[jamesicus]

Thank you AccyStanFan, Lettie, Sparkologist and Irene for your interest and kind comments.

I appreciate your cricket information very much, Sparkologist. I used the links you provided -- thank you very much for them.

Yes, I do remember Eddie Paynter -- he was another one of my cricket heroes. I recall reading about his famous test match innings (when he was suffering from tonsillitis and running a high fever) in a boy's adventure book I got one Christmas in the mid 1930s. He and Cyril Washbrook (who was also an opening Test batsman for England) were the opening pair for Lancashire for much of the 1930s.

I did get to meet Eddie Paynter after the war in somewhat bizarre circumstances. I think it must have been 1947 or 1948 -- I wasn't keeping scorebooks or making notes by then so the following is strictly from memory (and it is so long ago) -- I would however, really like to validate my recollections if anyone can point me to a source:

I think it was a Lancashire League away match for Burnley against Todmorden -- but it may have been a charity or testimonial match. In those days I was an avid LL fan and went to all Burnley matches. I also used to augment my spending money by operating the scoreboard at Turf Moor Cricket ground. At that time the Burnley professional was Ellis Achong -- the West Indies Test left arm slow bowler. Achong was a fine gentleman but not a particularly good batsman. Anyway, that day Eddie Paynter played as an amateur! (for Todmorden? surely not, for he was an Enfield cricketer -- that is what makes me think it wasn't a LL match) He didn't score many runs, in fact I recollect he had a short at bat. Incidentally, Achong took all ten wickets that day albeit fairly costly. I don't know whether Paynter played any more LL cricket that season -- if he did, I don't remember him making any big scores. Anyway, I got to shake his hand after the match.

I wish I could get the full story on that match. Back to WWII in my next posting.

James