South Yorkshire Times, June 16th, 1951
Hickleton 214 for 7 Atlas 96 for 5
Hickleton’s Yorkshire Council match with Atlas was rained off with 45 minutes left for play, Atlas, with five wickets to fall, still needing 119 runs to overhaul the Hickleton total of 214 for 7.
Whether, indeed, Hickleton could have forced an issue was a matter for conjecture. There was considerable encouragement in the first 25 minutes, for Richardson, Wait and Green had gone for 19 runs. Two runs later Fearnley had been dismissed, but the brake had begun to become effective with the fall of the fifth wicket, for by that time the board had moved to 67 and Wright and Clough were playing the Hickleton changes with infinite ease when the closure came.
Actually, play was continued for some time in a steady downpour—so consistently steady that rivulets were beginning to stream from the score box roof before Atlas and Hickleton decided to call it a day—and it might well have been the effect of the swung the balance in Hickleton’s had they been accepted. Foothold became slippery—and the ball, too.
Delightful Display.
Hickleton’s innings offered a delightful display of batsmanship, notably by “Bill” Robinson (picture), who was undefeated for 121 after nearly, two hours at the wicket, scoring at slightly more than a run a minute, hitting 19 boundaries and only 27 singles. What a delightful partnership are Robinson and Harry Riley! Here is stroke play heightened by variety and an experienced confidence. Robinson, I believe, gave only one chance—and that an extremely difficult one—and sent up the first century at Shepherd Lane since Riley had that distinction some two seasons ago. Hickleton were always comfortable and aggressive against a mediocre attack and their 214 for 7 were scored in 149 minutes. They need no further tribute than that. Riley was stumped for 31, Jim Hutchinson contributed 35 before he was beaten by Raynor, and Joe Riley 11 before he lost his wicket to Richardson.
Slow Start.
Hickleton bowling—Riley and Mitchell in the initial stages—exacted such subservience from the Atlas batsmen that an hour had gone by before the fifty went up. Hutchinson replaced Riley at the High Street end, was promptly cracked for four, but thereafter exacted much greater caution, and ten minutes later Hennesey was out. It was raining steadily by this time and groundsman Reddle twice came out to spread sawdust, but neither the rain nor Hickleton upset Wright, and there were times when his bat seemed like a barn door, tightly shut against all inroads. That should not indicate any stonewalling tactics. Far from it. Wright, who at one time played with Beighton, has come back to Atlas to work his way through two of the club’s elevens to reach the Yorkshire Council side, and, he is giving good value for his promotion. There was a difficult chance to which both Robinson and Mitchell dived—too late—but all batsmen must have that kind of luck at some time. Atlas who lost their first two Council matches had won five in a row before this fixture.