Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

Although missing thirteen matches, he returned to form in 1954 and, in what was one of the wettest seasons in the history of the English game, he topped the Notts averages with 856 runs at 35.66, in 16 matches. There were three more centuries, all in winning games (including 102 against Warwickshire at Trent Bridge in his 500th first-class match), and there was also an innings of 193 for the Second Eleven against Lincolnshire in early August at Trent Bridge. Wisden thought that he was the most consistent batsman in the team and The Cricketer said that he ‘proved on turning wickets that he is still a fine batsman’. There was also a happy reminder of the 1935/36 tour of New Zealand. In 1952 the team had held a reunion dinner party at Lord’s which all had attended, apart from Human who was in Australia, Mitchell-Innes who was in the Sudan Political Service, Barber for business reasons and Lyttleton (by now Lord Cobham) who had flu. Now, in May 1954, they arranged a match at The Oval against the London New Zealand Cricket Club. All but Joe had retired from first-class cricket. Nevertheless the MCC made 303 for four, with Parks scoring 105 and Joe 135. In reply the New Zealanders were at one point at 48 for six, but an unbeaten 72 by Roger Blunt enabled them to reach 167. Joe still had another year of his contract to go and during the winter he decided that 1955 would be his last season. He would be 44 in July and his knee was making playing rather harder work than it might have been. In recognition of his service to Notts since that May day in 1928 when he joined the Notts staff, the committee granted him a testimonial which was to produce £1,361. 74 Joe played in the first thirteen matches and more than justified his place in the team. There were scores of 51 against Sussex, 70 against Surrey, 83 and 58 against Glamorgan, 61 against Leicestershire as well as an appearance against the touring South Africans. By 24 June he had played in eleven matches, had scored 489 runs and was averaging 28.76. On 25 June Yorkshire came to Trent Bridge. Notts batted first and after losing Clay and Poole for 21, Joe and Ron Giles added 127 for the third wicket, Joe making 75, Giles 142, and Notts reached 384. Harry Richards, writing in The Nottingham Guardian , reported that Joe ‘chose the occasion to play a near perfect knock’ before 114 County Cricketer, 1949-1955 74 Equivalent to £23,700 at 2010 prices.