Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

148 The Captain dismissals from balls pitching outside the off-stump. (His lbw percentage of 23.73 this season is almost twice that of 12.58 for his career, although only three of his dismissals are directly attributable to the new legislation.) He played a few valuable innings, usually at Nos.7, 8 or 9, yet they were all small and he failed to score a single half-century in compiling 559 runs at 14.71. (His batting this season was best remembered by some locals in a friendly game at Egerton Park, Melton Mowbray, where he hit a six out of the ground and smashed the windscreen of his own motor car.) His captaincy, however, was a different matter and was well summed up locally by The Leicester Mercury : The team spirit has counted for much, and Ewart Astill … handsomely justified the club’s confidence in assuming the responsibility of captain. He exerted an influence, and brought his wide knowledge of the game to bear, such as few captains could have done with the resources at his command. Nationally we can heed the words of The Cricketer : [Leicestershire] was led with urbanity and imperturbable ability by Astill. Inconspicuous in authority, he never seemed at fault when directing, and it is only just that a public dinner should afford testimony to this fine sportsman. 267 Success was expected to continue, and indeed grow, in 1936 under the captaincy of Stewie Dempster, who was regarded as among the best half- dozen batsmen in the world. No fault could be found with his batting, but the positive attitude newly engendered by Astill faltered. In a very wet season the county dropped from sixth to fifteenth, and out of 24 matches only seven reached a conclusion, of which a mere two were wins. Every single encounter at Aylestone Road was drawn. In Dempster’s absence Astill was temporary captain in two losses and two draws, leading ‘with quiet skill’, 268 but it was no longer his team. His number of runs and average stayed much the same, slowing reactions countering any possible improvement from him being relieved of the cares of captaincy. His bowling also remained steady with 62 wickets (at 24.66), a few more than the previous year, but he had to do more work since Marlow enjoyed little success. He had now been on the groundstaff at Lord’s since 1908, and his long service was recognized with a cheque for £500, about £27,000 at 2013 prices, in lieu of a benefit. There were few highlights in his season. His best all-round performance came perhaps at Northampton where he took three wickets in each innings. With the bat he made only 9 and 11 not out, but in the second innings his dogged partnership with Geary prevented the home side from gaining what would have been their only win of the season. His only half- century was 59 against Lancashire when his ‘exhilarating’ seventh-wicket partnership of 113 in 100 minutes with Geary ‘transformed a fight for first innings lead’. He played another good innings at Aylestone Road when in response to Worcestershire’s 101 the home county was facing annihilation at 39 for seven in the face of venomous bowling by Perks and Jackson. 267 1935 Annual , p 23. 268 The Cricketer Annual, 1936, p 36.