Miscellanea

Joe Hardstaff, the Nottinghamshire and England batsman, a Battery Sergt.-Major in India, in two games for the Maharajah of Cooch Behar's XI scored 80 not out and 103. He wrote, As I had not touched a bat for over 14 months I was very pleased.

Harold Butler, the Nottinghamshire fast bowler, and Hardstaff, serving together, spent an evening with Mr. B. H. Noble, a Nottinghamshire cricket official after a chance meeting.

Major G. O. Gauld, a member of the Nottinghamshire club, son of Dr. G. O. Gauld, their former Hon. Secretary, is a prisoner of war in Japanese hands in Thailand.

V. M. Merchant, India Test Match player, established records in Indian cricket when scoring 359 and sharing in a sixth-wicket partnership of 371 for Bombay against Maharashtra at Bombay. The previous highest individual innings was 316 by Vijay Hazare in 1939-40 season.

Flying-Officer A. E. Barras, who played cricket for the R.A.A.F. in England last summer, after being shot down during the Libyan campaign, returned to Australia. Playing his first game for five years for Fitzroy, his old club, Barras took six wickets for 36 and scored 41.

South African Test cricketers to distinguish themselves in matches in Egypt were E. A. Rowan, scorer of five successive three-figure innings, and A. D. Nourse, Junior, who, for a South African team against Military Police in Cairo, hit nine consecutive 6's, and two more, all in the course of 12 balls.

Wing Commander W. R. Hammond returned to England during the winter. When in Egypt he scored 129 for Gezira Club.

Major R. J. Crisp, D.S.O., M.C., the South African and Worcestershire player, took five wickets for 26.

J. H. Human, Cambridge and Middlesex batsman, also playing for Gezira, made 66 in a total of 124. Human in an Army cricket match at Brisbane scored 133 in 65 minutes. He hit ten 6's and eleven 4's.