Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

There followed a three-day break before the then traditional Whitsun Bank Holiday match at Trent Bridge against Surrey, starting on 19 May. Errol Holmes won the toss and Surrey batted all day to reach 442 for four, with Gregory contributing 180. On the Monday Surrey batted on before declaring at 509 for seven. Nottinghamshire were soon in trouble and found themselves at 68 for five. Joe, batting at six, and George Gunn with 63 added 136 for the sixth wicket and Joe made 78 in 150 minutes, hitting seven fours. Even so Notts were asked to follow on. For the second time in the match Joe was top scorer, being undefeated for 63. Surrey eventually won by an innings and 43 runs, P.G.H.Fender having match figures of ten for 175. Looking back, it is clear that this match was the defining moment in Joe’s career. It is from this point that he ceases to be a promising player who might or might not break through to command a regular county place. From May 1934 his place in the team is assured, he becomes a major run-scorer and he is seen as a future England player. After a visit to Fenner’s, where Joe made 20 and 32 not out against Cambridge University, the next match was against Essex at Trent Bridge. Carr promoted Joe to third in the order and Vaulkhard dropped down to seven. Essex batted first and by the end of the first day had been dismissed for 262. Nottinghamshire just had time to start their innings. On the Monday Keeton and Harris put on 143 for the first wicket before Keeton was out for 68. Joe joined Harris and they added 180 for the second wicket in 140 minutes. At the end of one over during a warm, sunny afternoon Charlie Harris – ever the joker – said to a tired and perspiring Ken Farnes: ‘Joe says you couldn’t bounce a tennis ball.’ The response came with Farnes’ next delivery and recurred every time they met on the field thereafter – in the form of a very fast bouncer! Harris made 153 and by close of play Notts were 454 for two. Joe was 130 and Carr 66. Joe was finally dismissed by Ken Farnes – poetic justice, perhaps – for 145: he had batted for 270 minutes and had hit 15 fours. The match ended in a draw, Essex having little difficulty in playing out time. This was Joe’s first century since he had made 104 not out against Sussex as long ago as May 1931. That, of course, had not been a championship match and so this century against Essex was all the more special because it was the first of 59 championship hundreds he made between 1934 and 1955. Another century, 100 out of 351, Nottinghamshire and England, 1934-1935 29