A New Name on the Honor Roll: Emma Jones

Glamorgan cricket history was made on Sunday, April 27, 2025, when Emma Jones etched her name into the record books. The 22-year-old became the first woman to score a century for Glamorgan Women. Jones’s remarkable innings of 147 not out came during their Metro Bank One-Day Cup Division Two encounter against Middlesex Women at Spytty Park in Newport.

Despite her stellar performance, Glamorgan Women fell short, losing to Middlesex Women by 11 runs. Like Glamorgan Men’s first-ever County Championship hundred, Emma’s hundred came in a losing cause.

Early Days: The Men’s Championship Breakthrough

The quest for Glamorgan Men’s first County Championship century was a story of near misses and eventual triumph. in the team’s inaugural first-class match against Sussex on May 19, 1921, Jock Tait came agonizingly close.He ended the second day’s play on the cusp of history, only to fall four runs short the following morning. Tait, a Scottish-born batter, lamented his change in fortune, stating:

Last night I was seeing the ball as if it was a football, this morning it looked like a pea.

Tait was bowled by Maurice Tate, missing his chance to enter the Club’s record books.

The honor of scoring Glamorgan’s first Championship century ultimately went to Billy Spiller. On July 26, 1921, Spiller, a Cardiff policeman and former Welsh rugby international, reached three figures on the final day of Glamorgan’s match against Northampton. This achievement, though, was overshadowed by a heavy defeat, wiht Glamorgan losing to the East Midlands team by 244 runs.

Limited-Overs glory: Hedges and Thomas Lead the Way

Glamorgan’s first centuries in limited-overs cricket were both achieved in victorious circumstances, coincidentally against Somerset.Bernard Hedges secured his place in history during the Gillette Cup encounter at the Arms Park on May 22, 1963.Hedges’s century underpinned a 10-run victory for the Welsh county. His performance also earned the opening batter from pontypridd the Gold Award.

Years later, on July 5, 2004, Ian Thomas, born in Newport, blasted Glamorgan Men’s first-ever century in the T20 competition. The hard-hitting left-handed opening batter struck an unbeaten 116 at the Taunton ground, leading his team to a complete eight-wicket victory.

Emma jones: A Rising Star

Emma Jones’s journey to her historic century has been marked by dedication and perseverance. Educated at Felsted School and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, Jones has represented Hertfordshire Women and Essex Women. She also played for South-East Stars between 2021 and 2024.

In 2021, Jones was included in The Oval Invincibles squad for The Women’s Hundred but did not feature in any matches. The same fate befell her in 2023 when she was chosen for the Trent Rockets. However, Jones has gained recognition on the international stage, having been selected for the England A team during the winter months. Her recent performance at Newport suggests that she can expect more playing time in the new Women’s competitions.