All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

219 Tony Pearson one of rebuilding. Only five of the team that had drawn with a strong Oxford side at Lord’s the previous summer were still available, and with a shortage of senior talent they had looked to the newcomers. Fortunately a number of them rose to the challenge. On the batting front, two 19-year- olds made over 1,000 runs in their debut seasons: Mike Brearley, who also kept wicket, and Edward Craig, who had scored prolifically at Charterhouse. Of the new bowlers, Wisden commented that ‘Jefferson and Pearson soon emerged as the best new-ball pair, displaying stamina and accuracy above the ordinary.’ Six foot seven inches tall Richard Jefferson would go on to have a useful county career, taking over 200 wickets for Surrey, and sire 6ft 10in county cricketer Will Jefferson. Cambridge bowlers had of course to spend much of their time trying to flog life out of batsmen-friendly Fenner’s pitches. As usual Cambridge had started their season with a run of home games at Fenner’s until mid-June, before playing a series of matches away from home comforts, and finishing up at Lord’s against the old enemy in early July. Having played 15 matches by the time they arrived at Loughborough, of which only two had resulted in victory, as against ten defeats, they would not have had high hopes of beating the home side. And neither of the wins had been against a county, both having come against the moderate opposition provided by Free Foresters and Col L.C. Stevens’ XI. Leicestershire were, for once, having a good season. Bottom of the Championship the previous year they would finish ninth in 1961 (before picking up the wooden spoon again in 1962). They didn’t have their strongest team out. Although their main bowlers were playing, they were notably missing their captain Willie Watson, who had made a successful move from Yorkshire, Alan Wharton, who had likewise come from Lancashire, and allrounder Jack van Geloven. They were led by Maurice Hallam, one of the best batsmen of his time never to play for England, whilst Cambridge were led by David Kirby who had already played for Leicestershire, and would be county captain the following season. Like many outgrounds, facilities at the Brush Company’s sports ground were basic and, apart from the pavilion, there was no permanent seating. Cars could however be parked around the perimeter. Cambridge would have been pleased with their first day performance, especially as they were without Jefferson. Leicestershire were mainly indebted to Hallam (115) and another Yorkshire import Jack Birkenshaw (61) for their 283, whilst for Cambridge off-spinner Kirby took the only five wicket haul of his 117-match career. Fifty-six without loss overnight, Cambridge had the luxury of being able to declare next day. Craig made 101, fellow opener Anthony Goodfellow 81, a score he would never exceed in a 21-match University career, and future England captain Tony Lewis, 55. Leicestershire having lost one second innings wicket for 73 by the close, an interesting final day looked possible. However there was no hint that a record was in the offing. In his first ten first-class matches Pearson had only once got as many as four wickets in an innings, and in the match so far had taken one for 87 from 27 overs. However, as Scarlett O’Hara memorably said in Gone With the Wind , ‘tomorrow is another day’. And