Famous Cricketers No 65 - Len Hutton

county cricket, this seems most unfair. He faced similar accusations later in the season when he scored 35 out of an opening stand of 155 with Arthur Mitchell in the Surrey game at Bradford, but the foundations were being laid for his future standing as the world’s finest opening batsman. The Sussex match, his eighth for the county, began on his 18th birthday and he once more gave evidence of his unwavering concentration and single-mindedness. Yorkshire were soundly defeated by an innings at Bramall Lane, but in their second innings of only 115 “Hutton offered stubborn resistance for three hours whilst scoring 28.” His highlight of the season came in the match at Worcester when in a ten-wicket victory he scored 196 and 30*. The cricketing world was now fully aware of the talent and limitless potential of the 18 year old from Fulneck. As he had been on the field for every ball in the game, his county were so anxious he did not over-extend himself that he was rested for the next six first team fixtures and played in only two further matches in which he gave further evidence of his great promise. So ended his first season which had begun with the Daily Dispatch ’s comment “Dare one suggest there is another Sutcliffe at hand?” and had ended with Wisden’s endorsement of his achievements: “One of the most promising of the younger brigade was Hutton. With a nice style he showed himself master of most of the strokes. There is clearly a bright future for this young cricketer.” Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 1. Yorkshire v Cambridge University, Fenner’s, May 2, 3, 4 (Yorkshire won by ten wickets) run out 0 495-8d 6 0 31 0 248 did not bat - 14-0 4 0 23 1 R.P.Nelson c A B Sellers 260 2. Yorkshire v Oxford University, The Parks, May 9, 10, 11 (Match drawn) c and b J.H.Dyson 5 351 4 1 21 0 256 1 not out 57 161-2d 13 4 31 1 E.H.Moss c and b 112-6 1 3. Yorkshire v Warwickshire, Edgbaston, May 23, 24, 25 (Match drawn) c and b F.A.Gross 50 370 15 2 65 3 A.J.W.Croom c and b 205-5 3 W.A.Hill st A.Wood L.T.A.Bates c and b 4. Yorkshire v Kent, Headingley, June 2, 4, 5 (Match drawn) c W.H.V.Levett b A.E.Watt 5 234 6 1 20 1 F.E.Woolley st A.Wood 382 1 b A.E.Watt 70 425-2d 6 1 17 0 42-0 5. Yorkshire v Glamorgan, Hull, June 6, (7), 8 (Match drawn) c M.J.L.Turnbull b G.H.Reed 28 210 10 5 23 0 112-4 6. Yorkshire v Middlesex, Lord’s, June 9, 11, 12 (Middlesex won by two wickets) c B.L.Muncer b H.J.Enthoven 26 174 2 0 11 0 344 1 c W.F.F.Price b I.A.R.Peebles 9 220 - - - - 51-8 1 7. Yorkshire v Middlesex, Headingley, June 20, 21, 22 (Yorkshire won by an innings and 3 runs) b C.I.J.Smith 9 191-4d 123 65 1 8. Yorkshire v Sussex Bramall Lane, June 23, 25, 26 (Sussex won by an innings and 116 runs) b J.H.Parks 9 126 357-5d lbw b J.Langridge 28 115 9. Yorkshire v Gloucestershire, Bristol, July 4, 5, 6 (Gloucestershire won by nine wickets) b R.A.Sinfield 39 358 8 0 27 0 358 1 run out 0 190 - - - - 82-1 10. Yorkshire v Surrey, Bradford, July 7, 9, 10 ( Match drawn) c E.W.J.Brooks b A.R.Gover 35 372 9 1 25 1 E.R.T.Holmes c A Mitchell 465 c E.W.J.Brooks b E.R.T.Holmes 22 277 - - - - 45-4 11. Yorkshire v Essex, Hull, July 11, 12, 13 (Yorkshire won by 123 runs) b M.S.Nichols 4 337 2 0 4 2 F.St.G.Unwin c A Mitchell 209 T.H.Wade c A.B.Sellers b M.S.Nichols 0 127-5d - - - - 132 7