Lives in Cricket No 38 - Lionel Robinson

44 innings went little better but Geoffrey Stevens made an unbeaten 66 to see the county home with plenty to spare. It is the commentary on this game in the local press that dates the laying out of this ‘new’ ground under the supervision of Alec Hearne; the Eastern Evening News explicitly stated that ‘Mr Robinson opened his charming new ground’. Several hundred spectators attended, despite chilly weather – not for the last time was Robinson’s enjoyment of an important match marred by inclement conditions. A routine victory over CEYMS (Church of England Young Men’s Society) followed, with five-wicket hauls being taken by Michael Falcon and Reggie Schwarz and half-centuries for Eric Fulcher and Archie (the latter batting in ‘his own masterly style’). The next two matches were also relatively low-key victories, over the 5 th Battalion of the Rifle Brigade, and Stow and District. The latter were beaten by an innings; after the eccentric Gerry Weigall had made an unbeaten 68, Archie showed his versatility by taking seven for 49 to ensure that Old Buckenham Hall would not have to bat again. The fifth match was a high-scoring draw against Carrow; an unbeaten 107 from ‘Old George’ Pilch saw the visitors declare at 287 for five and, after Old Buckenham Hall lost three early wickets, Geoffrey Stevens and Archie played out time, scoring 119 not out and 75 not out respectively as Hall closed on 210 for three. The first match of the Old Buckenham Hall Week featured a home eleven that had a very South African feel about it, with Frank Mitchell, Reggie Schwarz, Sid Pegler and Harold Baumgartner (all of whom had, or would, play Test cricket) being available to play for Robinson’s team against the Oxford University Authentics. Pegler took seven for 57 with his leg-breaks in the first innings whilst Baumgartner claimed five for 69 with his slow left arm in the second as the Authentics were shot out for just 156 and 158. In response, Hall batted steadily to reach 258 in their first innings (Archie top-scoring with 67) and got home with seven wickets to spare, in spite of Pegler ‘bagging a pair’. The following match is the subject of a story, published in The Cricketer by Evelyn Metcalfe, which purports to give evidence of Lionel’s unconventional approach to friendly cricket. Metcalfe stated that he was responsible for taking an MCC side to Old Buckenham and, as Robinson had 12 players on hand, he had to co-opt Schwarz at the last minute. Metcalfe stated that the first day was completely lost to rain and play could not start until 1pm on the second day. By this stage the pitch was sodden and useless for bowling; furthermore the ball quickly assumed the consistency of a ‘pudding’ so that batting was relatively trouble-free. The opening pair, two (unidentified) members of the Australian touring side batted until 6pm, when stumps were pulled with the score over 300 runs and no wickets down. Given that batsmen of the calibre of Geoffrey Foster, Bernard Bosanquet and Archie MacLaren were left sitting in the pavilion, Metcalfe described the innings as a ‘huge farce’; in contrast Lionel ‘roared with laughter and was highly pleased’. Metcalfe went on to state that he suggested to his host that he ought to have declared upon reaching 200 Putting Old Buckenham on the cricketing map