Gubby Under Pressure

Letter Twenty-Four Hotel Windsor Melbourne Feb 28 1937 Darling Dad, I must try and write you a line now or I don’t know when I shall have another opportunity. I am afraid it will not be a very cheerful letter as I am feeling like that myself. Australia has scored 590 against us and I fear our chances of winning must now be very slender. I shall always think that fate played me a dirty trick when I lost the toss for the third time running but I always did say I was the worst tosser in the world and could never understand how I managed to win the first two. It will be a terrible record to have won the first two Tests and got everyone excited only to lose the last three. I have bowled badly and dropped 2 catches but in self defence I must say I have worked myself to death and am now nothing like half fit to play Test cricket. In my report to M.C.C. I am going to make a large reference to the life of a Captain and implore them to protect future Captains from the nonsense I have had to put up with. No English Captain since the war has succeeded at cricket in Australia and the answer is obvious. I was all right until they wore me out but that is no good to me. It is no use my trying to hide my feelings, I am terribly terribly disappointed especially after having got so near to my greatest ambition. However I shall get over it. Actually I think we are a rotten side and cannot think how we ever won a single match. The following list of complete failures speaks for itself - Robins, Worthington, Fagg, Fishlock, Sims, Wyatt (through injury) and Hardstaff (in Tests). Never have there been so many flops in one side. Ken Farnes bowled splendidly throughout this trying first innings but of course he has not been through the racket of the first three Tests as the rest of us have. I said at the selection meeting one should never go into the field with three fast bowlers and no spinner as one is asking for trouble. I suppose it is true that we have no spinner good enough but even if he is bad he produces variation. I can’t remember when I last wrote to you but I think it was from Lakes Entrance on my way down from Sydney by car. I loved that trip and after 3 days at Sorrento with the Bailleaus, I felt v. much better but I was soon worn out after I had been back in harness 24 hours. We had a dinner at the Melbourne Club one night this week and the Chairman, whom I sat next to, asked me to give you the enclosed as he said he knew you well in the old days. Also a man called Mann produced a splendid photo of Mum on a horse taken on 1.10.94 and it was exactly like her and we had a good laugh. We shall soon be on the way home and, though I have enjoyed it, I shall be glad when the day comes. No one could name me a sum of money to tempt me to do this job again in Australia with a weak side; there just isn’t so much money in the world. I shall certainly play at Lord’s on May 26, 27, 28 as I am so fond of all this side but I should think it will be my only match of the season. Give my very best to Mum. Don’t worry about my depression. I shall have quite got over it by the time this reaches you. Best love Obbie Letter Twenty-Five Commercial Hotel Benalla March 6 1937 Darling Mum, Thank you so very much for your cable. It was sweet of you to send it and I really did appreciate your kind thought as it came at a moment when I was not in the best of good spirits. I was terribly disappointed about the result but I know we had very little chance after the first day. I shall always think that fate dealt me a wickedly cruel blow when I lost the last three tosses in a row, two of which meant the match without the option. I think the Australians were just the better side, as soon as Bradman struck form, especially on the easy-paced wickets which are prepared for Test matches now-a-days. They kill fast bowlers and only the spin bowlers which England seem quite unable to produce have any chance at all on them. I have enjoyed the tour, though not as much as last time, but I am really tired now and will The letters 92