Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

54 However, despite the considerable help it now gave to Arthur Wellard (off spin) and Johnny Lawrence (leg spin), the first wicket did not fall until the score had reached 133. Even then Somerset were gifted the wicket, as a misunderstanding led to Syd being run out for 59 by a return from cover point as he failed to make his ground quickly enough, the first time that the partnership had ended this way. Jack, taking full advantage of anything pitched short – he had already pulled one six high into the Grand Stand – finally went for 104 out of 173, his first century of the season, edging Lawrence into the hands of Harold Gimblett at second slip. Apart from Denis Compton (50) nobody else made much of the conditions and when Robins declared with nine wickets down, Middlesex were still 104 behind. Somerset fared even worse, however, against the pace and lift of the tall Laurie Gray (five for 27) and the persistent accuracy of the much shorter Jack Young (five for 11), and they left Middlesex plenty of time to make 160. The pitch was still playing tricks and the value of Jack and Syd’s apparently modest scores of 16 and 24 in an opening partnership of 32 was put into perspective when the fourth wicket fell with the total only 46. Fortunately Compton and Robins then showed great skill against the turning ball and Middlesex eventually got home by four wickets. The pair’s next century partnership came at Trent Bridge at the end of June. Middlesex went into the match third in the Championship behind Yorkshire and leaders Lancashire. Things were less rosy for Nottinghamshire who, with just one win from nine games, were third from the bottom. Their batting was sound enough, and so was the quicker bowling, but they lacked a recognised spin bowler of any sort. Wrist-spinner Bruce Dooland, who in a few years would become one of the county’s best-ever bowlers, was still playing far away in Australia. Nottinghamshire were also missing Harold Butler who topped their averages in 1946. One of the themes of cricket in the immediate post-war years was England’s search for quick bowlers and the following season, aged 34, he made his Test debut. Playing twice for England, a final record of 12 wickets at 18 apiece suggests that he might have appeared more; no doubt his age was against him. After Nottinghamshire had been dismissed for 263, Jack and Syd took advantage of this further weakening of an already weak attack by putting on 165 before Arthur Jepson dismissed Jack leg-before for 85. Syd went on to make 163, the second century of his career, and add 195 for the fourth wicket with Robins (129). Middlesex’s final 484 unusually owed little to Edrich and Compton who contributed just five runs. The match was over in two days, the home side folding for 182, with Robins showing his attacking side by clearing up the tail and finishing with the interesting figures of five for 53 in nine overs and two balls. Somerset were on the receiving end of a second Robertson and Brown century partnership at Taunton a fortnight later. Their efforts were, however, overshadowed by Harold Gimblett’s 231 made in just over five hours out of a first-day score of 472 for eight. 74 Jack (44) and Syd (60) 74 Two years later Gimblett, another opener who might have played for England more than he did, would make 310 at Eastbourne, the then Somerset record score, and still the highest score for the county by an Englishman. Resumption