Lives in Cricket No 48 - Maurice Leyland

27 could now return to normality. In Yorkshire unscrubbed steps could be scrubbed, unwashed clothes could be washed and hungry husbands could be fed … just a minute …. as you were …. Hutton was still in …. back to the radio then. More than a day later, with Hutton’s score standing at 364 and the total on 770, there was a stunned silence. He hit a ball from O’Reilly to cover but it lifted and Hassett took the catch comfortably. It took the crowd a second or two to realise what had happened. Even Hassett just stood there in disbelief with the ball in one hand and stroking his chin with the other. The Australian players looked round and it was not until Hutton began his walk back to the pavilion that everybody on the ground suddenly realised that his greatest innings was finally over and the cheering began. New batsman Wood was almost at the crease before the noise died away. The match Wagon wheel of Leyland’s scoring strokes in his Oval 187; pavilion end on the left, Vauxhall end on the right