Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

Chapter Nine Second World War, 1939-1945 For Joe the six-year break in his cricket career could not have come at a worse time. Twenty-eight years old in July 1939, Joe was approaching 35 by the time he resumed for Notts in May 1946. A batsman is usually at his peak between the ages of twenty-eight and thirty-four. Joe would undoubtedly have played a significant part in the 1940/41 and 1942 series against Australia and would very likely have scored several thousand more runs as well as many more centuries. Joe himself felt that he was never as good after the war – largely because his sight was impaired by a shrapnel splinter in his left eye. Joe was not the only one. There was a large number of highly promising young batsmen in England at this time. Hutton, Compton, Edrich and Joe were reckoned to be the leaders in the field. Following close behind were Barnett, Crapp, Emmett, Fagg, Oldfield, Place, Washbrook, Robertson, Brookes, Gimblett, John Langridge, Dollery, Bartlett, Gibb and Yardley. Add in Hammond, Paynter, Keeton, Denis Smith, Ames, Wyatt and Arthur Mitchell of a slightly older generation, and it becomes clear that selection of batsmen for Australia in 1940/41 would not have been easy. All this, however, is mere speculation. The reality was much harsher. Like the other counties Notts did not re-engage their professionals which, of course, led to a loss of income. This was particularly the case with Joe whose income from cricket not only included his Notts salary but also Test Match fees and payments for winter tours. Nevertheless Notts did what they could to alleviate the problem. Soon after the outbreak of war the committee decided to allow the wives of Joe, Butler, Knowles and Harris fifteen shillings per week while their husbands were in the Army. Joe had been tempted to join the RAF to fly Spitfires or Hurricanes, but as a married man with a young family, he was 83