Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

149 The Captain Astill then joined Graham and with 45 ensured a lead in a game ultimately spoiled by the weather. Rain similarly prevented his best bowling efforts, all at Aylestone Road, from reaping their deserved rewards. Leicestershire were permitted to bat for less than an hour in the abandoned match in reply to a Northamptonshire total of 211 in which Astill, going on with the score already 140 for two, took seven for just 30 runs in 24.1 overs on a responsive pitch. A few weeks later he spun the ball so awkwardly and varied his pace and length so effectively in taking six for 43 that only three Yorkshiremen reached double figures and Leicestershire just eked out a lead through a partnership by Geary and Smith: the Sports Mercury claimed that this ‘clever piece of bowling [was] the best individual performance against Yorkshire this year’. Finally, and on a good wicket, his accurate leg breaks furnished him with five Nottinghamshire wickets for 57 runs in 30.3 overs before rain contrived to make the home county’s bid for the lead too difficult. Apart from these he only once took four wickets in an innings, at Edgbaston; and twice five in a match, against Surrey and Sussex. In late July he appeared in a notable drawn game for Leicestershire Seconds at Edgbaston, notable because when Warwickshire Seconds looked like making an enormous score he was tried as the seventh and final bowler and promptly took the only hat-trick that I have found recorded in his career. His third victim was the famous Essex opener of post-war years The Leicestershire team that faced Derbyshire at Oakham in 1936. Standing (l to r): S.Coe (scorer), P.Corrall, H.C.Graham, H.A.Smith, A.W.Shipman, G.Geary, W.H.Marlow; Seated: L.G.Berry, F.T.Prentice, M.StJ.Packe, W.E.Astill (capt), G.S.Watson, N.F.Armstrong; in front W.Wright (groundsman).