Gubby Under Pressure

The letters 79 badly needed at this moment. Someone who could help Hardstaff, Fishlock, Farnes, Fagg, Sims and Copson: in fact all the new-comers who look like children floundering about on the field. With Bob injured we want another No 1 badly but I don’t know who could have done better than those who are here unless they had better brains. All the wickets bar the one at Perth have been even slower than when we were here 4 years ago and it looks as though we shall have to play Verity and a leg-spinner in all the Tests. The side for the 1st Test looks like being: Barnett, Worthington, Hammond, Leyland, Ames, Hardstaff, Robins, Allen, Verity, Voce, Fagg or Copson or Fishlock. Now for something a little less serious. I saw Margaret Dutton several times in Adelaide and she is just as nice as ever. She says she is quite happy but everyone tells me Dick Dutton has gone to the park and he certainly looks as though he drinks much too much. I saw Mrs Dutton and she sent you her love. The Gowries were in Melbourne during the State match there and came to Sydney for 2 days last week. I have sat with him for long periods and talked and like him tremendously. The amateurs are going to stay with him at Canberra. Lady Gowrie asked all about you and sent her love. Seen quite a lot of the Menzies who is even nicer than before and very amusing. Lord Duggan in Adelaide is charming and was very nice to me. Jock Forbes is one of his A.D.C.’s and I saw a great deal of him while I was there. I am writing this from that lovely place Moombara (i.e. the place you were prevented from staying at as Douglas wanted you to keep guard over one of his ‘tigers’). I have been here since Friday afternoon having a real good rest and writing a lot of letters and will go back to Sydney either on Monday evening or Tuesday morning. We were unquestionably cheated out of the match v. N.S.Wales. Barnett, Fagg, Allen and Hardstaff all suffering in the last innings. Must stop. Please show this to Dad and tell him the news as I have so much writing to do I simply can’t duplicate it all. Will write him one all about the family. Love to Johnnie and Mrs Warner. Yours Obbie Letter Eleven Moombara Port Hacking Nov 23 1936 Darling Mum, I have been down here since last Friday having a very peaceful time but the weather has not been very kind as, of all horrid things, it has been blowing pretty hard. However, it has not stopped me sleeping and I have been in my best form at that having done about 10 hours per night. I felt really desperate when I came down here I was so tired and could have done no good at cricket if I hadn’t had the break. Margaret, Dick, Pauline and a girl who was on the boat with us called Joan Ranking have been down here and Reg and Marion Bettington came down to dinner last night after golf. Actually I have done very little except write letters but they had to be written some time and I feel better to think they are all cleared up. I wrote Plum and Rait-Kerr both very long ones about the cricket and have asked the former to show it to you and Dad in order to avoid duplicating it all. We were beaten by N.S.W. 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 passed the wicket, Fagg LBW when the ball would have missed the leg stump by at least 8 inches so Oldfield the N.S.W. wicket-keeper said. Mine would have missed 4 inches and Hardstaff’s decision when only 2 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 2 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