LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

104 Changing the Law wickets, including that of his grandfather. Three weeks later the Robins family gathered at Lord’s to see the Eton versus Harrow match, but the atmosphere was a little quieter than usual. ‘The young supporters of Eton College were unable to attend the match as a fatal case of poliomyelitis had brought medical precautions into play. Over the two days the teams lunched and took tea in separate rooms.’ But there was nothing muted about the enthusiasm of the Harrow supporters when their team, according to R.S.Rait Kerr: undaunted by a brilliant spell of bowling by Charles Robins, swept to victory by seven wickets at 2.30 pm on the second day. The early finish enabled a large crowd to throng the Long Room and see the recently discovered Eton Upper Club score-book of 1805, containing the score of the first match between the schools, with Lord Byron playing for Harrow, who on that occasion, in the poet’s words, were most confoundedly beat. * * * * * * * The Australian were due to tour England in 1953 and once again Robbie was asked to organise all the travel arrangements and hotel reservations before they arrived in April. Everything was agreed more easily than five years before, although there were initial complications when the liner S.S.Orcades bringing the tourists was held up by engine trouble and landed at Tilbury ten days late. After that hiccup Robbie was able to turn his attention to something much closer to home. The legendary Staffordshire and England cricketer, Sydney Barnes, reached his eightieth birthday that year and Stafford Cricket Club decided that it was a milestone to be celebrated. Barnes still worked as an engrosser of important documents and lived in Penkridge, about five miles south of Stafford. As well as travelling down to London every year to attend the Lord’s Test as an honorary MCC member he was collected from his home by volunteer chauffeurs and taken to matches at The Hough, Stafford’s home ground. He would sit in the same place every week, hardly ever speaking to anyone, but watching the cricket intently, never taking his eye off the action all day. His birthday was due on 19 April, so the club organised a testimonial one-day match a week later between an S.F.Barnes XI, captained by Robbie, and an England XI captained by Norman Yardley. Over 500 runs were scored on the day and the 5,000 spectators who packed the ground were entertained by half-centuries from Denis Compton, Jack Robertson, Reg Simpson, Norman Yardley and Charles Palmer, but the biggest cheer was reserved for Barnes himself after opening the bowling with a maiden over before retiring to his favourite seat in the pavilion. The Stafford Cricket Club commissioned a portrait of Barnes which was presented to MCC the following year and continues to hang in the pavilion at Lord’s. Soon after the match at Stafford, Robbie and his brother took a Forty Club side to Eton again, where Charles now faced them as captain; he went on to lead the school to victory over Harrow at Lord’s after scoring a century in Eton’s first innings. The only other appearances by Robbie that year were