Famous Cricketers No 65 - Len Hutton

12. Yorkshire v Warwickshire, Scarborough, July 18, 19, 20 (Warwickshire won by one wicket) c W.E.Hollies b J.H.Mayer 3 101 - - - - 45 1 lbw b G.A.E.Paine 9 159 8 1 34 2 F.R.Santall c C.Turner 216-9 G.A.E.Paine c A.B.Sellers 13. Yorkshire v Kent, Maidstone, July 21, 23, 24 (Yorkshire won by eight wickets) c B.H.Valentine b J.G.W.Davies 4 296 142 lbw b A.P.Freeman 29 130-2 283 14. Yorkshire v Worcestershire, Worcester,. July 25, 26, 27 (Yorkshire won by ten wickets) b R.T.D Perks 196 416 - - - - 180 not out 30 88-0 4 0 22 0 322 15. Yorkshire v Essex, Southend-on-Sea, August 18, 20, 21 (Essex won by an innings and 46 runs) b C.T.Ashton 47 283 3 0 8 0 441-8d c A.G.Powell b K Farnes 31 112 16. Yorkshire v Gloucestershire, Scarborough, August 22, 23, 24 (Gloucestershire won by nine wickets) lbw b T.W.J.Goddard 51 143 3 0 17 0 348 b T.W.J.Goddard 67 262 - - - - 58-1 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Championship 14 25 1 801 196 33.37 1 4 9 Other Yorkshire matches 2 3 1 62 57* 31.00 - 1 2 Season 16 28 2 863 196 33.19 1 5 11 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Championship 76 11 273 9 3-65 30.33 - - Other Yorkshire matches 27 6 106 2 1-23 53.00 - - Season (6-ball) 103 17 379 11 3-65 34.45 - - 1935 The year began most encouragingly when at the Yorkshire AGM Vice-President Arthur Sellers, father of county captain Brian Sellers, said that if he were picking a side to go to Australia at that moment then Len Hutton would be in it. However, the season did not go quite as smoothly as had been hoped. Hutton had to have a nasal operation in April as a result of the blow inadvertently given him by wicket-keeper Bill Farrimond in the junior “Roses” match at Old Trafford in 1933; consequently he missed the earlier matches and did not play until the Cambridge University game starting on May 15th. In the meantime during his recuperation Herbert Sutcliffe had had published his autobiography in which he had lavished great praise on his young colleague. “…he is a batsman of a calibre quite unusual. He is a certainty for a place as England’s opening batsman. He is a marvel – the discovery of a generation. At the age of 14 he was good enough to play for most county sides. He has as many shots as a Bradman or a Hammond. His technique is that of a maestro.” Reading this gave Hutton mixed emotions as he was obviously pleased to be thought of in this light by his hero, but at the same time he was a little embarrassed, wondering if he could live up to these words. Fortunately he was always extremely modest and did not become carried away. In the end, of course, Sutcliffe’s prophecies were proved to be correct. In the ninth game after his return he collapsed at Edgbaston and was out of the side for a month for another spell of recuperation. He realised that in his eagerness to return to county cricket he had come back too soon and had played too often. Yorkshire were most understanding, their concern for him being shown in official records of the time. They knew they had a talent out of the ordinary on their hands whch they were going to nurture carefully. His return to the side was in gradual stages, but during July he had a nightmare spell of three consecutive “ducks”, one against Larwood (whom he dismissed also for nought!) and a dreaded pair 8