Editing Gubby Allen (section)

===Debut===
During 1930, Allen again had leave in which he could play cricket,<ref>Swanton, p. 85.</ref> and was among the front-runners for a place in the England team.<ref name="Swanton, pp. 85–86">Swanton, pp. 85–86.</ref> His first appearance of the season was for the MCC against the [[Australian cricket team in England in 1930|Australian touring team]]. Although he took four for 28 on the last day, his rivals for an England place were also successful.<ref name="Swanton, pp. 85–86"/> Playing for Middlesex against the Australians, Allen took six for 77 but was overlooked for the first Test at [[Trent Bridge Cricket Ground|Trent Bridge, Nottingham]]. England won the match during the course of which Larwood, the incumbent fast bowler in the team, fell ill. Allen opted to play for Middlesex against [[Northamptonshire County Cricket Club|Northamptonshire]] while the team for the second Test was being chosen, and took six for 77.<ref>Swanton, p. 86.</ref> His subsequent inclusion in the squad of 13 for that game was not particularly well received by the press.<ref>Swanton, p. 87.</ref>

On the morning of the match, Larwood was unfit and Allen played. England batted first, and Allen scored three runs before being dismissed on the first afternoon.<ref>Swanton, p. 88.</ref> On the second morning, an article in the ''[[Daily Express]]'' by Trevor Wignall, a popular journalist who wrote sensational sports stories, suggested that the crowd's enjoyment of the day was marred by Allen's inclusion on the grounds of his Australian birth. Wignall claimed that the public felt Allen should have been omitted, and that the selectors were rumoured to be ignorant of his birthplace.<ref>Swanton, pp. 88–90.</ref> That day, Allen opened the bowling for England; after a slow start, the Australian openers added 162 runs before the first wicket fell. Like the other bowlers, Allen then rapidly conceded runs to [[Donald Bradman]], who scored 254 runs. Australia scored 729 for six [[Declaration and forfeiture|declared]] in reply to England's 425, and Allen returned bowling figures of none for 115 from 34 [[Over (cricket)|overs]].<ref>Swanton, pp. 89–90.</ref> England lost early wickets in their second innings, and when Allen came in to bat, the score was 147 for five wickets, still 167 behind the Australians. He scored 57 and shared a partnership of 125 with his captain, [[Percy Chapman]], to take England into the lead but Australia won the match by seven wickets.<ref>Swanton, pp. 89, 91.</ref> In contrast to the reaction to his bowling, Allen's innings was praised in the press.<ref>Swanton, p. 92.</ref> This was his only Test of the series.<ref name=figures/>

Allen was unsuccessful in the Gentlemen v Players game, but performed effectively with the ball for Middlesex. He continued to struggle when batting, and his highest innings of the year was 77 runs scored in the end-of-season Scarborough Festival.<ref name=S94>Swanton, p. 94.</ref> In total, he scored 281 runs at 17.56 and took 42 wickets at 22.19.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/> He was not invited on the MCC tour of South Africa.<ref>Swanton, pp. 95–96.</ref>