Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

began in Brisbane on 29 December. 51 Looking back, the selection policy for these matches seems to have been rather haphazard and, at times, inexplicable. Apart from Fishlock, who broke a finger in the nets at Adelaide and was thus unavailable until after the First Test, all the other players were fit for selection. As well as Joe, there were seven other players who had been selected for their batting. Of these, Washbrook, Yardley and Ikin appeared in all seven matches, Hutton, Edrich and Compton in six, Hammond in five, Joe in two and Fishlock, because of injury, in only one. In addition, James Langridge, who may be viewed as an all-rounder, played in three games. Over sixty years later there does not appear to be any reason for this seemingly inconsistent selection policy. 52 Joe himself had no idea why he was left out so often, missing three matches and being twelfth man in two others. Wisden suggests that the wet weather was the reason for his and Langridge’s continued omission so that the probable Test batsmen could get the match practice which they had missed through rain. This makes little sense. Surely Joe should have been regarded as not only a probable but also a very likely Test batsman. It is difficult to see why Ikin was regarded as a better prospect. He had been thought of as an all-rounder, but after a long bowl against Western Australia, Hammond gave him little bowling thereafter. 53 Yardley was fortunate. He was never in the same class as Joe, but he made an unexpected and considerable contribution with his bowling, 54 which became increasingly necessary especially as Voce was a shadow of his former self, Pollard unsuited to Australian conditions, Peter Smith out of action for January and Langridge largely ignored. Hammond was not the best of leaders. Aged 43, he was of a different generation and had been established on the Test scene far longer than any of the rest of his team who viewed him with the greatest respect and admiration, but it was a great pity that he did not reciprocate this with a sense of enthusiasm and encouragement. Writing later in End Of An Innings Denis Compton 92 Post-War Years, 1946-1948 51 Apart from the extra matches hastily arranged in Western Australia, there was a minor match against a South Australian Country XI at Port Pirie in which Joe played. 52 Hammond, Yardley and Edrich co-opted the services of Hutton and Washbrook as selectors. 53 Playing in all five Tests, he bowled seven overs and averaged 18.40 with the bat. 54 He took nine wickets in 1946, two them for Yorkshire. In the Tests he took ten wickets, dismissing Bradman in three successive innings.