LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

75 possible for Yorkshire to overtake them. Some critics felt that winning the title by playing four fewer matches was unfair. Robbie did not take kindly to that criticism and, believing that his team was superior was prepared to prove it in a one-off challenge. He sent a telegram to Brian Sellers, the Yorkshire captain, suggesting a match in September to decide which was the better team, whatever the points and percentages in the final championship table might say. Sellers agreed and offered to make it even more interesting by suggesting a wager of £10 per man, to which Robbie immediately agreed but the Yorkshire committee over-ruled Sellers and all bets were off, officially at any rate. But before it was clear which official champion was being challenged by which official runner-up, there were the two more county matches to be played. Middlesex could only draw at Trent Bridge and the next day faced Surrey at Lord‘s, knowing that as Yorkshire had beaten Sussex, only a win would bring them the title. Three weeks earlier Middlesex had won at The Oval but in this rematch Surrey were not prepared to lie down and be the sacrificial lambs while Middlesex celebrated their coronation. Surrey batted first and their 509 seemed to have put the match beyond the title-contenders. It was during the Surrey run-fest that Robbie gave signs that he was finally feeling the strain of what had been a demanding season. He was bowling his leg-spinners but was not having a very good day and at the end of an over Bill Reeves the umpire, who had just rejected two loud appeals, turned to him and asked ‘Would you like your sweater, sir?’ holding out the official Middlesex sweater bearing the three scimitars. Robins snapped ‘No, you can stick it right up your … .’ Bill swiftly replied ‘What, swords an’ all?’ Things got worse when Middlesex began their reply by losing their first two wickets for only four runs. Enter Patsy Hendren playing in his last match at Lord’s at the age of 48. He was greeted by a battery of photographers, a tremendous ovation from the crowd. With Edrich as his partner they added 182 runs for the third wicket and he went on to reach his century at which moment everyone in the ground stood up and sang ‘For he’s a jolly good fellow.’ Middlesex ended only 90 runs behind and but then Surrey rushed to a lead of 294 before declaring with about three hours left for play. Robbie told Holmes, the Surrey captain, that his team would go for the runs ‘regardless’, as a draw would not be enough. Patsy went for a duck in his very last innings but Gubby Allen had answered the call to arms to help Robbie in this important match and anything seemed possible when Robbie went out to the middle to join him at 158 for seven. They added another 24 runs before, with fifteen minutes left for play, Holmes made his last gamble for victory. He put himself on to bowl and tossed four deliveries high and wide of the wicket with instructions to the fielders not to prevent the ball reaching the boundary. With this tactic he ensured that the Middlesex total passed 200 runs and he was entitled to take the new ball and attempt to grab the last three wickets with his pace bowlers. Gubby was furious and demanded that the umpires did something about what he considered a blatant abuse of the Laws. When he was told that there was nothing they could do, he disagreed and appealed against light, despite the fact that the sun was still shining Captain of England