Famous Cricketers No 45 - Hedley Verity

1930 At the relatively advanced age of 25 Hedley Verity made his debut for Yorkshire in a friendly game against Sussex at Huddersfield. Although only moderately successful with match figures of 46.1-18-96-3 with the ball and innings of 11 and 13, he had made an immediate impression with his immaculate length and ability to keep the batsman quiet. His first victim was the great Maurice Tate who was brilliantly caught in the outfield by Arthur Mitchell, the first of 171 catches he was to take off his bowling, the vast majority close to the wicket, in a partnership the equal of Hammond and Parker at Gloucestershire. By the end of the season Verity had become known throughout the cricketing world as, helped by a very wet mid-season spell of weather, he finished top of the national averages. He gave an early indication of the sensational figures which were to become his hallmark with match figures of 8-60 in his first Championship match, against Leicestershire, 9-60 in the second innings against Glamorgan and 7-26 and 6-57 against Hampshire. Yorkshire had found the successor to Rhodes that they had been looking for and other claimants to the position, such as Horace Fisher, Arthur Booth and Stan Douglas were overtaken. One of the wise men of cricket, P.G.H.Fender, was highly impressed with his command of length and flight and forecast a long Test career for him. Other critics, including Wisden , were unanimous in their praise of his ability to deceive batsmen by variation of spin, pace and movement through the air. Perhaps the greatest praise, however, came through the succinct words of the taciturn great man himself, Wilfred Rhodes: “Ay, he’ll do”. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 1. Yorkshire v Sussex, Huddersfield, May 21, 22, 23 (Match drawn) b J.Langridge 11 322 23 5 66 2 M.W.Tate c A.Mitchell 321 R.A.Hollingdale b lbw b J.H.Parks 13 212 23.1 13 30 1 R.A.Hollingdale c M.Leyland157-5 2. Yorkshire v Leicestershire, Hull, May 31, June 1 (Yorkshire won by an innings and 163 runs) not out 0 319-7d 32 14 45 4 A.W.Shipman c E.Robinson 113 G.L.Berry lbw C.A.R.Coleman b T.E.Sidwell b 7 1 15 4 G.L.Berry b 43 1 W.E.Astill b C.A.R.Coleman b H.A.Smith st A.Wood 3. Yorkshire v Middlesex, Lord’s, June 14, 16, 17 (Match drawn) c J.W.Hearne b F.J.Durston 21 266 9 4 20 0 242 2 c F.J.Durston b N.E.Haig 31 208-6d 4. Yorkshire v Glamorgan, Swansea, July 12, 14, 15 (Match drawn) b J.C.Clay 7 208 11 3 57 3 W.E.Bates c F.Dennis 262 A.H.Dyson b J.C.Clay b did not bat - 110-0 38.4 20 60 9 W.E.Bates c G.G.Macaulay 113 N.V.H.Riches b M.J.L.Turnbull st A.Wood J.T.Bell hit wkt D.Davies c P.Holmes A.H.Dyson c W.Barber J.C.Clay lbw J.Mercer c F.E.Greenwood F.P.Ryan c F.E.Greenwood 5. Yorkshire v Gloucestershire, Bristol, July 16, 17, 18 (Yorkshire won by an innings and 187 runs) run out 10 462 9.5 5 18 5 C.C.R.Dacre c A.Wood 125 W.L.Neale hit wkt E.J.Stephens st A.Wood C.W.L.Parker c A.Mitchell T.W.J.Goddard b 17.1 7 28 1 T.W.J.Goddard c A.Mitchell 150 6. Yorkshire v Warwickshire, Bramall Lane, July (26), (28), 29 (Match drawn) not out 0 203 7