Gubby Under Pressure

in all the States as it gave me no way out but I am glad now that I did it. I think I have got over my nervousness but am doing everything to discourage it. People keep coming up to me and saying “you seem to enjoy it” and I don’t want to earn that reputation. There is no doubt that we have got the press well on our side and I think that will help a lot. Howard has gone down very well and I must say I think he is absolutely charming and no-one could be more enthusiastic about his work or more helpful. Score now 234-1, Wyatt 71 Hammond 101. Last night I took Robbie up to see Mrs Ambrose after dinner and we had a most amusing evening. They are a very nice family and Mr and Mrs George Allen were there. I have given him 3 tickets for the cricket for all the time we are here. They both looked very well and I think they are more cheerful than when I was here last. I don’t look like getting much time to myself on this trip and the number of functions which have been arranged for us without our consent in Melbourne is disgraceful. I have written to Brereton and told him that we will go through with them this time as we don’t want to let anyone down but that we must be consulted regarding everything in the future. It is Cup week and there are lots of parties I want to go to but I have only one free evening out of seven and I am booked to make 9 speeches, 3 before lunch time on the first day. No-one can possibly play cricket under such conditions and I am not going to try and play Test matches with that going on. Adelaide and Sydney have arranged very good programmes and I have written and told them how much we appreciate their kindness in doing so. Monday night. 19th Won match today but had two terrible disasters. Duckworth dislocated finger on left and Robbie doing same to top joint of most important finger for bowling on right hand. Former out of cricket probably two weeks, latter three-four weeks. However, let’s have all our bad luck now. Owing to Robbie’s accident must play in next match so am dashing off to Kalgoorlie tonight to see goldmines, returning Wednesday evening probably too late for Air Mail to England. Very well and very happy but almost too much to do. Now I know why all English captains fail at cricket in Australia. I shall go through with it all during state matches but am going to tell them I simply am not in the market for meetings or speeches during Tests. Love to Mum Love Obbie Letter Seven Palace Hotel Perth Oct 26 1936 Darling Mum, I must try and write to you now even though the train is rocking unmercifully because if I don’t goodness know when I shall next have time to do it. We have now been going about 36 hours from Perth and are right in the middle of the Nullarbor Plain in fact, with complete barrenness all round. The weather and conditions have been very kind to us on the journey as it has been quite cool and very little dust compared with 4 years ago. The more I see of each and every member of the team the more I like them. There simply couldn’t be a nicer lot, Voce included, and since our troubles, by that I mean injuries, started in Perth their sympathy and consideration has been amazing. I am really far too hard worked with speeches, interviewing the press and looking after things generally to give sufficient time to the cricket which is a ridiculous situation. Howard is absolutely charming and very popular with everyone, and most efficient but this is his first trip abroad and he leaves me to make all the decisions. When he has had more experience I am certain he will be the best manager who ever accompanied an MCC team. We have just stopped a quarter of an hour at Cook and seen lots of aboriginals. They really are ghastly sights and the sooner they die out the better. We did not make a very impressive start on the cricket field. Our batting was good in places though I am still anxious about our opening pair. Wyatt made 100 but it was a terrible innings. Fagg’s only innings was nothing to write home about and he got a nasty blow on the fingers, and Barnett seems The letters 74