Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

Along with other first-class cricketers serving in India and Burma, Joe was able to play some first-class cricket, in India. In 1943/44 he played for a Services XI against an Indian XI at the Brabourne Stadium at Bombay. As was the case with a number of matches in India at this time, the match was played in order to raise funds for the Red Cross. The Services were captained by Douglas Jardine who once again had the services of a Nottinghamshire fast bowler – one Sergeant Harold Butler – to open the bowling. The Indian XI won by six wickets. Joe scored 41 in a Services total of 303. Thanks to an unbeaten 144 by Gulzar Mohammad, the Indians declared at 502 for seven. In their second innings the Services XI made 341, due largely to 129 from Joe. In 1944/45 Joe took part in the Bombay Pentangular which consisted of matches between the Hindus, Muslims, Parsees, Europeans and the Rest. Joe captained the Europeans against the Parsees and made exactly half, 150, of the Europeans’ first-innings total. As Reg Simpson made 69 and partnered Joe in a third-wicket stand of 142, it may be said that Notts had a good day. The Parsees made 479 – Rusi Modi 215. 179 runs behind, the Europeans cleared the deficit as the match ended. This time Joe was unbeaten on 76, having added 141 with Sergeant-Instructor Denis Compton. After a match against the Cricket Club of India in Bombay there were two matches in Calcutta to raise funds for the Red Cross. The first match, just before Christmas 1944, was between a Services XI and the Bengal Governor’s XI. Thanks to 109 from Compton and 153 from Joe, the Services XI won this match by an innings and one run. The Compton-Hardstaff partnership was worth 206 runs and the Services scored 471 in 90 overs. The second match, in January 1945, was between Major-General Stewart’s XII and the Bengal Governor’s XII. Joe, again accompanied by Compton, played for Major-General Stewart’s XII. Neither player distinguished himself in the first innings and the Governor’s XII gained a lead of 92 runs. In the second innings total of 315 Joe made 73 and Compton 123, both falling to Vinoo Mankad. Then it was back to active service until the war in the Far East ended on 15 August 1945. Joe had been away for over three years and he had yet to meet the new arrival in the family, Patricia born in 1942. On departure from Burma, Joe’s Commanding Officer, Major D.S.Adams, wrote: ‘Hardstaff has been in this battery since the outbreak of hostilities. He has always been reliable, keen and Second World War, 1939-1945 85