Gubby Under Pressure

The letters 77 went in search of a hotel somewhere cool for the Test match in January. Today we found a small but newish hotel at a place called Sea Cliff 10 miles from the centre of Adelaide where I think we shall go. Everyone has advised us to get out of the town in January and the Pier Hotel at Glenelg, where we went last time, is no good as there is a new manager who was rather off-hand and would only offer us 7 single rooms. If we go to Sea Cliff the manager says he will give us the whole Hotel which means that 16 of us can have single rooms, and only 2 have to share, also all the rooms look out to sea. Howard and I think it is a wonderful ‘find’ as we shall be away from all the bores and hangers-on and the whole place is wired against mosquitos. Later We leave for Melbourne in about an hour’s time so I must finish this off now, as my first day in Melbourne looks like being chaotic. We arrive at 9.35, have a Civic Reception at 10.30, Victoria Cricket Association at 11.30, lunch at the Commercial Travellers at 1.0, practice at 2.30, Keith Tolhurst’s Cocktail Party at 5.30 and I am expected at the Russian Ballet in the evening. Whether I shall be able to go there remains to be seen. Howard and I are going to make a full report on all these blasted functions as there are way too many of them and gives a Captain no chance at all. One man wrote Howard quite a snooty letter this morning because I had refused to go and make a speech on the Friday night of the Test match here in January. I have just answered it and pointed out to him, nicely I hope, that I have come here to play cricket and if I refuse something it is no good writing to the manager and trying to bully me into it. The injured are all doing quite well. Ames and Robbie telephoned me from Melbourne last night, the latter’s finger is much better but I am afraid it will be some time before he will be able to spin the ball properly, as he broke the most important finger on his bowling hand. Ames position is much more worrying and he has been much worse than I have led the papers to believe. The doctor whom he went over to Melbourne specially to see telephoned me to say that he ought to have his tonsils out. I found out that he had taken no swabs from his throat and, as the specialist in London said they were quite all right just before he left, I have rather lost faith in him. Also he made the ludicrous statement that he would be fit to play 2 weeks after the operation. Perhaps he thinks Test matches are child’s play. I know how I felt after I had mine out and Hammond took a good 10 weeks before he was any good. However we shall have to make some decision when we have heard what the swabs show on arrival in Melbourne tomorrow. It is funny that I should have said at the MCC meeting when they wanted the team to consist of only 16 players – “Don’t forget we never had a broken arm on the last tour and we might have 4 broken bones and 2 breakdowns at the same moment”. I never thought it would come true. Must stop. Do show some of my letters to Plum as I am sure he would like to hear the news. I will try and write to him but I am really kept very busy. Very best love Obbie Letter Nine Ushers Hotel Sydney Nov 16 1936 Darling Dad, I have just realised that the air mail goes tomorrow morning and I haven’t written a word to you and Mum for about 10 days. I am loving the tour, so don’t think this letter means anything else but I have been altogether too hard worked. No one ever gives me a moments peace and everyone seems to think that I ought to do just this or that little thing for them as it won’t take a minute. Robbie and Bob, both of whom are out of cricket, don’t do a damn thing to help and I have had to play every match as I know the MCC don’t want a pro to captain the side. I am dead beat again tonight after bowling with no luck at all today and have just spoken to Uncle Arthur and arranged to go to Moombara on Friday mid-day till Monday evening for a complete rest. If I don’t do that I feel I shall blow up. I have bowled well so far and caught some remarkable catches. Leg is going wonderfully well thank goodness. Our batting against the