Famous Cricketers No 65 - Len Hutton

1951 After his heroic efforts on the previous winter tour to Australia Hutton was slow to get into his stride in what was to prove to be a very wet season. South Africa were the visitors and by the time of the First Test at Trent Bridge he had only passed fifty in an innings on two occasions, the second time immediately prior to the match. His 63 in the first innings, however, saw him return to more like his true form and from then normal service was resumed as the centuries began to flow. He was the most uncontroversial of cricketers, but there were two events of note in the Tests that summer. At the beginning of the Old Trafford Test he needed one century for his hundredth hundred but after being dismissed for 27 in the first innings seemed unlikely to obtain his objective in this game as England required a mere 139 to win in the fourth innings. However, a combination of superb form from Hutton and seeming unwillingness by John Ikin, his partner, to score too many runs made his target seem possible. What had complicated matters was the arrival of ominous storm clouds which could have led to England’s victory bid being thwarted whilst runs were not being accepted. Ikin was finally out with only 18 required. He was succeeded by Reg. Simpson who also seemed anxious for Hutton to reach his century. A heavy shower brought the teams off just before lunch when England required four to win and Hutton was on 91. They were able to resume on time and when he had reached 94, six were required for victory but his lofted off-drive fell just inside the boundary and he finished with 98*. This was just in time as heavy rain fell as the players were leaving the field. If the rain had come a fewminutes earlier, one can imagine the discussions which would have ensued! The second incident occurred at the Oval in his 100th Test innings when he was given out “obstructing the field” after his genuine attempt to stop the ball falling on to the wicket via his glove and arm prevented the South African wicket-keeper from taking a catch. There were many wonderful days to remember, however, during the season, the foremost perhaps being at the Oval when he did at last reach his century of centuries. There were 15,000 people present on the Monday to see him start the day on 61 not out and they were not disappointed as he reached three figures with his trademark, a superb off-drive to the boundary. His faultless innings of 151 against the bowling of Lock, Laker and Alec Bedser took just over four-and-a-half- hours. During that Surrey match he took part in an opening stand of 197 with Frank Lowson whose style reminded so many of the great man himself. In the Headingley Test that year Lowson was selected on his home ground to make his England debut as partner to Hutton. They just failed by one run to make a century opening stand, but for the second time at Headingley Hutton made exactly 100 against South Africa. In the course of his innings he reached 5,000 runs in Tests. Of great significance in this game was the debut of another young batsman, one P.B.H.May, whose masterly 138 was the prelude to his taking over eventually as England’s finest batsman and captain after Len Hutton’s retirement. In what may have been a pointer to the future Hutton was selected as captain for the Players against the Gentlemen at Lord’s in preference to Denis Compton who had not been too happy as vice-captain in Australia. As events turned out, however, he badly injured his back during the game, batted at no.6 and Compton took over as captain. Just to show that his bowling skills had not been entirely forgotten Hutton took 4/20 for the Players at Scarborough with such illustrious victims as Colin Cowdrey, Billy Sutcliffe, Norman Yardley and Trevor Bailey. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 371. Yorkshire v MCC, Lord’s, April 28, 30, May (1) (Match drawn) b K.C.Preston 22 218 411-7d not out 18 38-1 372. Yorkshire v Oxford University, The Parks, May (2), 3, (4) (Match drawn) c C.M.Grainge b A.D.Jose 46 210-5 115 1 48