LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

36 Test Match Debut Following the award of his knighthood in the summer of 1929, Sir Julien began to plan another escape from the British winter. This time South America would be the destination and his side was now composed almost entirely of players engaged in full-time employment in the shops and offices of his vast furnishing business, so retaining their amateur status. Most had retired from first-class cricket, but the others could be released to play for their counties when not needed to play for the company, or their absence from their place of work could be covered. Robbie was the latest addition to this pool of available players, which is why he now found himself on board the S.S.Avila Star of the Blue Star Line sailing from Tilbury on 20 February 1930 and looking forward to his first crossing of the Atlantic. It is fair to say that Robbie’s cricket companions were a hodge-podge of ability and experience; many were from public-school backgrounds. Leonard Green, the eldest at 39, had been captain of Lancashire from 1926 to 1928; ‘Tich’ Richmond, aged 37, had been a regular for Nottinghamshire from 1912 to 1928 and was now manager of the Smart and Brown furniture shop in Nottingham; Frederick Nicholas, aged 36 and ex-wicketkeeper for Essex; F.C.W. ‘Lofty’ Newman, aged 35, had played for Surrey from 1919 to 1921 and was now a shop supervisor and the private secretary to Sir Julien Cahn for all his cricket affairs; Humphrey Critchley-Salmonson, aged 35, had last played for Somerset in 1928; Charles Flood, aged 33, had never played for any team other than the Julien Cahn eleven; Harry Munt, aged 27, had played once for Middlesex but was now working in wines and spirits in Nottingham; Trevor Arnott, aged 26, was still playing for Glamorgan; Peter Eckersley, aged 25, was the new Lancashire captain; George Heane, aged 25, was playing occasionally for Nottinghamshire; and Cyril Rowland, aged 24, had been a regular player for Wales for the past five years. There was just one player who was younger than Robbie, the 18-year-old Stuart Rhodes, a trainee shop manager and still waiting to make his first-class debut for Nottinghamshire. The team manager was Henry Swan, aged 50, who had Essex connections and once served on the MCC committee. John Gunn was taken as the team’s umpire, and George Shaw, aged 51, dressing-room attendant at Trent Bridge, came as chef de baggage . The team’s captain, Sir Julien Cahn, was accompanied by his wife, now Lady Phyllis, her personal maid, and his personal barber Louis Dubonikov. Looking around him, Robbie may have wondered what he had signed up for, but it was early days yet and the prospect of plenty of cricket was his priority for the next few weeks. The tourists reached Buenos Aires on 13 March 1930, and were met by Robin Stuart, President of the Argentine Cricket Association and then escorted to the Plaza Hotel. Net practice in the afternoon was followed by an informal reception at the English Club and an opportunity for Robbie to renew his friendship with Bob Stuart, who had been with him in the cricket team at Highgate School. There were six matches arranged to be played over eighteen days at clubs within the environs of Buenos Aires. It comes as no surprise that Robbie