Lives in Cricket No 8 - Ernest Hayes

1911 The summer was one of the driest on record with virtually no time lost to the weather. Consequently cricket was played on pitches favourable to batsmen and, although Hayes had a reasonable enough season, finishing well behind Hayward in the Surrey averages, in his own judgment he should have done better than an aggregate of 1,597 at an average of 37.13. He had four centuries, his highest 137 not out to save the match against Warwickshire at Edgbaston and 123 against Lancashire, as well as 95 against the All-India touring team. Surrey’s fifth position in the Championship was a disappointment, with Warwickshire taking the title for the first time. His slip-fielding technique continued to impress, with only K.G.MacLeod of Lancashire taking more catches in the Championship: ‘Any young beginner might well take the first opportunity he can to watch E.G.Hayes, the Surrey professional. Hayes is on his toes from the time the bowler starts to run and so far as it is possible to anticipate a mishit he does so.’ Still maintaining strong links with the Honor Oak, Hayes captained a Fifteen of Surrey side, against Eighteen of Honor Oak. His side included Tom Hayward, Herbert Strudwick, ‘Razor’ Smith, John Hitch and Walter Lees, as well as Honor Oak ‘old boy’, Fred Huish, now of Kent, and replied to the locals’ 204 with 369 for 12. Failure in Australia, Success at Home 75 Hayes and his fellow aspirates take the field in interesting headgear at The Oval on one of many sunny days in 1911.