Lives in Cricket No 8 - Ernest Hayes

The batting of the eleven was on the whole strong. Hobbs was at the head of the averages in the County Championship matches, being closely followed by Hayward and Hayes. Indeed, Hayes, though third in the order, proved himself a pillar of strength to the side, the manner in which he rose to the occasion, when Hayward and Hobbs were away, being worthy of the highest praise, and provides an example well worthy of the emulation of all our younger players. Hayes reported that he acted as captain in three Surrey matches in this season. Research has shown that he led the side in only two, though perhaps he may be referring to taking charge in another game, no longer identifiable, when his captain was off the field of play. The two games where he led the side from the start were against Somerset and Sussex at The Oval at the end of July. His sides, which were both all professional, were distinctly depleted, with Hayward, the senior professional, and Hobbs both absent injured and Marshal 13 , their talented but disputatious Australian, suspended for indiscipline. Jack Crawford’s famous dispute with the Surrey committee over the composition of the side against the Australian tourists on 15-17 July had by then led to his dismissal as deputy to Henry Leveson Gower, the appointed captain, who played only intermittently in this season. Hayes’ sides defeated Somerset by an innings, but just hung on to draw with Sussex. During the season Surrey also suspended Lees and Rushby, so that the complimentary tone of the annual report about Hayes may have had rather wider intentions, and was perhaps even tinged with relief. Four of the Surrey team, Leveson Gower as captain, Strudwick as wicket-keeper, along with M.C.Bird and Hobbs were invited to join the MCC tour to South Africa for the 1909/10 winter. Hayes was not among those selected, but his previous experience meant that his opinions on South African conditions – and politics – were sought. Of the Wanderers, venue for two of the five Test matches, he had this to say: Picture to yourself an almost circular playing arena, nearly as big as Kennington Oval with a banked cycle track skirting it. On one side a row of stately eucalyptus trees separates the ground from Park railway station, but not a blade of grass is to be seen. Failure in Australia, Success at Home 71 13 David Lemmon’s book on Surrey suggests that Marshal was suspended after he and other players were stopped by the police in Sheffield for playing with a child’s football in the street and refusing to give their names!