Shan Masood makes his highest score for Yorkshire CCC in Radlett defeat

One team-mate recalled that “to our surprise, we found him to be most mild-mannered and friendly to us all”, after Jardine turned out briefly for Radlett after the war. “Most certainly he had mellowed; he emerged quietly and comfortably into our club life.”

No doubt Jardine would have found much to admire in Middlesex's performance on Tuesday, the hosts defeating Yorkshire by five wickets in the One-Day Cup.

They produced a hard-nosed, professional display at this picturesque outground, one as far removed, in terms of audience and atmosphere, as is possible to imagine from the baying crowds of Australia in 1932-33.

Shan Masood, the antithesis of Jardine as a captain and a man, led the way for Yorkshire as they scored 253 after choosing to bat.

Masood made 96, his highest innings for the club, crafted and grafted over 129 balls with seven fours, the Pakistani passing 5,000 one-day runs in the process on his 112th appearance, his average in the format an impressive 53.89.

Matty Revis and Dom Bess chipped in with half-centuries - Bess’s his first in the one-day game - but Yorkshire’s score felt no more than adequate.

So it proved as Joe Cracknell, with a career-best 87, and Sam Robson, with 62, were the main contributors to a victory achieved with 15.3 overs to spare, off-spinner Jack Shutt’s one-day career-best 4-49 inspiring a wobble but nothing more.

The essential character of this beautiful ground, actually situated in leafy Hertfordshire, has not changed much since Jardine’s day.

Today it is a sporting complex, with two cricket fields and a number of adjoining rugby pitches that are home to Tabard RFC and its various sides.

When Middlesex are in town the place is transformed, with a dozen or so stretch tents erected around the boundary, helping to shade spectators on sunny days like these.

Many of the 1,453 crowd present ringed the perimeter in two rows of deckchairs, further protected by banks of tall trees, while the lucky ones – in other words, the Middlesex members – looked on from a pavilion attractively designed in the style of a Swiss cottage.

After collapsing to 36-7 against Hampshire and to 91-8 against Leicestershire in their previous two games, Yorkshire did not start well, slipping to 29-3 at the end of the 10-over powerplay.

James Wharton and Will Luxton, both promoted to open, fell cheaply as Wharton top-edged a pull off Blake Cullen to mid-on before Luxton feathered behind off Ethan Bamber.

Fin Bean, who had been opening along with Harry Duke, then got a leading edge off Cullen to cover. Was history repeating? Not this time...

Masood, missed on 18 when a flying Cracknell made a valiant effort at first slip off Cullen, knuckled down with the air of a man determined to thrive.

He received good support from Revis, with whom he combined in a stand of 85 before Revis was run-out for 51 by a direct hit from Hollman at deep mid-wicket, trying to complete a second run for Masood.

Masood then shared in another 80-plus stand, this time with Bess, who also made 51 before holing out to deep mid-wicket off Josh de Caires, the former Leeds-Bradford University all-rounder. Duke chipped in with a breezy 31 from 21 balls before skying Bamber into the offside.

Yorkshire lost their last four wickets in a remarkable final over bowled by Ryan Higgins, who struck with the first, third, fifth and sixth balls.

Ben Mike was caught behind swinging to leg, Masood lbw to a full-length ball, Jack Shutt bowled and Ben Cliff caught by Cracknell running in from long-off.

Cliff, the 20-year-old pace bowler making his first appearance of the season, got fingertips to a fiercely-hit straight drive from Cracknell early in the chase. It was the only semblance of a chance as Cracknell and Mark Stoneman slashed 50 off the target in the first five overs before Dom Leech had Stoneman cutting behind.

Whereas Yorkshire were 29-3 after the 10-over powerplay, Middlesex were 92-1. Yorkshire struggled collectively as boundaries flowed in the balmy afternoon, Cracknell supplying 17 of them before missing a full toss from Shutt that pinned him in front, ending a stand of 119 with Robson inside 15 overs.

Higgins lofted Shutt to deep mid-wicket before the spinner captured two in two balls, Robson picking out mid-wicket and Jack Davies finding cover, Luxton the catcher on both occasions.

Andersson cut the hat-trick ball for four before he and Simpson completed the formalities, sharing an unbroken stand of 53 before leaving a field once graced by Jardine to rich applause.