Famous Cricketers No 65 - Len Hutton

246. Yorkshire v Essex, Southend-on-Sea, August 27, 28 29 (Match drawn) b F.H.Vigar 197 401 468 st T.H.Wade b T.P.B.Smith 104 280 95-2 247. Yorkshire v Hampshire, Bournemouth, August 30, September 1, 2 (Match drawn) not out 270 464-5d - - - - 308 2 0 12 0 295-6 1 248. Yorkshire v MCC, Scarborough, September 3, 4, 5 (MCC won by 59 runs) b R.Pollard 3 257 362 st T.G.Evans b G.F.H.Heane 107 205 159 249. North v South, Scarborough, September 6, 8, 9 (Match drawn) c T.G.Evans b A.V.Bedser 17 397 8 1 22 0 570-6d 1 c and b J.A.Young 92 174-2 250. Players v Gentlemen, Scarborough, September 10, 11, 12 (Players won by an innings and 10 runs) b A.W.H.Mallett 64 362 - - - - 135 1 14 4 46 3 D.R.Wilcox c D.Brookes 217 1 W.J.Edrich lbw N.W.D.Yardley c and b SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test matches 5 10 2 344 100 43.00 1 1 5 Players 1 1 0 64 64 64.00 - 1 2 County Championship 14 23 1 1551 270* 70.50 6 4 13 Other Yorkshire matches 5 8 1 517 137 73.85 4 - 2 Other matches 1 2 0 109 92 54.50 - 1 1 Season 26 44 4 2585 270* 64.62 11 7 23 Career 250 390 46 17844 364 51.87 56 70 179 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Test matches 4 0 29 0 - - - - Players 14 4 46 3 3-46 15.33 - - County Championship 40 5 177 4 2-28 44.25 - - Other Yorkshire matches 43 8 70 5 3-3 14.00 - - Other matches 8 1 22 0 - - - - Season (6-ball) 109 18 344 12 3-3 28.66 - - Career (6-ball) 1049.5 202 } 4313 157 6-76 27.47 4 1 (8-ball) 262.7 40 1947/48 – MCC in West Indies Seriously underestimating the strength of the West Indies, the MCC sent an unrepresentative side to the Caribbean to play a four-match Test series. The captain was G.O.B.Allen, who at the age of 45 was well past his best, particularly as he was a fast bowler! The only batsman of proven class was Joe Hardstaff, but future England players of class blooded on this tour were the spinners, Jim Laker and Johnny Wardle. Godfrey Evans as wicket-keeper was also to become an outstanding Test cricketer and Jack Robertson of Middlesex may have become one if born in a different era. Otherwise, the absence of such players as Hutton, Compton, Washbrook, Edrich and Bedser from the original selection made the task of the England side well-nigh impossible, particularly as this was the series which saw the emergence for the home side of the “Three W’s,” Weekes, Worrell and Walcott. Injuries and illnesses were further handicaps and at one stage a leading journalist was asked to be prepared to play in one of the colony games. Len Hutton was resting at home awaiting the visit of the Australians when he received an emergency call from Allen to come out and strengthen the side. After obtaining permission from his winter employers and from his county and approval from his wife he agreed to go. After a rather complicated series of flights, he arrived in Georgetown and a week after leaving London he opened the batting for the MCC against British Guiana. In Boys’ Own style 34