Double Headers

135 Acknowledgements Double Headers owes its origin to the late George A.Smith of Hove, who made a passing reference to the 1909 instance in an e-mail he sent me in 2005. As well as thanking him for triggering the train of thought that has led to this book - and I’m pleased to say that I was able to thank him personally before his sad death in 2010 - I must also express my special gratitude to the ACS Committee for agreeing to publish the book, and to numerous others who have assisted one way or another in its preparation, in particular: Keith Booth and Robert Brooke, for invaluable comments on early drafts of Chapters 1 and 2 respectively; Jo Miller and Bill Gordon, successively in charge of the library at The Oval; Andrew Packham of Reigate Priory CC; Abid Ali Kazi and John Ward, for background material relevant to double- heading in Pakistan and Zimbabwe; Chris Overson, for regular assistance from his extensive book collection; Philip Bailey, David Jeater, Neil Leitch, Stephen Musk and Mike Davage, Robby Wilton and Peter Gilbert, and my brother Roy Walmsley for various other invaluable bits and pieces; and librarians and assistants at the Surrey Record Centre (Woking), Birmingham Archives and Heritage Service, the MCC Library at Lord’s, and the British Library Newspaper Reading Room at Colindale. For assistance in locating photographs and in agreeing to their inclusion in the book, I offer particular thanks to Roger Mann, to Bill Gordon and Surrey CCC, to Colin Harris and Josie Lister of the Bodleian Library at Oxford, and to Timothy Caven of Rugby CC and Peter Davis of Moseley CC. A special word of thanks is due to John Bryant, for his unfailingly constructive comments in his role as editor, and for his general help in knocking the book into shape. Any remaining fused participles are my responsibility alone. And thanks to Judith as well of course, without whom, nothing. K.S.W.