My boyhood idol was Joe  Hardstaff of Notts. He still is. I was 11 when I first saw him. He had an elegant majesty, his cover drive was a thing of beauty. Tom Graveney and Colin Cowdrey had splendid cover drives but in my mind Joe’s was better. Joe also had a superb off drive, on drive, late cut and leg glance.  At the time I remember asking my grandfather what he thought and he said that Joe was a classical batsmen but that he would rank third of all the batsmen my grandfather had seen. Slightly peeved, I asked him the other two. He said Ranjitsinhji and Wally Hammond.
I watched Joe and Notts for nine years and a great puzzle to me and many others was that he wasn't picked for England after 1948 even though in 1949 he topped the batting averages. This remained a puzzle to me for nearly 20 years until I found myself playing in a  pro-am cricket match playing with some of my idols. At lunch I was sitting with Godfrey Evans Jack Robertson and Jim Laker. I asked them if they could shed any light on why Joe was not in the England team after 1948. There was general merriment before Godfrey said that it was the result of something that happened on a tour of West Indies wish they'd all been on with Joe. Godfrey said that Jim Laker knew the most because he'd been a witness to what has occurred.
James said that Gubby Allen was the captain of the England side in the West Indies and that hardly any of the players liked him. On the return journey he had a violent argument with Joe. It went something like this. Allen: “ As senior professional, Joe, you were a disgrace to the team.” Joe: “I don't defer to old Etonian snobs!” Allen: "The sooner you get back to the Nottinghamshire mines the better, you peasant!”
According to Jim, Joe then held Allen round the waist and dangled him over the side of the ship, before he was stopped by Jim and some of the other teammates.
Dialogue resumed. Allen: “You will never play for England again Hardstaff!" Hardstaff: "Like to bet on it?”
Allen: “I don’t bet. If you play for England again, I’ll give you £100.”
The next season, 1948, Joe Hardstaff was the first person to score a century against the invincible Australian tourists. He was picked for the first test. Allen, to give him his due, sent Joe a cheque for £100. Joe tore it up and sent it back.
In 1949, Joe scored two centuries against the New Zealand touring team and in 1951 he scored a century against the South Africans but he never played for England again. Allen, by this time, was chairman of selectors. He had his revenge.
Memory added on August 26, 2014
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