LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

37 was one of the party who played in every match. Three of the games were allocated three days and classified as first-class and reported locally as unofficial ‘Test’ matches. In the first of these the Cahn XI won by ten wickets, thanks to some great bowling from Robbie with match figures of eleven for 85. The next ’Test’ was at the Hurlingham Club ground where Robbie outshone everyone with a top score of 71 out of a first-innings total of 189 and ten wickets in the match for 113 runs, but the game was drawn. The final ’Test’ followed at the Belgrano Athletic Club where Robbie had match figures of seven for 137 in another draw, giving him a total of 28 wickets out of the 57 taken in the series. They arrived back at Plymouth on 23 April but the new advertising company was not yet up and running so it was agreed that Robbie should return home and continue to play for Middlesex until he was needed in Nottingham. * * * * * * * Only a week after his return from South America, Robbie was in action at Lord’s for Middlesex against Leicestershire and for the rest of May he divided his time between cricket and his new employment in Nottingham. He was also able to renew his relationship with Kathleen Knight, despite her disappointment at receiving only one postcard from him during his two-month absence in South America. Robbie appeared in only three of the next six Middlesex matches. With the bat he scored 140 against Cambridge University at Fenner’s, the highest first-class score of his career, but against stronger opposition he did enough to catch the attention of the selectors and was included in the England team for the Test Trial at Lord’s. Figures of four for 69 in The Rest’s only innings were enough to convince the selectors that he should be included in the England side for the First Test against Australia eight days later. Middlesex were due to play the Australians immediately after the Test Trial but Robbie missed the game as Sir Julien Cahn wanted him in his team to play against the Leicestershire Club and Ground side! The game at West Bridgford was Robbie’s first experience of the ground and the lavish way in which Sir Julien entertained his guests. Robbie returned to Lord’s the next day to play for Middlesex against Sussex when his bowling suddenly lost its bite and his match return of one for 119 from 30 overs was disappointing. And it was bowlers at the top of their game that England needed now, facing an Australian batting line-up of Woodfull, Ponsford, Fairfax, Kippax, McCabe and Vic Richardson as well as Don Bradman in outstanding form, having already scored 1,230 runs at an average of 111.82 since arriving in England, including two double centuries and two centuries. At Trent Bridge Chapman won the toss and Robbie went in to bat at 188 for six, when England were wobbling, and stayed there until close of play with England reaching 241 for eight. There was rain overnight and play could not resume until 2.15 pm when England added another 29 runs for the last two wickets with Robbie scoring 22 of them to reach his unbeaten 50. Australia made a dreadful start to their innings and by the time Chapman Test Match Debut