Lives in Cricket No 8 - Ernest Hayes

1909 This year was an outstanding one for Hayes. Once again he was on the top table at Lord Alverstone’s dinner, but this time had to sing for his supper – quite literally – with renderings of ‘ Two Eyes of Grey’ and ‘ Would You Care?’ The former seems to have been his party-piece which he sang at a number of functions along with ‘ Somewhere’ and ‘ Look Down, dear Eyes’ , all long-forgotten turn-of-the-century ballads and obtainable, if at all, only through antiquarian booksellers. His on-the-field entertainment was, however, somewhat more memorable. He records with some pride: This was by far the most successful season I have had for some years. Right from the start I did well and eventually finished up with the highest aggregate and also the highest individual score in England. And this season also I reached the height of a cricketer’s ambition, that is to play for England in a Test Match. I also played in both Gents v Players matches. During the season I had the honour of acting as captain of Surrey on three occasions. His captaincy of Surrey, albeit in an acting capacity, represented a rare challenge to the social structure and reflects the high regard in which he was held by his county. The highest individual score to which he refers was his 276 in a county total of 742 against Hampshire, also his career-best, an achievement of some distinction, though not quite the distinction it was claimed to be by a Northamptonshire newspaper which mis-printed the scorecard, recording it as 476 and hailing a new world record. His partnership of 371 with Hobbs, who also made a double-century, was genuine and remains the record for Surrey’s second wicket. Its duration was 2 hours 45 minutes, part of what was at the time another record of 645 runs for four wickets in a five hour day and the first time a Surrey innings contained two separate double centuries. The match was eventually won by an innings and 468 which was then and is still the county’s second largest margin of victory. For Hayes, however, there was a downside. Hobbs takes up the story. Failure in Australia, Success at Home 68