Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

157 The Coach While in the Army he played in seven matches that I have been able to trace, three in 1940, three in 1941 and one in 1943. Each was for a different team. In the first of these matches, the XL Club (for whom he had played the previous year against Rugby School) v Eton Ramblers, he mixed once again in exalted cricketing circles, since he was one of the nine victims of Gubby Allen, an ex-English captain, future Test selector and treasurer and president of MCC, and himself took the single wicket of Allen’s friend Ronny Aird, at the time assistant secretary and later secretary and president of MCC. There followed appearances for Nottinghamshire v RAF, a few weeks before he turned out for his native county against Nottinghamshire; 278 the Royal Army Service Corps v RAF; Officers v Other Ranks; the Army v RAF; and finally, in 1943, Nottinghamshire and Derbyshire Services in a victory ironically over Leicestershire Services, for whom Learie Constantine scored a whirlwind 49: we may perhaps assume that some of these runs were scored off Astill whose analysis was none for 34 in a mere four overs. 279 In these seven matches he rarely batted, and, if so, only as a tail-ender. His best performance was 27 not out against Larwood, Voce and Leyland for the Officers. Although he seldom bowled he did once have the satisfaction of having Cyril Washbrook of the RAF caught, insofar as records show, his final victim in a competitive match. Upon resumption of first-class cricket in 1945 he applied once more, and once more unsuccessfully, for the secretaryship of the county club. His cricketing career thus appeared over, yet there was still time for a final contribution. Arthur Povey, the coach for many years at Tonbridge School died, and Astill was appointed to replace him for the summer term of 1946. Physically much weakened, Astill could not always be as lively and participate as much as some of the boys would have wished. One member of the XI that year, Ben Wrightson, wrote: I only knew Ewart Astill for the one summer in which he coached at Tonbridge. Physically he was not an imposing man, being of only medium height and with a slight stoop. He had broad shoulders, a deep chest and, rather like Gladstone Small, a short neck. He did not strike me as a fit man and he clearly suffered a good deal from asthma (possibly exacerbated by hay fever). He was kindly but of a reserved nature and some of us found him at times a little diffident. He took his coaching responsibilities very seriously and seemed, in fact, to live in and by the school nets, almost invariably dressed in an MCC (England) blazer and sweater and wearing grey or white flannels. For most of us he had a rather stand-off method of coaching and I seldom felt close to him in this respect. He would encourage and advise but rarely indeed would he actively demonstrate his points or become physically involved in our practice sessions. 278 Leicestershire played three matches this year (1940), despite claiming in the subsequent annual report that ‘practically all their amateurs and professionals were in the Forces or engaged on work of national importance’ (wording that of Wisden ). 279 Wisden strangely demotes him to Lieutenant for this match.