Lives in Cricket No 42 - Frank and George Mann

85 Post-War Gloom and a Glorious Summer grounds everywhere to enjoy some great and entertaining batting. Fourteen players, including Hutton, Washbrook and Hardstaff, scored more than 2,000 runs that summer, fifteen – if you include Bruce Mitchell with the South African tourists. While Compton and Edrich broke all the records, each scoring over 3,500 runs, Middlesex supporters were particularly fortunate as both openers, Robertson and Brown, themselves scored over 2,000 runs that summer. And this runfest was mainly down to the strategy of Robins, if winning the toss and batting first: ‘I want 350 plus on the board by five o’clock. Anybody unable to keep the runs coming get out and let somebody who can.’ That would often enable him to declare with 90 minutes’ play available for his bowlers to make a significant breakthrough. After ten matches Middlesex were top of the Championship table with 92 points and Gloucestershire second with 88, but by 13 August they had lost the lead. A win over Kent at Lord’s would put them back on top, although this seemed unlikely when the visitors delayed their declaration until the final afternoon and asked Middlesex to score 397 runs in four hours and twenty minutes. Most teams would have settled for a draw rather than going for the runs and risking defeat: even so, Compton asked Robins for instructions. The reply was short and direct: ‘Go for the bloody runs, of course!’ The runs came quickly but wickets fell even quicker before George joined Compton and they added 161 runs in 98 minutes. It was not enough and they lost by 75 runs. Gloucestershire were now four points in front and waited the arrival of Middlesex at Cheltenham where the home county was confident that this was their opportunity to go even further ahead, particularly as Middlesex would be missing key players. Both Robertson and Compton had been called up for the Fifth Test at The Oval, and Edrich was injured. However, ignoring his shoulder injury, Edrich declared himself fit to play and Robins was glad to have him in the side, even if it meant that he was unable to bowl. Robins was even able to persuade John Pelham Mann to take time off his new job with Unilever to add his allround skill and enthusiasm to what could be three of the most important days in the history of Middlesex cricket. It was a close-fought game until the last day when Gloucestershire only needed another 102 runs to win with seven wickets in hand. It was time for another moment of inspiration from Robins and he surprised everyone by switching from leg spin to off spin and threw the ball to part- time bowler Sharp. The next three wickets fell, two of them to Sharp, for the addition of only another seven runs and Gloucestershire crashed out for 100, still 69 runs short of victory. Middlesex then beat Derbyshire at Derby and Surrey at Lord’s where George Mann scored his first century of the season while enjoying a fourth-wicket stand of 304 with Denis Compton (178) in only three and a quarter hours. Although there were still two more Championship matches to play, Middlesex needed to win only the first, against Northamptonshire at Lord’s, to clinch the title. Robins was unable to play but, following an inspirational declaration by George in typical Robins’ style, Middlesex were declared champions. Some historians have disparaged the success of Middlesex in the 1947 season, believing it was achieved entirely on