Lives in Cricket No 42 - Frank and George Mann

28 Warner and his ‘Sandbank’ Ronald Mason gives a wonderful description of this disparate group of talents and individuals as they enter the field at Lord’s that summer: …the slight spare figure of Warner leading the half-dozen amateurs down the Pavilion steps, Harlequin, Free Foresters, I Zingari caps abounding, the little animated knot of professionals fanning out obediently from the gate of the rabbit-hutch [the professionals’ dressing-room], gigantic Durston and gaunt, sardonic Murrell standing way out above the cheerful square waddle of Lee, the cool reserved placidity of Hearne, the busy, twinkling, energetic Hendren. It was a team which would find its unity and its strength as the drama of the season ahead unfolded match by match. Pointages and percentages Middlesex made a great start and won the first two matches by an innings. Warwickshire were beaten by lunchtime on the third day at Lord’s, thanks to a magnificent 158 from Hendren in 115 minutes, including two consecutive sixes, one landing on the roof of the pavilion. The second match at Lord’s was over even sooner, with Sussex all out on the Saturday by 4 pm and Middlesex replying with 543 for seven before declaring, in which the first four batsmen, Lee, Warner, Hearne and Haig all scored centuries, the first time this had been recorded in first-class cricket. Moving up to Old Trafford, Middlesex were outclassed by Lancashire for the whole three days and were lucky to escape with a draw, thanks to the efforts of Frank Mann, with the first of two unfamiliar and invaluable innings that summer. Middlesex were still three runs behind when he went to the wicket at 38 for four in their second innings; he rode out the storm with an unbeaten 57 in 195 minutes, and there was not enough time left for Lancashire to score the 189 they needed to win. There were more problems at Trent Bridge where Middlesex were all out in their first innings for 98 and trailed by 115 runs. Nottinghamshire declared at 144 for seven leaving Middlesex needing 260 to win but it was never a target they looked like reaching and were all out for 108. It was time for Hendren to produce another of his match-winning innings and, back at Lord’s, his unbeaten 183 out of 445 was a major factor in a nine-wicket victory over Hampshire. Then Yorkshire arrived and the problems began again when Middlesex followed on 150 runs behind, after Frank Mann had been left high and dry with 23 runs after coming in at 99 for four. The match looked to be going Yorkshire’s way when Frank came to the wicket in the second innings at 174 for four. But this time he decided that attack was the best form of defence and he saved the day by walloping an unbeaten 70 during a fifth-wicket stand of 140 with Hearne, which included hitting Macaulay over the top of the covered seats at the Nursery End, ‘a thunderous brassie shot’ into the breeze, with the ball bouncing on a further 20 yards onto the practice ground itself. 15 The final day ended with Middlesex on 314 for five and Yorkshire left with only two 15 Gerald Brodribb in Hit For Six, published in 1961, says that Frank thought this shot, which had carried about 122 yards [112 m] when it hit the stand, was his best hit.