LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

41 up Robbie. Bradman and Kippax had started defensively and added only another 19 runs to the overnight score so Robbie fed them a few tempting deliveries in the hope that they might be lured into making a mistake. It didn’t work although Chapman persevered with him this time for nine consecutive overs before turning to White, who apart from a couple of overs from Allen just before lunch, bowled 18 overs before finally getting Bradman to lift one to Chapman after scoring 254. Australia batted on and declared at the tea interval leaving England needing 304 to avoid an innings defeat, and by close of play they were 98 for two. The following morning England were soon down to 147 for five and it seemed only a matter of time before Australia would level the series. Chapman and Allen had other ideas and put on 125 for the sixth wicket before Allen became Grimmett’s fifth victim of the innings. Chapman batted on to complete his first Test century and added another 57 runs with Tate. When Robbie came in England had avoided the ignominy of an innings defeat, so more runs were less important than occupation of the crease. Chapman’s wicket was the key to England’s survival and he and Robbie added another 25 before the captain finally fell. At least they were now 50 runs in front and Jack White, up next, was no mere tail-ender. They agreed that White should keep the strike against the seamer Hornibrook as much as possible, while the quick-footed Robbie would take the spin of Grimmett. Slowly but surely, he and Robbie added another 18 runs. Optimistic England supporters believed that if the two batsman had been able to stay in the middle beyond the tea interval, then Australia might not have enough time to make the runs they needed to win. Then disaster struck. Robbie was like a greyhound between wickets but he momentarily forgot that quick singles were unnecessary at that stage and could leave his much older partner struggling to reach safety. Wisden later reported: ‘A foolish call by Robins cost a valuable wicket when White was run out.’ Test Match Debut Drinks interval during the Lord’s Test of 1930, with formally dressed waiters and Robbie seated.