Famous Cricketers No 82 - H.E. 'Tom' Dollery

against Essex set up Warwickshire’s fourth win, but his second innings failure left Essex a target they nearly reached. A modest 30 not out was vital in the win at Barwell against Leicestershire. On a poor pitch which Hollies exploited to the full with twelve wickets Warwickshire were heading for a win thanks to good innings from amateurs Sale and Maudsley, but when Maudsley was out dropping his bat onto his stumps after being hit on the head, there was still a lot to do and rain was threatening. Dollery then came in and wrapped up the win with a couple of sixes in a cameo innings just as the rain started. The break for war hadn’t lessened his appetite for the Derbyshire bowling and sure enough he took a century off them at Edgbaston in early August, but again his fellow batsmen couldn’t back him up and Warwickshire went down. His last telling performance came in the last game against Surrey at The Oval. With Warwickshire facing first innings arrears of 179, he came to the rescue with a second innings 90 enabling his side to muster just enough runs to bowl Surrey out for a narrow win to round off the season on a high note. As far as representative honours were concerned, Dollery himself thought he had missed the boat, with his best years lost to the war and the England top order batting of Hutton, Washbrook, Compton, Hammond and Hardstaff well established. However he was chosen for the Test Trial at Lord’s in June where he batted very well on a soft pitch for a useful score in a rain ruined match. His other chance to impress the selectors came in the Gentlemen and Players match at Lord’s in July, but batting at number six against a weak amateur attack he had barely got to the wicket before the declaration after a Washbrook century and eighties from Fishlock, Ikin and Compton. He must have been in the running for the tour to Australia under Hammond but he missed out along with other worthies like Dennis Brookes and Harold Gimblett, also playing with “unfashionable” counties. Wisden commented, “Many experts thought him unlucky to be left out of the party chosen for Australia; certainly his fighting spirit deserved consideration”. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct St Total Total 139. Warwickshire v Sussex, Edgbaston, May 18, 20, 21 (Match drawn) lbw b J.Langridge 10 237 224 10-0 140. Warwickshire v Somerset, Edgbaston, May 22, 23, 24 (Warwickshire won by two wickets) b G.R.Langdale 34 149 55 c J.Lawrence b H.F.T.Buse 38 106-8 199 141. Warwickshire v Gloucestershire, Bristol, May 25, 27, 28 (Match drawn) c C.J.Barnett b G.M.Emmett 89 287 274-4 142. Warwickshire v Worcestershire, Dudley, June 1, 3, 4 (Worcestershire won by four wickets) b P.F.Jackson 40 95 189 c R.T.D.Perks b R.Howorth 54 193 102-6 143. Warwickshire v Lancashire, Old Trafford, June 5, 6 (Lancashire won by nine wickets) lbw b W.E.Phillipson 19 100 292 b W.B.Roberts 9 232 41-1 144. Warwickshire v Derbyshire, Derby, June 8, (10), 11 (Match drawn) lbw b C.Gladwin 45 167 169-7 145. The Rest v England (Test Trial), Lord’s, June (12), 13, 14 (Match drawn) c J.Hardstaff b J.T.Ikin 39 209 294-7 146. Warwickshire v Hampshire, Courtaulds Ground, Coventry, June 15, 17, 18 (Warwickshire won by 73 runs) lbw b C.J.Knott 48 252-8d 154-8d not out 56 154-2d 179 147. Warwickshire v Kent, Gravesend, June 19, 20, 21 (Kent won by an innings and 103 runs) lbw b A.W.H.Mallett 34 176 393-9d lbw b D.V.P.Wright 5 114 148. Warwickshire v Leicestershire, Edgbaston, June 22, 24, 25 (Warwickshire won by 229 runs) c G.L.Berry b G.Lester 144 368 200 1 not out 54 186-4d 125 149. Warwickshire v Middlesex, Lord’s, June 26, 27 (Middlesex won by an innings and 120 runs) c J.M.Sims b W.J.Edrich 6 127 410-8d 1 c W.F.F.Price b L.H.Gray 36 163 25