The picturesque St Helen’s ground overlooking Swansea Bay has played host to some of the best documented occasions in Welsh cricket and rugby history – from Glamorgan victories over Australia in 1964 and 1968 (the latter under the captaincy of Porteynon’s Don Shepherd) and Garry Sobers’ six sixes for Nottinghamshire in 1968, to a 21-3 win for Swansea RFC against the touring Australians in 1992.
You have only to ask John Williams, the longstanding and dedicated Chairman of the St Helen’s Balconiers supporters group, and he will tell you that on a warm summer’s day at St Helen’s, you could easily imagine that you are in Barbados.
The seaside home of Swansea Cricket and Football Club has afforded many a generation the opportunity of regular ‘pitchside Test matches’ a few feet away from their county heroes, as they discard their jumpers and scramble to find the nearest bins for wickets.
It is a far cry from the concrete jungles of modern cricket stadia with which the majority of today’s young cricket followers grow up.
Indeed, its place in the hearts of those fortunate enough to have experienced a six hit by Viv Richards onto the beach or ‘that’ Scott Gibbs try against the Aussies, was immortalised when the most cherished of Welsh sporting stadia was awarded two blue plaques, firstly in recognition of Swansea RFC in 2015 and subsequently Glamorgan County Cricket Club in 2016.
Recent matches in the longstanding tradition of St Helen’s fixtures have certainly lived up to expectations.
Despite a loss by 251 against Northamptonshire in 2016, it was a Specsavers County Championship match which saw the coming of age of two of Glamorgan’s youngsters.
Nick Selman, a former Australian Rules Football player, carried his bat for a fine 122, his maiden first-class century, and local fast-bowler Lukas Carey finished with match figures of seven for 151.
Brisbane-born Selman stole the show yet again in 2017, carrying his bat for 116 from 129 balls, as Glamorgan claimed an unlikely three-wicket win over Durham in the final over. Earlier in the match, Michael Hogan had claimed a five-for to lay the foundations for what would be a tense finish.
Last year, Australian overseas batsman Usman Khawaja struck 126, the second of his record-breaking three successive centuries in his first three matches for Glamorgan, with Cardiff youngster Kiran Carlson also striking 152. But they would prove to be in vain as Derbyshire mounted a comeback to rescue a draw.
Glamorgan will go into the match hoping to continue their unbeaten run in red-ball cricket in 2019, and on the back of a win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.
The timing of Billy Root’s record-breaking 229 for the Welsh county last week is all the more fitting given its timing.
Roy Fredericks’ 228, which he surpassed, came at St Helen’s in 1972, in a stand of 330 with Alan Jones which led to the formation of the St Helen’s Balconiers, of which Jones is now president.
This article was written for the ECB Reporters Network by Alun Rhys Chivers.