LIves in Cricket No 31 - Walter Robins

93 A Fresh Start with Old Friends * * * * * * * Still a Test selector, but with business commitments that would not allow him to play as regularly as he would have wished, Robbie handed over the Middlesex captaincy to George Mann in December 1947. But it wasn’t just the need to spend more time in the office that would keep him off the field of play, he was going to be the overseer of the arrangements for the Australian touring team from April to September, including a series of five Test matches. He would reserve the hotel accommodation and organise the travelling between matches, as well as the itinerary for all official social engagements. The Australians were being led by Don Bradman and so the two friends were going to be able to spend plenty of time together. In fact, if it had not been for their friendship it is unlikely that Bradman would have decided to take on such a responsibility which he confirmed in a letter to Robbie in February 1948: Before the end of this week I am going to announce publicly that I am available to go to England as a player in 1948. That means you are absolutely right (for the first time I can remember) that there is sentiment in cricket, for nothing but sentiment is taking me back to England. Your letter played a big part in my decision. You are the best pal I have made in the cricket world, and without you on the other side I doubt whether I could have faced it. I am anxious that this tour will be the greatest success of all time. We’ll do our best to beat you fair and square but we don’t want any hard feelings or post mortems. I feel that you can do an enormous amount towards helping. Soon after Bradman arrived in April, ten days before the opening match at Worcester, he spent a weekend at Burnham Beeches with the Robins family, but alone this time as Jessie had remained at home in Adelaide. This was still ‘austerity Britain’ where many people were grateful to receive food parcels to augment their rations from relatives and friends overseas. Don had brought with him two large wooden crates full of food and goodies from Australia. Charles Robins says he picked ‘them out individually and distributed them, like Father Christmas. My mother insisted we indulge him with thanks and praise, which he loved!’ For Bradman there was a seat at Wembley for the FA Cup Final between Manchester United and Blackpool, an invitation to the service at St Paul’s Cathedral to commemorate the silver wedding anniversary of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, plus opportunities to speak at the Sportsman’s Club, Institute of Journalists and the Cricket Writers’ Club. Bradman was a great anglophile who was putting his reputation and health at risk by coming on this tour, but he could think of no more appropriate place to end his Test career. Jack Holmes continued as chairman of the England Test selectors, with Johnnie Clay, captain of Glamorgan, and Robbie, as before, but because of the importance of the Ashes series, another member was added, Brian Sellers of Yorkshire, so that there would be more up-to-date personal assessments of players form and performance. Despite the success of England during the series against South Africa the previous summer under the capable captaincy of Norman Yardley, there was a growing feeling in some quarters that a more adventurous leadership was needed