Famous Cricketers No 44 - Sir Alec V. Bedser, C.B.E.

1939 Both Alec and Eric Bedser made their first-class debuts in consecutive matches against the Universities following their second season in the Second XI, but had to wait for their first County Championship match until after the Second World War. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 1. Surrey v Oxford University, Kennington Oval, June (21), 22, (23) (Match drawn) § b. D.H.Macindoe 0 234 6 1 21 0 133-1 2. Surrey v Cambridge University, Kennington Oval, June 28, 29 (Match drawn) § not out 12 276 12 1 38 0 364 2 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Other Surrey matches 2 2 1 12 12* 12.00 - - 2 Career 2 2 1 12 12* 12.00 - - 2 Bowling O M R W Ave BB 5wi 10wm Other Surrey matches 18 2 59 0 - - - - Career (8 ball) 18 2 59 0 - - - - 1946 In his first five matches out of nine, Bedser took more than five wickets in a match, including a spell of 7 for 11 against Northamptonshire in a rain affected match. At Old Trafford against Lancashire, play started on the Monday with a newly prepared pitch and both Gover and Bedser made the ball fly with Bedser taking 11 wickets in the game. Bedser was picked for England in the First Test match which was his eleventh match of the season and his thirteenth first-class match in all. He arrived on the international scene by taking eleven wickets in the match, followed by 11 more in the Second Test for a total of 24 wickets in the three-match series. Wisden described his debut Test performance as “sure length, swerve and life from the pitch for a wonderful performance.” Surrey finished 12th in the County Championship. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 3. Surrey v M.C.C., Lord’s, May 4, 6 (Surrey won by an innings and 134 runs) § not out 35 364 11 1 23 0 152 9.1 4 14 6 D.C.S.Compton lbw 78 J.G.W.Davies c H.S.Squires R.W.V.Robins c R.J.Gregory N.S.Mitchell-Innes lbw A.W.H.Mallett c G.S.Mobey J.A.Young st G.S.Mobey 4. Surrey v Indians, Kennington Oval, May 11, 13, 14 (Indians won by nine wickets) § b C.S.Nayudu 0 135 47 8 135 5 V.S.Hazare lbw 454 R.S.Modi b Gul Mahomed b M.H.Mankad c G.S.Mobey C.S.Nayudu c N.H.Bennett not out 31 338 3 0 14 1 C.T.Sarwate c E.A.Watts 20-1 5. Surrey v Somerset, Kennington Oval, May 18, 20, 21 (Surrey won by ten wickets) § st W.T.Luckes b J.M.Lawrence 38 359-9d 40 12 74 3 N.S.Mitchell-Innes b 257 C.J.P.Barnwell c R.J.Gregory F.S.Lee b did not bat - 28-0 22.1 7 30 4 F.S.Lee c J.F.Parker 128 W.H.R.Andrews c G.S.Mobey A.W.Wellard b H.L.Hazell b 8