LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

29 wickets for 69 runs, the best innings analysis of his career, and then match figures of eight for 105 against the eventual champions, Nottinghamshire. His batting was less impressive, with only 27 runs from his first six innings, including another ‘king pair’. Dropped down the batting order, Robbie immediately showed that he was no tail-ender by helping Hendren add 103 for the seventh wicket against Sussex and ending unbeaten on 79. Reclaiming his rightful place in the middle order he averaged 45.00 for the next six matches, including 65 against Warwickshire in another century partnership with Hendren. All this caught the eye of the England selectors and Robbie was chosen to play for ‘The Rest’ in the Test Trial at Lord’s starting on 8 June. He failed to take any of the ‘England’ wickets in their first innings but had Sutcliffe caught by Ames in the second and then dismissed the last four batsmen as they went from 141 for five to 169 all out. It wasn’t enough to earn a place for the First Test, as the selectors preferred the spin-bowling partnership of 36-year-old Percy Fender and the England captain ‘Farmer’ White, aged 38. Robbie returned to the Middlesex team to capture another 20 wickets in the next four matches. Robbie’s Test match cricket potential was reconsidered as the England selectors were now looking for a winning combination after England had only managed to take eleven South African wickets to draw the First Test, and they decided to call up Robbie for the Second Test at Lord’s. On the final afternoon, a desperate White declared just after 3 pm leaving South Africa needing 293 runs to win. Losing their first wicket with only nine Test Match Debut The Middlesex side in 1929, Robbie’s first full season of county cricket. Standing (l to r): R.W.V.Robins, D.L.Russell, W.F.F.Price (wk), J.M.Sims, I.A.R.Peebles, G.E.Hart, J.H.A.Hulme. Seated: H.W.Lee, J.W.Hearne, N.E.Haig (capt), E.H.Hendren, F.J.Durston.