Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

was at Hove where Hedley Verity, making his last first-class appearance, famously, and poignantly, took seven for 9 and bowled Yorkshire to victory. As war was now certain the Yorkshire committee had suggested that the match should be abandoned, especially as the visitors faced a long, difficult and possibly uncomfortable journey home. 45 However, as it had been set aside for the benefit of Jim Parks, 46 the Yorkshire captain Brian Sellers said that his team preferred to play on, albeit that the match continued in a rather unreal atmosphere. Surrey, playing Lancashire at Old Trafford for the second time in the season, also had a difficult trip back and it was agreed to abandon Friday’s play. 47 Fortunately in the other matches results had been reached in two days, except at Leicester where rain prevented any play on the third day. The touring West Indians, clearly facing a particularly arduous journey, had understandably already left for home. And that was that. The last few remaining matches on the fixture list, including Middlesex against Kent at Lord’s, were cancelled and it would be nearly six years before first-class cricket was played in Britain again. Jack and Syd and many others would have wondered whether they would ever play, or watch, cricket again. 45 After the match their coach left in mid afternoon. With evacuee children and black-outs already in evidence the country was clearly preparing for war and the team did not arrive in Yorkshire until the following morning. 46 The match produced a modest £735. (Ledbetter, Jim (Editor) with Wynne- Thomas, Peter, First-class Cricket: A Complete Record 1939 , Breedon Books, 1991). 47 The venue having been switched as The Oval had already been designated a potential prisoner-of-war camp for expected German parachutists. 33 Gathering Clouds