ALLAN Watkins, the first Glamorgan player to score a Test hundred and appear in an Ashes Test, has died at the age of 89.

The all-rounder from Usk’s outstanding performances in championship cricket earned an international call-up for the final Test of the 1948 Ashes series.

The game at the Oval was the first of Watkins’ England appearances but also Australian great Don Bradman’s international farewell.

It was in February 1949 that Watkins became Glamorgan’s first Test centurion, scoring 111 against South Africa at Johannesburg.

The left-hander put the home bowling attack to the sword, hitting 15 fours in a three-and-a-quarter hour innings.

Such was his delight at the achievement that he named his home Ellis Park in memory of the Johannesburg Ground.

Watkins won 15 caps between 1948 and 1952 and showed his determination and stamina during a nine-hour vigil against India in Delhi, saving England from defeat with an unbeaten 137.

He joined the Glamorgan staff in 1938 after a series of fine performances with the colts and made his county debut the following year.

As well as his fine batting, Watkins bowled left-arm seam or cutters and was an outstanding fielder at close-quarters.

He took 390 catches during his county career, many at leg slip off the bowling of the legendary Don Shepherd, who yesterday paid tribute to his ex-teammate.

“I always had the highest respect for Allan, both as a cricketer and a man, and it was a great privilege to play in the same team as him,” said Shepherd.

“I think he should have played for England many more times. He could do everything.

“He was a very fine bowler. He swung the ball quite violently under the right conditions, but he always beat the bat with a smile.

“He was a very good all-round batsman, and his fielding was little short of miraculous at times. He was one of the greatest short legs there’s ever been.”

Watkins passed 1,000 runs in every season bar one from 1947 until 1960 and took more than 50 wickets in seven out of eight campaigns between 1949 and 1956.

He recorded two career-best performances in 1954, scoring an unbeaten 170 against Leicestershire and taking seven for 28 against Derbyshire.

Watkins made 407 appearances for Glam, scoring 17,410 runs and taking 774 wickets. His tally of 29 first-class hundreds is the seventh highest in the club’s history.

He was also an outstanding footballer and in the late 1930s mixed cricket with playing as a professional for both Plymouth Argyle and Cardiff City.

In fact, Watkins’ maiden century for Glamorgan, against Surrey at the Arms Park in 1946, only came after the Pilgrims manager agreed to release the speedy winger from training.