Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

62 the series as the teams met at The Oval probably wasn’t a true reflection of the difference between the sides. The uncertain weather of earlier months had given way to a heat wave that had bleached The Oval’s outfield, and the pitch, though slow, gave spinners some help. England batted first and Jack, unusually for him, went in first wicket down, replacing Edrich who had torn tendons in his right arm. Washbrook fell at 63 to the persevering slow left-armer Norman ‘Tufty’ Mann, who would take four for 93 in 64 overs. Jack was warmly welcomed by the large, shirt-sleeved or summer-frocked, crowd. He started with some assurance, but when he had made four he was easily caught at mid off, playing crookedly and too soon at leg-spinner Ian Smith. According to John Arlott, Jack ‘looking exactly like the head gardener turning out for the estate team, face darkly weather-beaten, cap dead straight, drooping-shouldered, came in at his short-striding walk.’ He did better second time around as England pressed on for quick runs, and although he laboured a little he made 30 before he was bowled by the highly rated off-spinner Athol Rowan. The match finished with South Africa 28 runs short of victory at 423 for seven. In an England fielding display that was as a whole, ‘not quite up to the mark’, perhaps because the outfield was still suffering from the effects of being commandeered during the war, The Cricketer commended Jack for his work at third man. It was unfortunate that the crucial match at Cheltenham between Gloucestershire and Middlesex coincided with the Test, and particularly unfortunate for Middlesex since they were thus deprived of the services of Compton and Robertson. Edrich was at least available, although because of his injury he could not bowl or throw. 79 The match generated much interest and excitement. With each left five games to play, and Gloucestershire ahead by just four points, the two counties were the only realistic contenders for the Championship. Gloucestershire’s batting was sound, but their great strength was spin: off-spinner Tom Goddard, aged nearly 47, taking 238 wickets during the season, and left-arm spinner Sam Cook 144. Not surprisingly the pitch was favourable to spin. In beautiful weather a record crowd for the ground of 14,500 included many exuberant Middlesex supporters who had arrived by coach. John Arlott likened the atmosphere to a football cup-tie and when the gates were closed many were still left outside. Winning the toss, a definite advantage on a spinners’ pitch, Middlesex batted first and Edrich (50) and Syd put on 50 for the first wicket in 40 minutes. They had decided to make hay before the spinners came on. Whilst Syd only made 15 before he was leg- before to Colin Scott, the only wicket in the match not to fall to spin, in the context of a low-scoring match which would finish in two days, it was an important contribution to a crucial partnership. Gloucestershire replied to Middlesex’s 180 with 153 and then picked up Edrich cheaply before the close. Played before another large crowd the second day again saw 79 As well as scoring lots of runs in 1947, before injury intervened Edrich had also taken 67 wickets with his tearaway fast bowling. But for the injury, it is possible he might have achieved the 3,000 run/100 wicket double, a feat only ever achieved by Jim Parks, sen, of Sussex. Champions