LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

59 The selectors replaced Mitchell with Sims at Leeds but he fared no better and Robbie was brought back for the Fourth Test at Old Trafford. England batted first and were soon down to 141 for five when Robbie joined Leyland. As he usually did in such situations, Robbie responded by attacking the bowlers and the pair hit 105 runs in 75 minutes: Warner said ‘Robins was very quick on his feet and made some beautiful off-drives.’ After the dismissal of Leyland he went on to add another 58 with Verity and complete his first Test century, reaching 108 before being bowled by Bell at 338 for eight. South Africa were set a target of 271 runs to win on the last day at 72 an hour, but made no effort to reach the target after losing their first two wickets to Robbie for 103. England needed a win at The Oval to square the series and Wyatt put South Africa in to bat on a perfect pitch. Mitchell and Siedle reached 116 without loss but immediately after lunch Robbie struck with two quick wickets. Wyatt soon returned to his pace bowlers and Robbie was not called upon again while the total rose from 139 to 261. After the combined total for the first two innings exceeded a thousand runs the game inevitably rolled to a third consecutive draw, although Robbie had the last laugh by taking the final two wickets to fall in the match. That autumn MCC decided to send a side of up-and-coming young players on a full tour of New Zealand, preceded by a series of six matches in Australia against each State and an Australian XI. Ten of the 14 players were under 30, and it was hoped that the experience would indicate to the selectors if any of them would be suitable prospects for the Ashes tour twelve months later. Wyatt was asked to captain the side but he declined. It would have been an ideal opportunity for Robbie but he could not afford six months away from business at that time and the position was filled by Errol Holmes of Surrey. Holmes carried out his responsibilities as captain exactly as MCC had hoped, both on and off the field in Australia, going a long way to help heal the wounds inflicted by Bodyline. Many people saw him as an ideal candidate for the position as the next captain of the full England team. Back in England that winter, Robbie went with the Corinthians ‘A’ side which beat Highgate School 7-0 on 16 November, but played only one first-team match. This game, against Cardiff City, was his one-hundredth such appearance for the Corinthians. He was one of only 18 players who had made 100 or more appearances for the First XI between the club’s formation in 1882 and its disappearance as a separate entity in 1939. Having lost three Test series in a row, the England selectors decided to replace Wyatt with a new captain in 1936: there were a number of county captains from which they could choose. Whoever was picked, his performance in the three Test series against India would be closely monitored with a view to selection as captain for the next tour of Australia and New Zealand. But there was a surprise wild card. Gubby Allen announced that he had made arrangements to play more often that summer, although he would serve under Robbie’s captaincy for Middlesex. A trial match was arranged at Lord’s before the First Test Captain of Middlesex