Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

Chapter Ten Post-War Years, 1946-1948 Joe, like many other ex-servicemen, found it extremely difficult both to settle down to family life and to pick up the threads of his career. His war-time experiences fighting the Japanese had left him with many horrific memories and the nightmares persisted for years. Joe himself seems to have been very reluctant to talk about his experiences: in common with many others he simply wanted to get on with normal life again. After the horrors of the Burma Campaign, cricket must have appeared to be a rather frivolous occupation, but it was his livelihood and he had to provide for his family. During the winter of 1945/46 the Notts committee decided to re-engage on three-year contracts all the 1939 members of the first eleven, apart from G.V.Gunn and Arthur Wheat. Thus, Joe was rejoined by Keeton, Harris, Voce, Butler, Jepson, Woodhead, Knowles, Winrow and Meads. Giles continued playing in the Bradford League and did not return until 1947. Newcomers were Tommy Reddick, now club coach, and Freddie Stocks. Reg Simpson was still in the RAF and would not be available until later in the season. The promising Cyril Poole was also still in the Forces. The bowling strength of the team was very reliant on Voce (when available, as he was still in the Army), Butler, Jepson and Woodhead, all of whom were seam bowlers. This bowling weakness, 46 coupled with the featherbed Trent Bridge wicket, would mean that Notts would find success very elusive for the next few seasons. As far as salaries were concerned there was a slight modification in the terms of pay, but matters were broadly unchanged from 1939. Notts finished thirteenth in 1946, winning only six championship matches out of 26. Joe himself did not have the best of seasons. A combination of a wet summer, slow pitches, readjustment to 87 46 In fact such was the weakness of the Nottinghamshire bowling that Joe, who had rarely bowled before the War, sent down 396.2 overs in the course of the next ten summers capturing 23 wickets.