Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

42 Intermission at 40 for three. Jack, who would eventually make 80 before being run out, had been batting aggressively and was lucky to escape eight runs later when he was dropped in the deep. After that he and Ames (72) took England to a seven-wicket victory and then batted on in a partnership worth 134 in 70 minutes. After England had declared at 218 for six West Indies collapsed again before Constantine provided the crowd with rich entertainment hitting 59 in 45 minutes and seeing his side to 87 for five at the close. Jack played more ‘representative’ cricket at the beginning of August, appearing at Lord’s for England against The Dominions, who included Keith Miller, a ‘promising’ Australian. It was a match that finished among much excitement at quarter to seven on the second day. With the first-day crowd of 25,000 spilling down to the boundary ropes it had the feeling of a Test match. Over 900 runs were scored and Jack would play a key role − but not with the bat. The Dominions were set 360 to win in four and a half hours on the second day. Making what would be the highest score of the match, against an England attack including Bedser, Bailey, Compton and Robins, was quite a challenge. However, thanks in particular to a hard-hitting even-time 113 by New Zealand’s Stewie Dempster, the score reached 187 before the third wicket fell. Constantine continued the chase in typical fashion, making 21 before he was caught, controversially but correctly, by Leslie Compton left-handed at full stretch leaning on the pavilion rails. Fortunes fluctuated, but eventually the Dominions seemed to be closing in on victory. With two wickets and 20 minutes left, they needed only 15 runs. Robins had many fine bowlers to choose from. And who did he entrust with the responsibility of bowling in this tight situation? Jack of course, and he didn’t let his captain down. In the only over he bowled in the match he took the two final wickets for six runs, courtesy of smart catches by Bedser and by Marine Second Lieutenant Trevor Bailey who, to a great shout of triumph from the 15,000 crowd, held on to a swirling skyer. After a few low scores Jack came back to form in his last match of the season, playing for the Army against the National Police at Lord’s. And it was fortunate that he did, since none of his colleagues contributed much with the bat as his side lost by 103 runs. Jack opened with Dempster as the Army chased 197 for victory. They had a strong batting side and it was a very achievable target. However, Dempster went in the first over and the rest of the innings was a procession. Jack nearly batted through the innings, but was finally ninth out for 38, bowled by Jim Parks of Sussex. Many of the 8,000 crowd had no doubt seen Yorkshire’s Hedley Verity play in happier times and would have been saddened by the announcement earlier in the week of his death.