Lives in Cricket No 26 - HV Hesketh-Prichard

110 Chapter Nine Gathering Storm In early 1914, despite rumours of war, the world seemed to be much as usual. In February Hex decided to call a gathering of the survivors of Scott’s Antarctic expedition at his house at Prae Wood, including Teddy Evans and Apsley Cherry-Garrard. There were 22 guests, including Kate and two other ladies – Lily was in London ‘in the doctor’s hands’ – and sixteen of them were either big-game hunters or had been on polar expeditions. Frederick Selous was there, as were Alfred and Geoffrey Gathorne-Hardy. There was a menu drawn by Stanley Wood. In February and March Hex chaired meetings of the Society of Authors. Then in March Hex led I Zingari on a tour of Egypt, to play against teams from the expat British community there, the last organised cricket he is known to have played, though he probably played unreported country- house cricket in the summer of 1914. On 12 and 14 March they played Cairo, and there is a copy of a letter from Hex to Kate describing the match. IZ were all out for 180 of which Hex made 11 batting last, and, he says, hit a six. He then took two early wickets but Cairo got into a strong position, with two Haileyburians, G.R.Kinder and J.S.Liddell, making 95 and 98 respectively, and at the end of the day they were 268 for six. (Hex said: ‘I never saw worse bowling and catching.’) However Eustace Mordaunt and Hex finished them off for 286, Hex finally taking seven for 78 in 16 overs. Hex then tells us that he went in first in the second innings, lasting 20 minutes for nought. However, IZ made 288 at the second attempt, and Cairo, needing 180 in 75 minutes, were all out for 67 in 21.1 overs, Hex taking six for 41. Clearly he was still too quick for a team of expatriate civil servants. On 17 March they started a two-day match against Egypt: Hex said in advance ‘Egypt are very strong and our side are a hit-and-miss brigade.’ He was also, he said, ‘well but sciatic’. The match was drawn, IZ scoring 395 with 119 from Lord Bernard Gordon-Lennox, a younger son of the Duke of Richmond, whose first-class career consisted of one match for Middlesex against Gloucestershire in 1903, when he was bowled by Jessop for none and was not required to bat again. Egypt replied with 234, Hex taking three for 85 in 21 overs, but followed on and made 329 for seven declared from 54 overs, with Hex taking one for 75 off 12. It looks as though the sciatica was playing up. Following this match, Hex and Lily and most of the rest of the party attended a fancy-dress ball at the Semiramis Hotel, dutifully reported by The Times. They then drew a one-day match with Alexandria Cricket Club, who made 169 (Hex two for 57). IZ scored 290 for eight declared and Alexandria’s