in the comfort of his armchair in later days he sometimes recalled the occasion when he made 87 against Topsy Wass. Officials at The Oval also had cause to remember Wass. He once arrived at the ground accompanied by his wife and was told by a gateman that she would not be allowed in without payment. “Oh,” said Wass grimly. “If this beggar doan’t come in, this beggar” – indicating himself – “doan’t play.” Mrs Wass was admitted without further argument. Figures, alone, could have done the talking: nine for 91 in the first innings at The Oval in 1902 and a career-total of 141 Surrey wickets at 21.53 apiece. There were some outstanding individual performances; hundreds for the Gunns, William and his nephews John and George, and for Joe Iremonger, Jones and Joe Hardstaff senior on the Nottinghamshire side and for Abel and Hayward from the Surrey ranks. Hayward took a heavy toll of the Nottinghamshire bowlers during his record-breaking season of 1906. He finished with 3,518 runs in all first-class matches, with 13 hundreds and an average of 66.37 – 2,814, average 70.35 in the Championship. At Trent Bridge, Wass hit back after Notts had been dismissed for 174, getting rid of Hobbs and Hayes at a personal cost of four runs but he then had to retire with a strain. Six wickets for down for 36 before Hayward and Lees added 71. Hayward made 144 not out in a total of 225 and followed this with 100 in Surrey’s five-wicket victory, the first and second of four hundreds in a week. He was less successful at The Oval, falling to Wass for 22 and then scoring 28 not out as the game ended in a draw. In 1907 Jack Hobbs was dismissed for 0 and 1 at Trent Bridge – the nearest he came to a pair in his career. He made the Nottinghamshire bowlers pay with 3,378 runs, average 51.18 and eleven hundreds, the first in 1908 and the last 25 years later. Six of these were in Nottingham but he could do little in 1909 when he began the Trent Bridge fixture needing 81 to reach a thousand in May. Nottinghamshire won the toss and batted all day, the final one of the month. Hobbs and George Gunn forged a strong friendship which says much for the character of both men. Arthur Jones captained a below-strength MCC party which toured Australia in 1907-08. Hobbs was included in the team while Gunn made the trip for his health. He was available for selection as a replacement should he be needed and also acted as scorer. Jones fell ill just before the first Test and, with Hobbs having suffered from seasickness and lack of form and Hayes achieving little, Gunn was selected. It was a controversial choice, Len Braund, in particular, being unimpressed. Hobbs had good reason to feel he had been given less than a fair opportunity but he demonstrated what a great sportsman he was, helping Gunn prepare by bowling all afternoon to him in the nets. “Let me make it quite clear that no friction existed between Gunn and myself, either then or at any other time. We were real friends throughout the tour and have remained on the best of terms down to the present day,” he wrote. Gunn made 119 and 74 on his Test debut, clinching his place for the remainder of the series. Hobbs made a successful return and at the close of play in the final match at Sydney there was time for reflection. England were 116 for one in reply to Australia’s 137, Hobbs being undefeated with 65 and Gunn 50. “George and I felt at peace with the world,” Hobbs wrote. “We sat in the hotel lounge together, puffing our cigars luxuriously. Skipper Jones popped his head round the corner and greeted us: “Ah, yes, this is the time to enjoy a cigar isn’t it?” England lost the match by 49 runs and the rubber 4-1 but Gunn and Hobbs finished first and second in the batting averages. Clash of Titans 32