Lives in Cricket No 42 - Frank and George Mann

99 Captaincy Decisions and giving his bowlers 49 overs to take all ten wickets while new Zealand found the target of 290 runs beyond them. The New Zealand batsmen proved that they were no pushovers and the match ended with them batting comfortably at 195 for two. In the Second Test, at Lord’s, George looked for an even more dramatic way to get a result and reasoned that what had worked for three-day county matches must work for a three-day Test match. Shortly after six o’clock on the first day, with England at 313 for nine after recovering from being 112 for five, thanks to Compton and Bailey’s sixth wicket stand of 189, George closed the innings. New Zealand scored 20 without loss before the umpires removed the bails to finish play for the day. According to Wisden , ‘the game was made memorable by an incorrect declaration on the part of F.G.Mann, the England captain.’ George had not realised that he made a mistake and on the following Sunday he issued the following statement: When I declared the England innings closed on Saturday evening I thought that the experimental rule which allowed a declaration to be made on the first day of a three-day match applied to the present series of Test matches. I regret very much that I was wrong in this respect, but I am very glad indeed that we did not in fact gain any advantage from the declaration. An official announcement from Lord’s followed, stating that as no protest was made at the time, the match would carry on as if no breach of regulations had occurred. There were no more opportunities for George to create a situation which might lead to a result and the Test ended in a draw. 53 53 In spite of this error, Trevor Bailey (who played his first Test cricket in these two matches and as a commentator rarely avoided making criticism when he thought it due) later wrote that ‘he was the most inspiring captain I played under and certainly one of the most charming.’ George introducing Denis Compton to King George VI during the England against New Zealand Test at Lord’s in June 1949.