Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

146 The Captain a lead in the drawn game at Headingley, a victory over Hampshire, five for 56 at Edgbaston in a game of 22 professionals and an undefeated 44 at Newport in a forlorn attempt to stave off defeat. He did not play in the extraordinarily high-scoring game v Sir Julien’s Cahn’s XI, although he did later in the victory over Sir Lindsay Parkinson’s XI, which included eight internationals from five countries against Leicestershire’s three from two. Six victories in the last ten Championship games of the season ensured an exalted, for Leicestershire, final position. First came a victory over Warwickshire in which Astill’s three wickets were all of the openers Norman Kilner (twice) and Croom, his dismissal of both of whom in the second innings was crucial as the visitors made a good start towards their target. He contributed little personally in the subsequent easy win over Worcestershire and defeat at the hands of Nottinghamshire, but rallied his side so effectively after a surprisingly poor first two days against Northamptonshire as to achieve a narrow victory in terms of runs and minutes remaining. Two very heavy defeats followed, Sutcliffe, though much troubled by Astill’s leg breaks, dominating the first before the ‘best “gate” for years’ at Aylestone Road with spectators happy to sit on the grass, and Lancashire comfortably winning at Old Trafford despite resistance from Ratby, Alan Shipman carrying his bat for a century and Astill alone giving him good support. A moderate position in the Championship now seemed likely, but victory by an innings at Portsmouth immediately followed before the captain was forced into playing a major rôle in the match at Eastbourne owing to the absence of Geary. After a fairly even first innings by both sides, he bowled the Sussex opener John Astill, as captain, stands alongside the local mayor in this photograph to mark the occasion of the first first-class match to take place at Newport, Monmouthshire. Glamorgan v Leicestershire, 1935.