Lives in Cricet No 33 - Jack Robertson and Syd Brown

75 again 263 behind. Hutton (60) and Robertson (28) again gave their side a good start, but at least this time there was a little more resolution in the middle-order batting, mainly thanks to Place who made a six-hour 107, his maiden Test century in the last of his six Test innings. Unfortunately, 291 for three became 336 all out and a ten-wicket West Indies’ win. It had been a disappointing tour. Jack was arguably one of MCC’s most successful batsmen and had done his future Test prospects no harm. With 390 runs he was the only batsman on either side to pass 300 runs in the Tests, and for England only Billy Griffith, who played just one Test, exceeded his average of nearly 56. In view of these figures it seems a little uncharitable for Wisden to say that ‘Of the batsmen, only Hutton and Hardstaff showed their full ability’. Jack is considered to have been ‘inconsistent’. This criticism is presumably based on the fact that away from the Tests his record was poor: in 13 innings he made only 235 runs (and most of these runs came in his first match), a curious contrast with his performance in the Tests, where the Playfair Cricket Annual at least recognised that he had batted ‘beautifully’. West Indies clearly had a powerful batting line-up and a rich variety of bowlers. MCC took note and would send a more representative side when they next toured there six years later. 103 Writing in the News Chronicle Cricket Annual , Crawford White also thought that future tours should be longer in order to allow greater acclimatisation and rest, and that the professionals should have been paid more than £300. Wisden presciently remarked that West Indies should be very popular and attractive when they came to England in 1950. And it hadn’t even heard of Ramadhin and Valentine yet! 103 For a number of reasons the series, which ended two-all and had been unofficially called the ‘cricket championship of the world’, would be one of the most unpleasant and controversial in which England have ever been involved. Caribbean