Lives in Cricket No 6 - Bill Copson

In those days teams were selected in stages for overseas tours. The first seven names to be announced were Allen, Robins, Hammond, Leyland, Verity, Fishlock and Hardstaff. Captain Rupert Howard, the Lancashire secretary, who had played eight matches for his county in the nineteen twenties, was invited to be manager. Nine further names were released on 29 July and 9 August, including that of Copson. When Copson’s name was issued at the end of July, the Press suggested that Alf Gover of Surrey ‘should have been given preference’: this claim is at least debatable. At this stage of the season, Derbyshire were well clear at the head of the championship table and Copson had taken 107 wickets at 12.34, by comparison with Gover’s 133 at 17.26. The announcements left one wicket-keeper’s place outstanding: this awaited a fitness test on Ames which later proved to be satisfactory. The side was captained by G.O.B.Allen and consisted of seventeen players. Four were amateurs, Allen, Robins, Wyatt and Farnes. Four players, Hammond, Leyland, Duckworth and Ames were making their third visit down under; Allen, Wyatt, Voce and Verity their second; the remaining nine, Copson, Sims, Fishlock, Hardstaff, Robins, Worthington, Farnes, Fagg and Barnett were making their first trip. Worthington and Copson were the only Derbyshire players. Copson was the only member of the side without previous Test experience, and one of only three players who had not played in the three-match series against India in the summer of 1936. In terms of prestige, he thus had the most to do to catch up with the other players. Besides this, he was almost an unknown quantity to his captain and had played against him only twice in first-class cricket before his selection was announced. It was probably the strongest side that could have been picked. At the last minute Wyatt had replaced E.R.T.Holmes, who had withdrawn for personal and business reasons. Of those who missed being chosen, Gover who had taken two hundred wickets in 1936 and Paynter, a hero of the previous Ashes tour of 1932/33, may have been considered unlucky not to have gone. Gimblett, Stephenson and Bowes must also have been in the selectors’ minds and come very close to being chosen. Nevertheless, even with Bowes and Gover left at home, this was a side well-stocked with quicker bowlers: Copson, Farnes and Voce, were specialists, and Allen, Hammond, Worthington and Wyatt were all-rounders with a recognised ability. Competition for the fast bowling places was bound to be strong. 34 Australia and New Zealand