Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

had then for some unknown reason quickly rescinded their decision. In Sime’s absences, Reddick was captain twice in 1947 and thereafter, apart from two matches when Keeton was in charge, Simpson had deputised. In all, Joe was to captain Notts in 27 matches – though only two of them were won – before Arthur Jepson took over as deputy midway through 1954. Notts fared little better in 1952 and finished sixteenth with only Somerset below them. Joe, who celebrated his forty-first birthday in July, avoided serious injury in what turned out to be his last prolific season. He hit a further six centuries, scoring 1,597 runs at an average of 46.97, which put him in eighth position nationally in the averages. Writing in The Cricketer , Trevor Bailey said that he felt that Joe was still one of the six most difficult batsmen to bowl against. Wisden commented that he frequently rescued Notts from critical positions. County Cricketer, 1949-1955 111 Hardstaff taking the field with professional colleagues H.J.Butler and C.J.Poole, F.W.Stocks and F.H.Winrow, in his benefit match, at Trent Bridge against Derbyshire, in August 1948.