Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

151 The Captain cup for the county’s fastest century of the season in reaching that figure, for the only time in his career, in 112 minutes. Together Smith and his captain added 120 in an hour and three quarters before Astill was caught for 84, the final half-century of his career, and one handsomely adorned with eight boundaries. But it came at the cost of a strain that kept him out of the game for a couple of weeks. Two months later he ended his regular playing career and successfully applied for the post of county coach. In 1938 he three times supplemented his new duties by playing for the county, first having Hutton (bowled by ‘a cleverly flighted off-spinner’) and Gibb (caught) out very cheaply before valiantly defying the all-conquering ‘Tykes’ with a top score of 29 not out in his county’s second innings; next taking one of only three wickets at rain-ravaged Cardiff; and finally making the second-highest score of 38 in the first innings of a match lost by only 12 runs to Gloucestershire. Clearly he still retained a little of his erstwhile skill and grit. Another distinction fell to him in this season, for he was made umpire for the only time in his first-class career in the match between Glamorgan and Sir Julien’s Cahn’s XI on the latter’s splendid ground at West Bridgford. Cahn must have liked what he saw of Astill, who had been a member of his touring party to Jamaica in 1928/29 and had on three occasions played against his team for Leicestershire Club Astill once more lines up for a touring party photograph but not this time as a player! This time he is going as the scorer and baggageman for Sir Julien Cahn’s last tour to New Zealand in 1938/39. Standing (l to r): G.Wolfe, E.A.Watts, N.Oldfield, J.Hardstaff, W.E.Phillipson, A.H.Dyson, J.G.Lush, J.E.Walsh, W.E.Astill. Seated: C.S.Dempster, F.W.H.Nicholas, C.R.N.Maxwell, C.C.Goodway, Sir Julien Cahn, G.F.H.Heane, V.E.Jackson, T.P.B.Smith. The Australians Jackson and Walsh became stalwart Leicestershire all-rounders after World War II.