The two decades between the two World Wars were not known for their Test allrounders. The only player to score 1,000 runs and capture 100 wickets was England’s Maurice Tate.
His compatriot the remarkable Wilfred Rhodes had played his best cricket before the First World War. His Test career lasted for 30 years, spanning the generations of W.G. Grace and Don Bradman. He became the first to achieve the feat of 2,000 runs and 100 wickets.
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| Charles Kelleway's Test career straggled the two World Wars. |
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| Jack Gregory.....top-class fast bowler and left-handed batsman. |
The two genuine, and best, allrounders between the wars were the Australians Charles Kelleway and Jack Gregory. Kelleway’s Test career straggled the First World War, having played 15 Tests earlier. Similarly, Frank Woolley’s career was divided by the First World War.
The English duo of Walter Robins and Gubby Allen too were versatile players who made valuable contributions.
Wally Hammond was, of course, one of the all-time great batsmen who would wheel over his medium pace. Stan McCabe too was a handy bowler of the same variety. Their allround quotient was boosted by their tremendous batting records.
There were bowlers from around the cricketing world who could wield the willow, the world-class English slow left-armer Hedley Verity, the South African slow left-armer Cyril Vincent, the West Indies speedster Learie Constantine, and the great Aussie leg-spinner Clarrie Grimmett.
The top allrounders with at least 1000 runs and 50 wickets in Test cricket between the two World Wars were:
Wally
Hammond (England 1927-1939), Right-hand bat, Right-arm medium-pace
Tests
77, Highest score 336*, Runs 6883, Average 61.45, 100s 22, 50s 22
Best bowling 5/36, Wickets 83, Average 37.77, 5WI 2, 10WM -, Quotient 1.62
Jack
Gregory (Australia 1920-1928), Left-hand bat, Right-arm fast
Tests
24, Highest score 119, Runs 1146, Average 36.96, 100s 2, 50s 7
Best bowling 7/69, Wickets 85, Average 31.15, 5WI 4, 10WM -, Quotient 1.18
Maurice
Tate (England 1924-1935), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast-medium, off-break
Tests
39, Highest score 100*, Runs 1198, Average 25.48, 100s 1, 50s 5
Best bowling 6/42, Wickets 155, Average 26.16, 5WI 7, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.97
The best allrounders with at least 500 runs and 25 wickets in Test cricket between the two World Wars were:
Charles
Kelleway (Australia 1920-1928), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast-medium
Tests
11, Highest score 147, Runs 590, Average 34.70, 100s 1, 50s 2
Best bowling 4/27, Wickets 29, Average 27.75, 5WI -, 10WM -, Quotient 1.25
Stan
McCabe (Australia 1930-1938), Right-hand bat, Right-arm medium
Tests
39, Highest score 232, Runs 2748, Average 48.21, 100s 6, 50s 13
Best bowling 4/13, Wickets 36, Average 42.86, 5WI -, 10WM -, Quotient 1.12
Walter
Robins (England 1929-1937), Right-hand bat, Right-arm leg-break
Tests
19, Highest score 108, Runs 612, Average 26.60, 100s 1, 50s 4
Best bowling 6/32, Wickets 64, Average 27.46, 5WI 1, 10WM -, Quotient 0.96
Gubby
Allen (England 1930-1937), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast
Tests
22, Highest score 122, Runs 656, Average 25.23, 100s 1, 50s 3
Best bowling 7/80, Wickets 76, Average 28.60, 5WI 5, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.88
Frank
Woolley (England 1920-1934), Left-hand bat, Left-arm medium, Slow left-arm
Tests
42, Highest score 154, Runs 2346, Average 37.83, 100s 4, 50s 15
Best bowling 7/76, Wickets 44, Average 43.00, 5WI 1, 10WM -, Quotient 0.87
Hedley
Verity (England 1931-1939), Right-hand bat, Slow left-arm
Tests
40, Highest score 66*, Runs 669, Average 20.90, 100s -, 50s 3
Best bowling 8/43, Wickets 144, Average 24.37, 5WI 5, 10WM 2, Quotient 0.85
Cyril
Vincent (South Africa 1927-1935), Left-hand bat, Slow left-arm
Tests
25, Highest score 60, Runs 526, Average 20.23, 100s -, 50s 2
Best bowling 6/51, Wickets 84, Average 31.32, 5WI 3, 10WM -, Quotient 0.64
Learie
Constantine (West Indies 1928-1939), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast-medium
Tests
18, Highest score 90, Runs 635, Average 19.24, 100s -, 50s 4
Best bowling 5/75, Wickets 58, Average 30.10, 5WI 2, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.63
Clarrie
Grimmett (Australia 1925-1936), Right-hand bat, Right-arm leg-break googly
Tests
37, Highest score 50, Runs 557, Average 13.92, 100s -, 50s 1
Best bowling 7/40, Wickets 216, Average 24.21, 5WI 21, 10WM 7, Quotient 0.57
In their entire careers these allrounders achieved the following figures:
Charles
Kelleway (Australia 1910-1928), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast-medium
Tests
26, Highest score 147, Runs 1422, Average 37.42, 100s 3, 50s 6
Best bowling 5/33, Wickets 52, Average 32.36, 5WI 1, 10WM -, Quotient 1.15
Wilfred
Rhodes (England 1899-1930), Right-hand bat, Slow left-arm
Tests
58, Highest score 179, Runs 2325, Average 30.19, 100s 2, 50s 10
Best bowling 8/68, Wickets 127, Average 26.96, 5WI 6, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.11
Frank
Woolley (England 1909-1934), left-hand bat, Left-arm medium, Slow left-arm
Tests
64, Highest score 154, Runs 3283, Average 36.07, 100s 5, 50s 23
Best bowling 7/76, Wickets 83, Average 33.91, 5WI 4, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.06
Gubby
Allen (England 1930-1948), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast
Tests
25, Highest score 122, Runs 750, Average 24.19, 100s 1, 50s 3
Best bowling 7/80, Wickets 81, Average 29.37, 5WI 5, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.82
Hammond bowled just one over for 3 runs after the Second World War, his quotient being 1.54.
Quotient is batting average divided by bowling average.
