Lives in Cricket No 16 - Joe Hardstaff

in the second innings. Played throughout in extreme heat, the match was drawn, but what made the match really memorable for Joe was his bowling – three for 24 in nine eight-ball overs. 56 The first two victims, James and Stanford, were clean bowled while the third, Gibson, played on. When he was included in the team for the Fourth Test at Adelaide, jokers suggested that he had been selected for his bowling, but the reality must surely be that he was where he always should have been – in the Test team. Hammond won the toss and Hutton and Washbrook put on 137 for the first wicket. Unfortunately the momentum was not maintained and by the time the score reached 202, both openers, Hammond and Edrich were back in the pavilion. Joe, batting at No.6, joined Compton and together they played out time taking the score to 239 for four. Compton was 15 not out and Joe 22 not out. The following day they continued their partnership and when Joe was bowled by Miller for 67 they had added 118 for the fifth wicket. Swanton commented that Joe’s innings called for the highest praise: ‘His nerve in the critical stage of the partnership was of the greatest value to Compton.’ The Special Correspondent of The Times said that he had ‘recovered his plumage after a long season of moulting.’ England eventually reached 460, Compton scoring 147. Hutton and Washbrook began the second innings with another century partnership, but after that it was an uphill struggle for England. Joe managed only nine before becoming one of Toshack’s four victims. In the end a long rearguard action by Compton, who made his second hundred of the match, and Evans, who took 95 minutes to make his first run, made the game safe for England. Hammond declared at 340 for eight. Australia batted out time to reach 215 for one. Joe appeared in the remaining matches without exactly distinguishing himself. He was selected for the Fifth Test, but had to withdraw because of a badly swollen knee. Not only did he miss the Test – which England lost – but he also had to miss the short trip to New Zealand. Together with Paul Gibb, James Langridge and the heavy baggage, he made his way home on the SS Largs Bay. It was during the voyage home, at dinner one evening, that Joe said to his companions: ‘My father is dead’. It was confirmed later that Post-War Years, 1946-1948 95 56 This was his best bowling performance so far, which he subsequently bettered with four for 43 against Lancashire at Old Trafford in 1947 when, according to John Kay, he bowled off-breaks.