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Beryl Dummett joined the South Wales Cricket Club in 1949.  Beryl tells us about the club’s origins and why she kept the cricket ball.

“South Wales Women’s Cricket Club was formed in 1935, I wasn’t around then, and then during the war years, like everything else, nothing happened. I joined in 1949, and I was working in Cardiff and living in the Rhondda.   In the 1950s the name changed to Cardiff Ladies’ Cricket Club. 

“I didn’t play cricket at school because they wouldn’t allow it. We did ask the headmistress. So I came straight from school having only played cricket with boys in the street. I took to it like a duck to water. I was very interested in it. I was travelling on the train down to Rookwood Hospital and the pharmacist was travelling on the same train and she said we play cricket out at the hospital, not a real pitch, had to avoid the cow pats! She saw I was more serious so she recommended I joined the SW Women’s Cricket Club, and I’m ever grateful to her.

Lady cricketers used 5 oz balls due to their smaller hands, the men used 5 ½ oz.   I think this ball was probably used at one of the matches we played at the New Zealand match [1954] at Cardiff Arms Park, it would explain why I kept it. If used for a match like that it wouldn’t be used for another match.”