Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

48 Astill’s fall was even worse. Despite his poor form at the end of the previous season, the fact that he had taken six Yorkshire wickets, albeit all tail-enders, for MCC at Lord’s on a batsman’s strip, doubtless persuaded the committee to select him for the first match of the season at The Oval. They were speedily undeceived, and his failure to take a wicket and his mere three runs in two innings would probably have brought about his omission from the side in any case, but a ricked back gave them no option. He had played in 88 consecutive matches for his county since his début, surely an unusual experience for one who had appeared first at the tender age of 18, but it must be doubted if this gave him any comfort. He appeared shortly afterwards in two matches, but then was once more omitted for the sole reason of lack of effectiveness before he was selected by a despairing committee for the last few games of the season. His best performances were in his final two games, but scores of 9* and 19 and an analysis of three for 84 for his county on a hard wicket at Old Trafford and one of four for 71, including Hirst, for MCC at Scarborough would not have been worth mentioning in any previous year. ‘Reynard’ had welcomed his return and concluded in his summation of the season that he had bowled ‘steadily and well for the most part’, but in a season where Championship wickets were worth 22.04 apiece, he ended with 13 wickets in competition matches at 47.53, and a batting average of just 8.90. He must have been grateful for the cricket he obtained through being on the MCC ground staff and the three first-class games given him by that club that enabled him to finish 122nd in the first-class averages with 27 wickets at 38.14 each. In later years he may also have taken some pride in the fact that at Scarborough, in bowling Lord Hawke, he became the last player ever to dismiss the famous Yorkshire captain, who had been bowled by the famous but rambunctious England and Nottinghamshire professional William Barnes in his lordship’s first-ever innings in the corresponding match as many as 30 years earlier. Next Year, Sometime, Never Astill was often invited to play at the Scarborough. Here he is, lining up with the MCC team for their match with Yorkshire in September 1928. (l to r): H.J.Enthoven, A.E.R.Gilligan, E.H.Hendren, F.W.Gilligan, V.W.C.Jupp, H.D.G.Leveson Gower (capt), J.W.H.T.Douglas, N.E.Haig, E.W.Dawson, W.E.Astill, F.J.Durston.