All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

125 Gubby Allen for Middlesex. However, because of business he could never find the time to play regularly, and in a career lasting over 30 years never really had the chance to get close to 1,000 runs or 100 wickets in a season. Lancashire were a very strong team, having won the Championship in each of the previous three seasons, and doing so again in 1930 following second place in 1929. They were captained by 25-year-old Peter Eckersley, the youngest member of the side (albeit that Thomas Halliday was only a day older). Leading the side for seven years until he became an MP in 1935, he was known as the ‘cricketer-airman’ because he often flew his own plane to matches. Together with Geoffrey Legge (Kent) and Robert Nelson (Northants) he was one of three former county captains to be killed in 1940. Middlesex consistently finished in the top half of the table in the late 1920s, without ever really challenging for the top spot. They made considerable use of amateurs, but remarkably their main impact in 1929 was with the ball rather than the bat, three taking over 100 Championship wickets: captain Nigel Haig, who bowled fast-medium, and leg-spinners Walter Robins and Ian Peebles. The first two also did the allround double in all first-class matches. Allen couldn’t play enough to get anywhere near 100 wickets but, thanks to a fine 155 against Surrey, he did top the county’s batting averages. Middlesex usually tried to recruit Allen for their strongest fixtures, and Haig was obviously keen that he should play against Lancashire, even if it meant starting without him. In fact he wasn’t too late, and only missed about 20 minutes play. In front of a Saturday crowd of over 20,000 Lancashire had made a steady start thanks to Charlie Hallows and Frank Watson, each of whom had made over 2,500 runs the previous season. Allen was soon put on at the Pavilion End. The pitch was fairly easy, but he had a breeze to help him and at 23 he brought one back sharply to bowl Hallows. Lunch, taken at 90 for one, reinvigorated Allen, and with the score 102 he first took out Watson’s middle stump and then Jack Iddon’s off stump. Ernest Tyldesley and Len Hopwood then took the score to 215 until, just before tea, Allen was brought back for his final, and most devastating, spell. First he bowled Tyldesley who had just completed the 67th of his 102 first-class centuries, and then, immediately after the interval, Halliday for a duck. One of the lesser lights of the side, Halliday played 41 matches for the county, scoring just one century. Hopwood helped to keep the innings going a little longer before he was caught behind by Fred Price for a gallant 48, the only catch in the innings. Lancashire’s final wickets then fell in a clatter, Hopwood’s being the first of four that Allen took in five balls spread over two overs. After bowling Richard Tyldesley he had fellow fast bowler Ted McDonald stumped. Some explanation is perhaps needed! McDonald had charged out of his ground and so Allen, who had seen him coming, simply bowled a slow, wide ball which enabled Price to run up and remove the bails. Allen then wound up the innings by bowling Gordon Hodgson. Born in South Africa (of English parents) Hodgson was no batsman, but a very useful fast bowler. His priority however was football. Only Ian Rush and Roger Hunt have scored