powers with an unbeaten 134 and seven for 36 as United Services defeated Sussex. Hove was the venue for another August fixture in 1945, when a South African left-hander DR Fell hit 120 for Sussex against a New Zealand XI. In Yorkshire, The Army met Major AB Sellers’ XI at Headingley during August Bank Holiday 1942 and although rain prevented play on the Monday, Harry Halliday and Charles Palmer made some attractive runs. Lord’s was the focal point for wartime cricket. August Bank Holiday 1943 saw an encounter between England and The Dominions, who included six Australians, three West Indians and one each from New Zealand and South Africa. Leslie Ames made a sparkling 133 and Denis Compton 58 before Walter Robins declared with England 324 for nine. Keith Carmody and Miller carried Dominions to 93 for two but the rest collapsed against Compton (six for 15) and the innings closed at 115. England did not enforce the follow on and four wickets fell for six before Robins and Errol Holmes staged a recovery, the declaration setting Dominions 360 in four and a half hours. They made a brave attempt, Dempster playing beautifully for 113 and Carmody making 49. Constantine hit 21 before falling to a brilliant catch off Alec Bedser by Leslie Compton, left-handed and at full stretch while leaning on the pavilion rails, both his feet being within the boundary. The catch was fair but there was some criticism because the ball, which cleared the rails, was over the boundary. There was no argument from Constantine, who said: “That is cricket.” With seven down for 218, Dominions looked well beaten but the wicket-keeper Stan Sismey and Bertie Clarke added 108 before Clarke was bowled by Denis Compton for 52. Fourteen were needed when Robins brought on Jack Robertson, the Middlesex opener who bowled occasional off breaks. Sismey took a couple of twos on the leg side but was then well caught low down at mid-on by Alec Bedser for 70. Trevor Bailey caught Roper at extra cover off the next ball and England got home by eight runs. On Monday the teams were presented to the Duke of Gloucester before lunch. The numbers paying for admission were 23,993 on Monday and 14,217 on Tuesday, the proceeds going to the Red Cross Fund. An entry on the second innings’ scorecard heralded the future: KR Miller c Evans b Bedser 2. England would not often escape so lightly. Lord’s now had a taste for such matches and in 1944 England defeated Australia in a one-day match on Whit Monday, Australia having beaten The Rest on the Saturday in preparation for the clash. The paying attendances were 26,415 on Saturday and 25,680 on Monday. The Australians were at some disadvantage for only Miller would go on to make a name for himself in Test cricket while Gubby Allen’s England team included ten such players, the exception being Tony Mallett. When the teams convened on August Bank Holiday Monday, 16,000 spectators saw Hammond (105) at his best. Miller hit a sparkling 85 but the rest could not cope with Doug Wright’s leg spin and England got home by 33 runs. Cricket had been overtaken by events when England and Australia met at Lord’s during Whitsuntide in 1945. On Tuesday 8 May the nation celebrated VE Day, the war in Europe being at an end although it still raged in the Far East. Sir Pelham Warner’s Lord’s programme had included two two-day games over the holidays but these simple arrangements grew like a snowball after VE Day. Five three-day unofficial Victory Tests were scheduled, the teams being captained by Hammond and Lindsay Hassett. England fielded a strong side in the first at Lord’s: Hutton, Washbrook, Robertson, Hammond, Ames, Edrich, Robins, Stephenson, Billy Griffith, the wicket-keeper, Wright and Gover. Australia, Wartime Holidays 130