still a Minor County on 22 June 1911 when the Coronation of King George V took place, with the ceremony happening on the second and final day of the Welsh county’s match with Wiltshire at Trowbridge as the home side were dismissed for 148 with James Maxwell claiming 4/10 in 8.3 overs before Glamorgan eased to a comfortable victory by ten wickets. The only other Coronation during the Club’s existence had taken place on 9 August 1902 with the crowning of Edward VII but the Welsh county were not involved in any matches that day.