• The Man 'Who Was Robinson
was surprised to find Mr. Mallalieu still repeating the yarn that in 1902, when Rhodes joined Hirst for the last wicket at the Oval, the latter said—of the fifteen runs remaining, " Wilfred, we'll get these in singles." The story is denied in my last book London Mystery and Mythology on the basis of newspaper reports which, strangely, previous writers have ignored. They show that Rhodes hit a four and Hirst a two. Hirst denied the story long ago. On the face of it it is absurd. Two professionals decide that, however loose a ball may arrive, they will, in a tight finish, gently play it for a single A few weeks ago, Viscount Simon, addressing the City Young Con- servatives Club on reform of the House of Lords used the same illus- tration—to urge that the pace of reform must not be too hot. There was a laugh when I said the story was not true. Viscount Simon's reply was that he had only said it was a story I
As to the first wicket record of Holmes and Sutcliffe at Leyton, I am glad Mr. Mallalieu said the scorers " conveniently found a missing run," as I have always felt that run most suspicious. Was it not found to cover the faces of the scorers who had erred in their record ?- Author of Fifty Years a Cricket Watcher. 71 Union Road, Clapham, S.W.4.
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