Lives in Cricket No 27 - CB Llewellyn

76 presumably because they were unused to the damp and grassy conditions. He exempted Pegler, whose analysis was 45.3-9-105-6, and surprisingly, Schwarz, whose figures were not half as good. Neither Faulkner nor White shone. Reinforcements were desperately needed. Faulkner was reported as saying ‘Of course, when Llewellyn comes into the side, he will liven us up considerably,’ which is both an interesting observation coming from one who had been through the thick of the Trumper tour and an expression of a pious hope which Buck did not altogether fulfil. He was, with Accrington’s consent, selected for the Second Test at Lord’s against England. The weather was the initial and evil star of the show. On the first day, Monday 10 June, play did not start until 3.30 pm – there had been heavy rain on the preceding Thursday, Friday and Saturday, followed by a thunderstorm on the morning of Sunday 9 June. Fry, the England captain, lost the toss and his opposite number, Frank Mitchell, took first innings. This was a misreading of the conditions; the ball kept low, the worst height for batsmen who were accustomed to playing rising deliveries on matting. Sydney Barnes and Frank Foster dismissed South Africa for 58. On the second day, Spooner, who had reached an elegant century, was out to what Sewell described as the catch of the match, low down at mid off by Buck from a perfectly executed stroke. Woolley, arriving at the crease with the score at 207 for four, played a glorious innings. It must be admitted that he was fed by a succession of half volleys and full tosses, bowled in particular by Buck. Relief came when Pegler, going on for the first time at the pavilion end, proceeded to take the last six wickets for nine runs to finish with figures of 31-8-65-7. However, England gained a lead of 279. South Africa fared better at their second attempt. Buck hit boldly to reach fifty in an hour and, in an innings marked by fine driving and shots all round the wicket, took his score to 75. Aubrey Faulkner defended obstinately for 15; the fact that this great batsman had to struggle so very hard for survival is a tribute to the England attack, and to Llewellyn too for his performance. Sir Home Gordon in the Daily Express and Archie MacLaren in the Daily Mail were both loud in their praise. Buck was caught behind by ‘Tiger’ Smith from the bowling of the keeper’s county captain, Foster, part of a strategy devised between bowler and keeper. An anecdote about the match from Smith is worth repeating. Llewellyn skied Barnes to Fry at short leg; it was a dolly catch, but he went around in a circle and Llewellyn and the Triangular Tournament