Lives in Cricket No 44 - LCH Palairet

Abel and went out to open with Lionel, with only 124 required to level the series. Both started their innings cautiously and quite out of character, both sensing the need to play responsibly. Early in his innings Lionel was nearly caught by Gregory at short leg; despite this the pair survived the 50 minutes until lunch taking the score to 36. It was also apparent the wicket was become more treacherous. After the interval things seemed to be picking up; the first two overs produced eight runs. Then from the last ball of the third over Lionel played late to Saunders and was bowled off stump for 17. Although wickets fell steadily England reached 107 for five and victory seemed assured. However Trumble got to work and Tate came to the wicket, last man in, with rain beginning to fall and England still needing another eight. As he got to the wicket amidst great excitement the umpires took the players off for rain. At 4.45pm, Tate and Rhodes resumed for England after a delay of 40 minutes. After adding four, Saunders bowled Tate with a shooter and the game and Ashes went to Australia by only three runs. Poor Fred Tate was blamed and never played again; he had dropped a vital catch earlier, and many critics think he should not have played anyway. Fred though was having a fine season and was in the side on merit and unfairly criticised as the batting had let England down; his son Maurice would later be a leading all- rounder for Sussex and England. Lionel hardly had a great match, but both times when he batted the wicket was very difficult; he played no worse than other more experienced Test colleagues. Lionel then went back to Somerset and continued his miserable summer making six and one as Somerset lost by an innings. He did far better in the next game at Taunton taking 42 and 25 off Middlesex as Somerset won by seven wickets, Lionel’s two for 27 in the first innings also providing some useful support. He followed this with 28 in his only innings in the drawn game with Sussex. On August 10, the England team was announced in the newspapers for the final Test at the Oval. Lionel was again chosen. The selectors made a number of changes; out went Abel, Ranjitsinjhi and Tate, replaced by TomHayward (Surrey), Gilbert 1902 and one more good season 84