Lives in Cricket No 36 - WE Astill

92 enthusiasm for every day and a flair for communication with people. Wyatt, who toured with him on three occasions, declared that he was very helpful to everybody on tour. I never heard him say a nasty word except when he was bringing home the fact that a chap was being rude to somebody else … I think he fitted in very well. He was one of those chaps who knew his place: he would never be offended if he was left out of things when the other three would go and have a dinner with the maharaja or whatever and he was left behind. He would not be one of those who would be embittered, I couldn’t see him ever being offended. He always had so much to offer, he was always such good fun and appreciative of things and one who always fitted in marvellously – really marvellous camaraderie. Patsy Hendren also had a high opinion of his value to fellow cricketers: 169 When rain stops play, players gather round Astill – that’s the kind of fellow he is. ‘Smiler!’ The ground in gloom, but laughter in the pavilion! He is a clever, convincing speaker. Never aggressive, he holds you because you feel that he knows what he is talking about. What Astill might have been if he hadn’t been a professional cricketer I don’t know. But I think he might have success as anything except perhaps the Silent Man in the play. And not only, as Hendren recalled, was Astill ‘the teller of a capital story, chockfull of cricket lore’ off the field, but also on it ‘his witty remarks during the game help to make easy game of his opponents’. Eric Snow, the Leicestershire cricket historian who knew him well, extends the range of his admirers: ‘When there was a crowd of people he was always the centre of attraction; even when he went to maharajas’ parties in India people used to go and talk to Astill rather than the maharaja – he was so attractive to talk to.’ Both Snow and Wyatt considered that he had more in common with amateurs than with his fellow-professionals. This is probably true. His 169 My Book of Cricket and Cricketers , pp 121-122. The Tourist: ‘a Joy to Know’ Astill’s regular winter tours even came to the attention of this cartoonist!