Gubby Under Pressure

the ‘series’. I make no bones about it I am very apprehensive about it as it may be the turning point of the whole rubber. Anyway let’s hope not. Have seen a lot of Uncle Arthur, Denis, Dick and Pauline and called on Uncle Rex and Aunt Murial last night. Must stop and go to bed. It is terribly muggy but I hope I shall sleep as I need it badly. Give my very best love to Mum and Geoff and Gil and thank them for the Xmas card. Also please thank Pat and Dickie for their card. Love Obbie Letter Sixteen Ushers Hotel Sydney Xmas Eve 1936 Dear Sir Walter, Thank you very much for your letter. I never dreamed I should be so proud and happy regarding the Tour when I replied to it. It’s been marvellous - of course we’ve been lucky but goodness they’ve been gutless! We may lose the next 3 Tests but we have blended ourselves into a team and Gubby has been magnificent. Although I haven’t done a thing he really makes me believe that I’ve actually done wonders! The crowd have been fair but they’re beginning to squeak a bit now - maybe they will cheer up again should they happen to win the Melbourne Test. Personally I don’t think I really mind what happens now - of course to win the Rubber would be marvellous - but we are 2 up (nearly dormy) and that’s 2 more than 75% of the Australian cricketing public thought we would be! Tell Plum that Australian wickets are definitely not what they were (they don’t want them to be!) Gubby is in great form and as fit as a fiddle. Kindest regards to Lady Allen and yourself. Yours Robbie Letter Seventeen Newcastle Club Dec 27 1936 Darling Dad, Here I am at Newcastle, the scene of Plum’s unfortunate appearance on the cricket field during the last Tour. I couldn’t resist mentioning him in my speech and saying that he was one of my greatest friends. The President hastened to say to me when lunch over that he and Plum had parted friends, to which I replied ‘but neither side will ever forget’. I think I wrote to you last Sunday when we were in the middle of the 2nd Test at Sydney and I was rather anxious. The rain came down pretty heavily on Sunday night but the wicket was never as bad as the Australians thought. I was very nervous about declaring but had no fears of making them follow on though I seem to have been criticised in the English papers for doing so. I knew the wicket would roll out easy the second time but we had them well and truly depressed and I wanted to keep them like that. If Robbie had caught Bradman off me when he had made 24, as he most certainly ought to have done, the question could never have been raised. My real reason for making them bat again has never been mentioned in any paper as far as I know and is this - we have got on top of O’Reilly for the time being and he knows it and I didn’t want to give him any chance of bowling on a wicket which will help him. He has undoubtedly lost his leg break and will not be dangerous again until he gets it back. It is the case of Peebles all over again. Bradman is still very nervy and never batted well during his 82. I am very sorry for him as I like him enormously and I don’t think he is getting the full support of the Roman Catholic element in the side namely O’Reilly, McCabe, McCormick, Fingleton and O’Brien. We surely ought now to win the rubber but I am frightened of our side as there are too many passengers in it and Fleetwood-Smith may easily be awkward under the new L.B.W. rule. When you think of the failures on this trip, it is amazing to think that we are 2-0. Fishlock, Worthington, Hardstaff, Fagg, Copson have done practically nothing and Wyatt and Duckworth have played in only 2 matches each. Robbie also has done next to nothing. It The letters 84