Famous Cricketers No 65 - Len Hutton

393. Yorkshire v Lancashire, Bramall Lane, August 4, (6), (7) (Match drawn) not out 17 34-2 215 1 394. Yorkshire v Essex, Bradford, August (11), 13, 14 (Yorkshire won by an innings and 113 runs) b K.C.Preston 99 295-6d 60 1 122 395. ENGLAND v SOUTH AFRICA, Kennington Oval, August 16, 17, 18 (England won by four wickets) lbw b A.M.B.Rowan 28 194 202 1 obstructing the field 27 164-6 154 2 396. Yorkshire v Northamptonshire, Northampton, August 22, 23, 24 (Match drawn) st K.Fiddling b F.R.Brown 38 258 184 1 b A.E.Nutter 22 69-8 280-9d 2 397. Yorkshire v Sussex, Hove, August 25, 27, (28) (Match drawn) c R.T.Webb b A.E.James 25 216 113 1 116-5 398. Yorkshire v Gloucestershire, Bristol, August 29, (30), (31) (Match drawn) not out 110 192-3d 101 399. Yorkshire v MCC, Scarborough, September 1, 3, 4 (Match drawn) b T.A.Hall 10 333 158 did not bat - 29-1 273 1 400. Players v Gentlemen, Scarborough, September 5, 6, 7 (Match drawn) b T.A.Hall 78 371 5 0 20 4 M.C.Cowdrey st G.O.Dawkes 318 W.H.H.Sutcliffe st G.O.Dawkes N.W.D.Yardley b T.E.Bailey c J.V.Wilson c R.T.Simpson b T.A.Hall 5 128-9 - - - - 191 401. T.N.Pearce’s XI v South Africans, Scarborough, September 8, 10, 11 (T.N.Pearce’s XI won by 9 runs) b M.G.Melle 20 101 95 c W.R.Endean b M.G.Melle 91 248 245 SEASON’S AVERAGES Batting and Fielding M I NO Runs HS Ave 100 50 Ct Test matches 5 9 2 378 100 54.00 1 2 8 Players 2 3 0 102 78 34.00 - 1 - County Championship 17 26 5 1222 194* 58.19 5 4 20 Other Yorkshire matches 6 7 1 332 156 55.33 1 1 5 Other matches 1 2 0 111 91 55.50 - 1 - Season 31 47 8 2145 194* 55.00 7 9 33 Career 401 637 76 31637 364 56.39 103 137 332 Bowling O M R W BB Ave 5i 10m Players 5 0 20 4 4-20 5.00 - - County Championship 3 0 12 0 - - - - Other Yorkshire matches 3 1 12 0 - - - - Season (6-ball) 11 1 44 4 4-20 11.00 - - Career (6-ball) 1224.5 243 } 4873 171 6-76 28.49 4 1 (8-ball) 264.7 40 1952 This was the year in which Len Hutton made history by being appointed captain of England, the first professional in the twentieth century to be so honoured. It was a case of greatness being thrust upon him as, unlike Walter Hammond, he had no intention of turning amateur to achieve this position. He was the logical choice in view of his pre-eminence in the game combined with his great knowledge and experience. Some doubts were expressed that his upbringing in Yorkshire cricket could lead to an over-cautious attitude, whilst others for various reasons did not like the idea of dispensing with an amateur captain. Overall, however, such was the esteem in which he was held that the selectors’ decision was very favourably received. 50