Chapter Twenty-Six Lancashire v Yorkshire For the hordes descending on Bramall Lane at Sheffield on Saturday 8 June 1946 the world was as it should be. The war had ended, the Whitsuntide Roses match was about to begin and the old rivals were back in their rightful place, occupying the top two places in the Championship table. Whitsuntide was late in 1946, which meant the season was well under way by the time of the clash. Lancashire headed the table with 52 points from six matches; Yorkshire had a game in hand and were 12 points – the allocation for a win – behind. The status quo had returned but so had the all-too typical North Country Whitsun weather. Despite the forecast, 14,761 paid £1,370 gate money to see two and a half hours cricket on Saturday. It was even worse on Whit Monday when rain flooded the pitch. On Tuesday Yorkshire batted on for half-an-hour, Brian Sellers declaring at 171 for three under an arrangement with his Lancashire counterpart John Fallows that the Red Rose declaration would occur immediately after the lead was obtained. As it was 80 overs were used up in making 127 for four before a storm put a merciful end to proceedings. Throughout June and July Lancashire remained at the top of the table but they had to take account of the fact that Yorkshire had games in hand. On the eve of August Bank Holiday, Yorkshire took over and although Middlesex were hanging on to third place a two-horse race was taking shape. Such was the interest that vast crowds had to be locked out of Old Trafford for the return game. Yorkshire began badly, losing half their side cheaply before Smailes and Sellers stopped the rot. Nevertheless 180 was no sort of total and nobody really came to terms with the flighted spin of Roberts, who took five for 56. Alec Coxon soon dismissed Washbrook and Ikin but Place and King made hundreds and Yorkshire, 216 behind, lost Hutton and Barber on the second evening. Five men were out for 120 and Lancashire scented the victory that would take them back to the head of the table. Then Sellers and Leyland, in his last significant innings for Yorkshire, came together in a splendid display of White Rose obstinacy which added 100 without them being separated. Yorkshire were never deposed after this and Lancashire faded into third place behind Middlesex in the final table. More titanic battles followed although for a few years their influence on the outcome of the Championship was minimal. To the faithful, this in no way diminished the Roses fixtures. In 1947 Yorkshire slipped to eighth place and although Lancashire, now captained by Ken Cranston, finished third they never mounted a serious challenge to Middlesex and Gloucestershire. But big crowds attended the two games; 20,000 on each of the first two days at Old Trafford, 22,000 on the Saturday at Bramall Lane, with 15,000 on August Bank Holiday Monday despite a wet morning and 15,000 on the third day. Again both encounters were drawn, although Lancashire were hanging on at Sheffield, where the 20-year-old left-handed Gerry Smithson defied Roses convention and earned himself a place in the MCC party which visited the West Indies the following winter by hitting four fours and a three in one over in making 98 (a five 138