CHAPTER 8
Success for Jim Baird
Carlton had an uneventful 1952-53 season, the most heartening feature being the marked
improvement of some of the younger players. Ted Besford was appointed captain in succession
to Price, and it was an excellent choice, but an injury caused him to miss four of the early
games. Several good displays marked the season. Bert Numa had scores of 81, 79 not out, 66
and 63, Ray Wake made 85 and 80, Turner 83 and 57, and Lalor 80 and 78.
Ron Short’s best were 60 and 51, and Besford made 61. On the bowling side Gordon
Carlton’s 5/36 and Jack Leehane’s 5/38 were highlights.
For the first time batsmen fought out the Club championship, Numa winning narrowly
from Turner, Wake and Lalor. For the first time in his career Jim Baird finished at the top of the
batting averages. A great disappointment was that Fred Freer suffered a persistent leg injury
which meant the end of the career of one of the Club’s greatest all-rounders.
No bowler took 20 wickets, which lent colour to the feeling that the attack was losing
some of its potency. The return to the game after temporary retirement of Alan Jinks was most
welcome. He won the honours from Baird, and achieved the distinction of securing his 500th
Club wicket during the season – the first Carlton player to do so. Although his figures were not
imposing, Bernie Smith showed distinct promise in his first season.
NUMA NEW CAPTAIN
Carlton were again among the “also rans” in the 1953-54 season. Rain, as usual, marred
the opening round. A new player, Jack Fowler, was top scorer against Melbourne with 49 not
out, while Wake made 37 in a score of 7/168 against Melbourne’s 7/192 in a one-day affair.
On a green wicket at North Melbourne only 92 could be scored, to which North replied
with 154. Jinks took 5/57 and Smith 3/32. Only 2 ½ hours of play were possible in the Cup Day
game against St. Kilda.
First sign of improvement was seen in the next game, at South Melbourne, where some of
the brightest batting of the season was witnessed. South closed at 4/221, and when Carlton had
lost 3/5 the position looked hopeless. A fighting partnership of 136 in 93 minutes by Bert Numa
(90) and Fred Lalor (61) brought the team back in the picture, but the leeway was too great and
at stumps the score was 9/191.
Bert Numa appeared as captain for the first time in the next game, and he celebrated by
losing the toss against Hawthorn-East Melbourne, who batted all day against tight bowling to
make 169. Jinks took 5/58 and Baird 3/36. Carlton’s reply was a disappointing 134, Wake’s 30
being top.
Numa (68) and Lalor (55) were top batsmen in a score of 187 against University, who
replied with 219, with Baird, Farmer and Fowler best bowlers.
First win was gained in a one-day game against Footscray, who made 9/151 (Jinks 4/55).
The Carlton reply was 4/200, Numa making 65, Turner 46 not out and Wake 44.
A tie in a one-day match at Essendon thrilled the crowd. Essendon closed a 9/179, Jinks
and Baird each taking three wickets. Wake and Trembath gave Carlton a good start. With 20
minutes left, Carlton needed 41 runs. They levelled the scores just as time was called. Numa
made 51 not out, Wake 37 and Trembath 29.
Northcote made 232 in the next game, Jinks taking 4/67. Heavy rain on the second day
limited play to 100 minutes, and in a score of 5/105 Wake made 45 not out.
Bad weather continued, and the Australia Day game had to be abandoned. Another
exciting game followed. Collingwood made 138, and at stumps Carlton had lost 5/39. But the
second day saw a remarkable recovery. Thompson made 68 and Fowler 30, and the score at tea
was 5/128, but the remaining wickets fell for only eight runs. Farmer and Jinks each took five
Collingwood wickets.
Jinks had 4/9 off 12 overs at one stage of the game against Richmond, which lost 8/53, but
Richmond recovered to score 156. Numa and Wake were associated in a partnership of 154 for
Carlton, and the final score was 5/321 (Numa 102, Wake 91, Seccombe 43 and Short 45 not
out).
As the next game, that against Prahran, has a bearing on the four, a large crowd attended.
Numa lost the toss for the seventh successive time, and Prahran, after losing 6/86, recovered to
make 188, Jinks taking 4/58. Carlton also started badly, with 6/62, but Short and Seccombe
took the score to 146, and the innings ended for 209, Short making a grand 91.
Although missing the four, Carlton had a better percentage than six other clubs, and the
marked improvement in the latter part of the season was encouraging. The loss of Freer,
Leehane and Carlton was most serious, but the bowlers did so well that only three opponents
passed 200. The batting lacked stability. Bert Numa, who followed Besford as captain, won the
Club championship after a close fought fight with Alan Jinks, and also took the batting average.
Wake, Jack Thompson and Jack Fowler (in his first season) also performed creditably. Tom
Trembath, junior, showed promise and Ron Short and Eric Seccombe earned their promotion.
Jinks was again best bowler, and took his tally of wickets to 540. Keith Farmer also did well.
CARLTON OUT OF THE FOUR
Carlton missed the four again in 1954-55, but two of the other four teams were successful,
the Fourths winning their first premiership.
In perfect weather, North Melbourne lost 6/276 in the opening game, with Keith Farmer
taking 3/76. Carlton fought back, but made only 250 (Short 56, Thompson 45, Turner 43).
The team failed against St. Kilda for 168, with new player Leo Finch making 84. Jinks,
Bob Denison, Keith Farmer and Lalor shared the wickets, but St. Kilda won with 290.
Carlton were sent in by South and made only 159 (Numa 37), and excellent bowling by
Bernie Smith (5/44) and Lalor (4/40) kept South down to a moderate 188, so another defeat
followed.
On a sporting wicket at Glenferrie, the meagre total of 105 was redeemed by a good 48
from Numa. At stumps the Combine had lost 4/32, and the second day was completely washed
out.
After a bad start, Carlton scored 5/300 against University, a feature being a magnificent
155 from Herb Turner. Short made 58 and Numa 50. Again rain washed out the game on the
second day.
On an uncertain pitch at Footscray Carlton made 125, which was 10 too many for the
opposition, Smith taking 6/36
Scoring 3/194 at Essendon, another victory was achieved. Ray Wake returned to form with
87 not out, Turner made 40 and Numa 39, while Bernie Smith took 4/42.
At Northcote the score of 310 was Carlton’s best for the season. Wake continued his good
form, making a splendid 95. Short drove magnificently to make 86 and Lalor scored 46 not out.
In a Northcote score of 225 Baird took 4/61 and Smith 3/46.
Fitzroy closed their innings on a rain-affected pitch at 8/123, with Smith taking 5/53.
Despite 42 by Turner, Carlton were 9/111, but Lalor and Baird were equal to the task of making
the required runs.
Carlton were 3/13 at Collingwood, but Turner and Numa, in a fighting partnership of 96,
helped to bring the score to 6/213. Turner was at his brilliant best in making 106, and Numa and
Lalor each entered the 30’s. Collingwood lost 7/172 (Baird 4/44) and lost the game.
This was the fifth successive victory and made the next match, against, Richmond, a
feature affair. Richmond failed for 105, with all bowlers succeeding. Carlton replied with
5/234. Murray Laming, in his first game, made a meritorious 60 not out, and Short a dashing
69.
Rain limited play to three hours in a one-day game at Prahran, and a draw was inevitable.
Prahran scored 71 (Baird 4/14, Farmer 4/35) and Carlton were 0/3 at time.
Risking everything in an endeavour to win outright, Carlton sent Melbourne in on a
beautiful wicket. With 7/99, the gamble looked like being successful, but Melbourne recovered
to tally 211. Rain went against Carlton, who made 155 (Turner 52 not out, Wake 52). Among
the bowlers Farmer took 4/43 in the first innings and, in a second innings of 114, Jinks
signalised his farewell with a magnificent 6/11.
The advance of batting strength was a feature of the season, the recovery of form of Herb
Turner being largely responsible. He easily won the batting average. Bernie Smith with 38
wickets (average 13.7), won the Club championship and the bowling average.