allrounders such as Laurie Eastman and Stan Nichols. Tom Pearce and Denis Wilcox shared the captaincy for most of the 1930s and they often had a fine hand of pace, with Kenneth Farnes, Nichols, John Stephenson and Hopper Read feared on the county circuit. For Worcestershire defeats such as those in 1920 became an all-too familiar tale. Maurice Foster captained the side from 1923 to 1925 and also had to make most of the runs after Bowley finished. Maurice Jewell, who led the team back into the Championship, took over in 1926 and in 1928-29. A shrewd captain and a strong disciplinarian, MFS Jewell was a useful, attacking batsman who gave his county unstinting service. It is easy at this distance to disparage some of the amateurs of the 1920s and 1930s but Wisden , in Jewell’s obituary after his death at 92, paid tribute to the devoted labours of men who gave up their summers to somehow get a side together, captain it, and keep the county going. Jewell extended this to the winter, even organising concert parties to raise funds. Pearson soldiered on; Fred Root emerged as a devastating exponent of sharply delivered in swing bowled to a strong leg-side field and Reg Perks, Dick Howorth, the South African allrounder Sid Martin and Peter Jackson developed into a balanced and long-serving attack. Cyril Walters, the Nawab of Pataudi and the stylish and consistent Harold ‘Doc’ Gibbons, gave the batting power and depth but Worcestershire never rose higher than tenth between the wars until 1939 when they finished seventh. There had been continuing improvement by a happy side skippered by Hon Charles Lyttelton, later Lord Cobham, and the memories of the miserable 1920s (last place in 1922 and again from 1926 to 1928, with only a solitary victory in 57 completed Championship matches in the last two of these seasons) began to fade. Even then there were occasional golden moments. Charles Preece, a medium pace bowler, had such a day at Leyton in 1921 when he took seven for 35 as Essex were dismissed for 90. Worcestershire were strongly place at 237 for five but Douglas struck with four wickets for no runs, finishing with seven for 91 as the lead was restricted to 155. Essex then gave a demonstration of their batting power: 560 for five (Russell 151) when Douglas, who was 123 not out, declared, leaving the visitors 406 to win. Harry Higgins, who had been severely injured during the war, made a great effort with 133 after the start was delayed but nine wickets fell in three and a half hours. Douglas took his match analysis to 14-156, the last wicket falling at 273, 15 minutes from the close. Honours were shared at Worcester, when 13 amateurs took part, and the home side had the last laugh by finishing above Essex in the Championship table. But they were embarrassed beyond measure at Leyton in 1922 when George Louden and Douglas put them out for 49 and hundreds from Dixon and Freeman helped Essex to 521. Higgins battled away again with an undefeated 66 but the rest could do little against the leg breaks of Philip Morris (seven for 43) and Essex’s winning margin was an innings and 297 runs. The tide turned at Leyton in the Whitsun match of 1923 – the first of Root’s years of success with his new style. Essex were dismissed for 97, Pearson taking six for 52 and Root four for 32, and Root went on to make an unbeaten 53 in the face of some good bowling from Douglas and Louden as Worcestershire led by 162. Although Perrin stayed until the end for 55, Root took six for 63 as Essex succumbed by an innings and 11 runs. They avenged this setback at Worcester after Russell (147) and Perrin (122) shared a partnership of 256 for the fourth wicket. Root’s match figures were 12-215 and Maurice Foster made 97 for the home side but Douglas was able to set a target of 423. Worcestershire made a Wallflowers 97