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

1953 This was Bedser’s most successful season of all and he describes his own performances in the Test match series against Australia as the summit of his career. In addition to his 39 wickets in the Tests, including 14 in the Trent Bridge match, his season’s first class total was 162 wickets including the only “hat trick” of his career against Essex and 12 wickets against Warwickshire in the famous match completed in one day as Surrey swept to the Championship. The match against Yorkshire at Kennington Oval was his benefit match - the benefit raised £12,866 altogether. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 243. Surrey v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, May 2, 4, 5 (Surrey won by an innings and 65 runs) § did not bat - 363-4d 9.5 3 14 4 F.C.M.Alexander b 68 D.R.W.Silk b N.S.D.Estcourt c G.A.R.Lock J.S.Guthrie b 29 7 48 0 230 1 244. Surrey v M.C.C., Lord’s, May 6, 7, 8 (M.C.C. won by 107 runs) § b R.T.Weeks 4 210 16 3 39 4 D.S.Sheppard c J.C.Laker 150 T.C.Dodds b D.W.Barrick lbw R.T.Weeks b not out 21 166 29 7 61 2 D.S.Sheppard lbw 333-9d 1 T.E.Bailey b 245. Surrey v Australians, Kennington Oval, May 9, 11 (Australians won by an innings and 76 runs) § not out 0 58 26 6 60 4 A.R.Morris b 256 R.N.Harvey b J.H.DeCourcy c G.A.R.Lock R.Benaud c A.J.W.McIntyre c D.Tallon b D.T.Ring 1 122 246. Surrey v Warwickshire, Kennington Oval, May 16 (Surrey won by an innings and 49 runs) § not out 5 146 13.5 4 18 8 F.C.Gardner c J.C.Laker 45 T.W.Cartwright lbw D.D.Taylor c D.G.W.Fletcher R.T.Spooner c G.J.Whittaker H.E.Dollery c G.A.R.Lock C.W.C.Grove c D.G.W.Fletcher K.R.Dollery c A.F.Brazier W.E.Hollies c J.C.Laker 13.4 7 17 4 F.C.Gardner c J.C.Laker 52 1 D.D.Taylor lbw R.T.Weeks c W.S.Surridge W.E.Hollies c sub 247. Surrey v Gloucestershire, Kennington Oval, May 20, 21, 22 (Match drawn) § c G.E.E.Lambert b C.J.Scott 1 245 28 13 36 2 T.W.Graveney b 220 1 J.F.Crapp c W.S.Surridge did not bat - 65-1 30 6 75 2 T.W.Graveney c A.J.W.McIntyre 281-7d J.F.Crapp lbw 248. Surrey v Nottinghamshire, Trent Bridge, May 23, 25, 26 (Match drawn) § st E.A.Meads b G.Goonesena 0 229 42 11 75 5 R.T.Simpson b 318 F.W.Stocks c A.J.W.McIntyre R.J.Giles c W.S.Surridge J.Hardstaff c D.G.W.Fletcher G.Goonesena b did not bat - 135-5 6 0 14 0 108 249. England XI v The Rest, Edgbaston, May 27, 28, 29 (Match drawn) did not bat - 269-9d 19 5 36 3 N.H.Rogers b 174 T.G.Evans c R.T.Simpson C.T.Spencer b did not bat - 116-2d 4 0 12 0 118-0 250. Surrey v Lancashire, Old Trafford, May 30, June 1, 2 (Surrey won by eight wickets) § c and b R.Tattersall 0 283 30 9 49 2 C.Washbrook c A.J.W.McIntyre 255 A.Wharton c G.A.R.Lock 37