Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

121 seventh and tenth. Perhaps he was chosen to carry the can. Mike (M.J.) Smith thought it was because the kindly Jack wasn’t a disciplinarian: ‘The club couldn’t understand the yobbish behaviour of the seconds and, at times, the firsts. I think Jack was moved on because he couldn’t handle us.’ 168 Charles Robins, son of Walter, reporting as Second Eleven captain to the County General Committee in 1960, also thought that he should have been firmer with some of the younger players. He did, however, end his report by saying that Middlesex players could not be in better hands than those of joint coaches Jack Robertson and Jim Sims. Bennett would go on to do a fine job for Middlesex during their forthcoming years of success. Fortunately for Jack as one door closed another opened. The Middlesex CCC Centenary Youth Trust had been formed in 1964 in an effort to foster youth cricket in the county. Surrey’s Dave Gibson had been its full-time coach but returned to Surrey in 1969, and Jack, with his flair for coaching youngsters, was the perfect replacement in order to continue its development programme. Writing after Jack’s death, David Green, the chairman of the Youth Cricket Subcommittee, recalled his skills as a coach. 169 Always immaculately 168 Steen, Rob, This Sporting Life : Cricket , David and Charles, 1999. 169 Kendix, David (Editor), Middlesex County Cricket Club Annual Review, 1996/97. Coach The Middlesex Under-11 side in 1975. Back row (l to r): Bill Rose, Jack, John Neal. Bill is the father of Graham Rose (front row, third from left) who later played for Middlesex and Somerset. John’s son, Andy, is on Graham’s left. Martin James ( middle row, second from left) is the younger brother of Kevan James (Middlesex, Hampshire and Wellington).