Gubby Under Pressure

decisions, all in the space of 23 minutes. ‘We were beaten by New SouthWales, but in my opinion our effort in the last innings was our best so far. Don’t forget Barnett was given run out when he was past the wicket: Fagg lbw when the ball would have missed the leg stump by at least eight inches, so Oldfield, the NSW wicket-keeper, said. Mine would have missed [by] four inches and Hardstaff’s decision when only two balls remained was just a ‘joke’. I have never seen a whole team more infuriated and, after hearing one injudicious comment in the bar, I called them all into the dressing room and told them that they could say what they liked in the dressing room, but never to mention the subject outside, as I was going to lodge an official complaint. This I did, sparing nothing and no one, and when we turned up for the next match two days later, we found a new umpire and many apologies. It is all forgotten now but I think it was a good thing I kicked up the fuss as that sort of thing has been going on for years in the state matches. We still look a ‘badish’ side but the fielding has improved and when we turn out our best eleven, which we have never done yet, it may be better than anyone expects.’ By stepping in and taking control of the volatile situation concerning umpires, Allen showed true leadership qualities. It was clearly a defining moment in the progress of a team of misfits into a cohesive fighting unit. In the final two matches before the Test series began, MCC would twice fight back from losing positions to earn credible draws. Their backs were up and they had something to prove. Not least to their charismatic leader who had decided to take a well-earned rest and leave them in the repaired hands of Robins. This brief sabbatical gave Allen the opportunity to sit back and take an overview of the team’s performances to date. He put his thoughts down in a letter to Warner which eventually found its way to join the collection of Allen’s other letters on the tour. Apparently, he wrote a similar letter to MCC Secretary Rait-Kerr, at the same time, but this has not survived, a pity because it contained other opinions which Allen felt he did not need to repeat to Warner: ‘I have written Rait-Kerr a long letter by this same air-mail and asked him to show it to you. It was naturally a rather general letter, but I will try and tell you more without repeating myself.’ Allen begins by emphasising the importance of Robins to the team as a batsman as well as a leg-spinner. ‘He plays leg breaks well which none of the main chaps, except Barnett, seem able to do and Jim Sims has not been consistent enough. Sims . . . is a great tryer, but very pig-headed and will not pitch the ball up. You know how good all present day Australian batsmen are on their back foot, but he will not listen.’ Allen follows this with criticism of all the newcomers to Australia and his disappointment that Warner was not on hand to offer the benefits of his knowledge and experience. ‘I am afraid to say this team have not a great deal of cricket brain. Fishlock has himself to blame a lot for his recent failures. When he got 91, a really great innings in Perth versus Grimmett, I told him to go on batting for ever, as the game was different out here and he had never been abroad before, but he threw his wicket away at once and in his next two innings. He is now out of form and looks terrible when anyone throws the ball up in the air. I am sure Fagg is going to succeed, but he has had no luck, as I have explained in my letter to “R-K.” Copson bowls well at times but he is not The cricket 38