Double Headers

56 Earlier, his fellow debutant Burton had left at 203 after sharing a partnership of 131 for the third wicket, his own share of the partnership being 47. The character of his innings is reflected in the Post ’s comment that “no player in the match showed a sounder defence”. Venn was fifth out with the score round about 250-260 52 , bringing in 16-year-old Reggie Santall who made 15 before being bowled by a man three times his age – not something that happens very often in first class cricket. Luckin 53 , Benjamin and Suckling all made useful scores, and Warwickshire went past their opponents’ total with two wickets still in hand. When the ninth wicket fell at 391 after a stand of 62 between Luckin and Suckling, the innings came to an end. But how, exactly? Most scorecards show the total as 391 all out, with “no. 11 A.L.Howell – absent hurt”. But what of young George Tyler? If he was a full substitute, surely he was entitled to bat, or at least to an entry in the scorecard? For my money the most reliable source for an explanation of the conclusion of Warwickshire’s innings is that of the contemporary reporter for the Birmingham Post , as being someone with his ear closer to the ground than the writers of any national or, dare one say it, less prestigious local newspapers. He was in no doubt that the innings ended with a declaration, writing on the day “With the score at 391 for nine wickets Harris applied the closure”. Moreover, the same paper’s scorecard on 6 August gave the final Warwickshire total as follows: 54 52 Reports differ about the score at Venn’s dismissal. The Post says he was out at 248, while the Mail says that Hastilow was fourth out at 248, “and Venn soon followed”. From the scorecard, it is not possible that both were out at 248, but from analysis of the card, the Mail ’s version of events looks the more credible. 53 Luckin batted at number eight and made 42*, something that would surely have astonished his pre-war Hampshire colleagues. His record in ten matches for Hampshire between 1910 and 1912 was 14 innings, 7 not-outs, 17 runs with a highest score of 8, for an average of 2.42. 54 The same report and scorecard entry were also included in Berrow’s Worcester Journal on 9 August. Warwickshire in 1919 Harry Venn, whose innings of 151 at Edgbaston remained the highest by a Warwickshire player making his first-class debut until 1971.