Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

41 boundaries by Compton nearly brought his side victory before, jumping out to drive Alec Bedser as the clock showed seven, he was stumped by Evans, leaving the match an honourable draw. The match ended amidst tremendous cheering from eight thousand people. By 1943 the war was turning in favour of the Allies, although there was still much fighting and sacrifice ahead. The Advisory County Cricket Committee met at Lord’s in July to consider how to prepare for the resumption of cricket after the war. There were 37 people present representing the first- class and minor counties. After airing the various issues and problems involved they asked MCC to appoint a select committee to consider them and report back. Nearly a quarter of a million paid to watch a full programme of matches at Lord’s in 1943. 58 Syd, however, could manage little cricket during the season and his only match there was for Middlesex and Essex against Surrey and Kent, this time a one-day match played at the end of August. Neither he nor Jack stayed long in a match that had its own wartime peculiarities. The Middlesex and Essex side originally selected had been a strong one. However, following heavy rain it seemed for some time that a start would not be possible and so the Arsenal football club obtained permission for the brothers Compton to play for them at Charlton that afternoon instead, where the Gunners still lost 1-0. In addition Essex opener Sonny Avery had injured himself by tripping over his bag when leaving home! Finding three replacements at short notice was clearly a problem. In the event they were Jim Sims, and two former Middlesex amateurs, 52-year- old Gerald Crutchley, and Richard Twining, who gamely took over from Leslie Compton behind the stumps at the age of 53. Surrey and Kent also had their problems as Arthur Fagg had to spend the day looking for his bag which he had mislaid on the railway. This wasn’t a trivial issue: given wartime shortages, new equipment was not easy to come by. He wasn’t missed though as play did eventually start at half past two and a now weakened Middlesex and Essex side lost easily. Unlike Syd, Jack managed to get in quite a lot of good-quality cricket during the season. At the end of May he appeared at Lord’s for an England XI against a West Indies XI. It obviously wasn’t a side that was in any way fully representative of English cricket at the time, but his selection did confirm that he was in line for possible Test honours when hostilities finished. The match was played on a beautiful day before a 20,000 crowd, many of whom would have been drawn to Lord’s by the chance of seeing Learie Constantine, now nearly 42 but still an exciting entertainer. He did not disappoint. The match was low-scoring, no doubt because many of the batsmen had had little chance to practise. West Indies went in first and made 120, Alec Bedser taking six for 27, including a hat-trick. Constantine (‘not now the demon he used to be, but nevertheless a bowler who still needs careful watching,’ according to The Times ) and wrist-spinner Bertie Clarke, who had played in three Tests in 1939, then had England in trouble 58 ‘At the request of the Services free admission for men in uniform was discontinued, 6d being charged to all comers, who could use any part of the stands, except the pavilion, without extra payment.’ ( Wisden 1944). Intermission