Famous Cricketers No 63 - A.O.Jones

became more and more deadly. Notts won with less than an hour to spare. The result of this closely contested game meant that Notts would win the Championship if they avoided defeat. Nottinghamshire experienced no great difficulty in their home win over Northamptonshire. In the first innings, Jones made 56 out of 77 in 70 minutes with 7 fours. He had a second wicket stand of 64 with George Gunn and, when he batted again, he put on 112 for the same wicket with the same batsman and followed it up with a stand of 107 with John Gunn for the third. Jones scored 73 in 70 minutes, hitting 11 fours. He batted cautiously at the beginning of each innings but then accelerated his rate of scoring. A.O.Jones and his team became even more likely to top the table after their away win against Gloucestershire. For once, Notts had a first innings deficit and were required to make the highest total of the match in the fourth innings. The pitch had given some assistance to the bowlers throughout. Set 231 to win, Jones was out when Notts were just 3 runs short. This year’s tourists were the South Africans. They enjoyed a successful season, winning 17 matches and losing only 4. Of the losses, one was a Test match, one was against MCC, one was against Surrey and the last was against Nottinghamshire. The county had a first innings lead of 48. This was mostly due to a century by Hardstaff, the only one made against the tourists for a county side. Wass and John Gunn restricted the South African second innings. Three wickets fell for 36 runs when Notts batted again. Iremonger and Hardstaff then batted soundly and came near to victory. The former was at the wicket with Jones when the winning hit was made. Nottinghamshire won their last three Championship matches quite easily. In the away win against Derbyshire in a rain affected game, Wass and Hallam again bowled unchanged, while Hardstaff made the only score of over 50. Their last home match was against Middlesex. Warner carried his bat for a tenacious 65 in the first innings, which was the highest score in the game. George Gunn and Payton made over 50 each, J.T.Hearne took 4 of the last 7 wickets for 4 runs and Notts were 10 runs behind. Wass and Hallam dismissed the visitors in two and a quarter hours during 50 overs and one ball. J.T.Hearne caused Notts some more problems but the win was inevitable. In the last Championship match, against Lancashire, A.O.’s reluctance to bat first on a damp pitch was justified when the first four Notts wickets fell for three runs. Jones then put on 74 runs with Hardstaff in 65 minutes, and 72 with Alletson, in 50, for the 7th. A.O. was at the wicket for two and a half hours. He played a brilliant innings against fine bowling, making the only score over 50 in the match. He gave one chance, a possible stumping when he had 79 on the board. He played the cut and the drive with power and precision, hitting 12 fours and batting for 145 minutes. Heavy rain fell overnight so that, half an hour after lunch on the second day, Lancashire had been dismissed twice. A.C.MacLaren scored 20 and was his side’s top scorer. Hallam and Wass, supported by superb fielding, took only 40 minutes over Lancashire’s first innings. MacLaren was then run out for the second time in the match, 4 wickets falling for 6 runs. The Lancashire second innings total is still their lowest against Notts. To conclude the season, Lord Hawke got up a strong Rest of England side. Play was cut short by morning mist and fading light. Wass and Hallam may have experienced an anti-climax after the excitement of the Championship. They were not able to recapture their form. Jones was out to a brilliant slip catch, but Notts managed to avoid the follow-on. The Gunn brothers saved their county from defeat. The match was played in aid of the Cricketers’ Fund Benevolent Society. Winning the Championship aroused great local interest. A subscription was raised for the professionals which produced £810 9s 6d. and the presentations were made at the Mechanics’ Hall. Hallam and Wass were given £100 each, while the other regulars received £90. Each member also had an inscribed silver cigarette case. A.O.Jones was given a silver rose bowl, which is still in the possession of the Club. He, in turn, paid tribute to the team spirit which had pervaded the season and brought about such a wonderful result. Arthur Owen must have felt on top of the world. He had finally assembled a side which was capable of winning the Championship, he had been chosen to lead the MCC tour to Australia and there was a second child on the way. Life was indeed good. 57