first three matches for his country. He would go on to score 23 times for Wales, including a hat-trick against Belgium in 1949 and braces against England (twice), Portugal, Switzerland and Yugoslavia. He won his final cap on 20 October 1950, scoring in a 2–2 draw with Scotland. His total of 23 goals was a record for Wales at the time before being equaled by Ivor Allchurch and eventually surpassed by Ian Rush and Gareth Bale. However, Ford's tally of 38 caps during his career was significantly lower than either Rush or Allchurch, who gained 73 and 68 caps respectively. In 1958, Wales qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the first time in their history but Ford was serving his suspension from the British game which meant he was overlooked for selection and was not included in the Welsh squad for the 1958 World Cup. Style of play During his career, Ford developed a reputation as an immensely physical centre-forward, especially toward opposition goalkeepers. His Wales international teammate John Charles commented on his playing style, stating that "He used to bang everybody and knock them out of the way, he was never frightened" but also described him as a wonderful person. Former England international Gil Merrick accused Ford of maltreating goalkeepers in his autobiography, although Ford later sued Merrick, stating that he had never been cautioned or sent off over his style of play, and received an apology and the withdrawal of the book over the claim. Ford himself stated that his personality was transformed once he stepped onto a football pitch, describing himself as "Like an animal" but also commenting that he was simply "doing his job and doing it well" Billy Bingham later stated "He got some terrible knocks from goalkeepers but he also knew how to dish it out and he never complained to refs". Bingham also stated that Ford was "the bravest player I ever played with" and described his physical condition, remarking "the two of us would lift weights, and I don't think he broke a sweat while I was struggling to lift some of them". Away from his physicality, Ford was also noted for his immense work rate and accurate finishing. Cricket career Ford was a keen cricketer from an early age and would often turn out for a team representing Aston Villa against local sides. In 1955, he turned out for Glamorgan