LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

107 Changing the Law approached Sheppard to discuss the captaincy of England as Sheppard revealed in Parson’s Pitch : ‘We went to conspiratorial lengths to prevent anyone knowing that we were discussing anything. I was to go to his home rather than to his office and he would leave the door open so that I could walk straight in.’ As a result of those clandestine meetings Sheppard agreed to suspend his theological training to make himself available if he was wanted as captain on the Australian tour. This arrangement was soon uncovered and the press had a field day publishing arguments for and against Hutton as captain. Fuel was added to the flames of conjecture when the selectors announced that they had appointed Hutton as captain only for the First Test against Pakistan. Heavy and continuous rain prevented any play on the first three days at Lord’s and until 3.45 pm of the afternoon of the fourth day. Despite nearly six hours play on the final day nothing had been resolved, so the selectors re-appointed Hutton for a further single Test. However, Hutton was now advised by his doctors to take a prolonged holiday from cricket and Sheppard was asked to step in and captain England for the next two Tests, at Nottingham and Manchester. Many assumed that this must mean that a decision had been made to replace Hutton as captain for the tour of Australia but Sheppard still had doubts: ‘It was an unpleasant position to be in, because I felt quite unsure of my position, as though I was more of a caretaker than a captain. Almost as soon as I was appointed captain I sensed the tide of feelings was running the other way.’ His suspicions were confirmed by Robbie who had the courage to tell him personally that the situation had changed: ‘Walter Robins, who was a selector, came to my hotel room in Nottingham during the Test match and said “I feel we’ve been unfair to Len. He was in a very difficult position in the West Indies.”’ When the team for Australia was chosen during the weekend of the Manchester Test, with Gubby Allen and Charles Palmer joining the selection committee, Sheppard already knew he wasn’t going to go. Hutton was re-appointed captain, starting with the last Test against Pakistan at The Oval, and Sheppard returned to his theological training at Ridley Hall. For Robbie at least the trials of selecting were lessened inmid June, between the First and Second Tests, when he played alongside his son Charles for MCC against Cambridge University at Lord’s. Between them they took nine of the 14 Cambridge wickets which fell; with Wisden offering the opinion that they ‘bowled astutely for the losers’. * * * * * * * Despite the doubts over Hutton’s leadership, England retained the Ashes in the winter of 1954/55. Robbie withdrew from the selection committee feeling that his job was done, but he continued to exchange letters with Bradman concerning their ideas for changes to the lbw law. They discussed the matter at length during Don’s visits to England in 1956 to cover the Ashes series for the Daily Mail , when once again Robbie had organised all the transport and hotel bookings for the Australians. That autumn the Altham Committee began a series of meetings to consider options covering every factor in the conduct of the game which might