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| Jack Hobbs, the master, one of the greatest batsmen ever. |
What stands out is that Jack Hobbs has been the greatest Test batsman in the pre-First World War period. He was just as great after the War till the end of his career in 1930. In fact the War divided Hobbs’ Test career into almost two equal halves, with no decline whatsoever in performance in the latter part. In 28 Tests from 1908 to 1914, the English right-handed master opening batsman scored 2465 runs at an average of 57.32 with 5 hundreds and 16 fifties, and a highest score of 187. Then in 28 Tests from 1919 to 1930, Hobbs scored 2945 runs at an average of 56.63 with 10 hundreds and 12 fifties, and a highest score of 211. The first batsman to average 50 in Tests, he carried his supreme form forward till his retirement from Tests almost at the age of 48. His final figures in 61 Tests were 5410 runs at an average of 56.94 with 15 hundreds and 28 fifties. He was consistency personified, adept on turf as well as matting wickets, on bouncy, turning and wet tracks, against pace and spin alike. It is well-known that Hobbs scored 100 First-class hundreds after 40 years of age. He played First-class cricket till he was nearly 52 years old, and finished with a record 199 centuries, a true master.
The next in terms of Test averages was The Honourable F.S. Jackson or Stanley Jackson, the English right-handed batsman. In 20 Tests from 1893 to 1905, Jackson scored 1415 runs at an average of 48.79, with 5 hundreds and 6 fifties, and a highest score of 144 not out. He was a fine fast-medium bowler too, capturing 24 Tests wickets at an average of 33.29.
There were two other batsmen who averaged in the 40s before the First World War, the Australian left-hander Warren Bardsley and the great South African allrounder Aubrey Faulkner.
In 20 Tests from 1909 to 1912, Bardsley scored 1490 runs at an average of 45.15, with 5 hundreds and 7 fifties, and a highest score of 164. The War divided his Test career too into two almost equal halves. He was already in his late thirties when the war ended, and was not able to fully replicate his performances till he retired in 1926. In 41 Tests, Bardsley finished with 2469 runs at an average of 40.47, with 6 hundreds and 14 fifties, and a highest score of 193 not out at almost 44 years of age.
Aubrey Faulkner has been one of the top Test allrounders ever. For all practical purposes, he played all his Test cricket before the War, appearing in just one Test in 1924. In 24 Tests from 1906 to 1912, the right-handed Faulkner scored 1717 runs at an average of 41.87 with 4 hundreds and 8 fifties, and a highest score of 204. With his leg-break and googly, Faulkner bagged 82 Test wickets at an average of 25.52 before the outbreak of the War. He finally finished with 1754 runs at an average of 40.79, and 82 wickets at an average of 26.58 in 25 Tests when he was well over 42 years old.
There were three batsmen who scored between 500 runs and 1000 runs, and averaged in the 40s, K.S. Ranjitsinhji, George Gunn and Reginald Foster.
In 15 Tests for England from 1896 to 1902, the Indian right-handed wizard K.S. Ranjitsinhji scored 989 runs at an average of 44.95 with 2 hundreds and 6 fifties, and a highest score of 175.
In 11 Tests from 1907 to 1912, the English right-hander George Gunn scored 844 runs at an average of 42.20 with 2 hundreds and 6 fifties, and a highest score of 122 not out. Gunn played Tests after the War upto 1930, completing 1000 runs and still averaging exactly 40. He finished with 1120 runs in 15 Tests, adding a fifty.
In 8 Tests from 1903 to 1907, the English right-hander Reginald ‘Tip’ Foster scored 602 runs at an average of 46.30 with 1 hundred and 1 fifty, and a highest score of 287, the record hitherto. That top-score accounted for almost half his runs.
The highest run-getters before the First World War were the top-class Australian opening pair of the left-handed Clem Hill, and the exquisite stroke-maker and highly proficient on wet wickets Victor Trumper.
In 49 Tests from 1896 to 1912, Hill scored 3412 runs, the highest hitherto, at an average of 39.21 with 7 hundreds and 19 fifties, and a highest score of 191.
Trumper was just behind. In 48 Tests from 1899 to 1912, Trumper scored 3163 runs at an average of 39.04 with 8 hundreds and 13 fifties, and a highest score of 214 not out.
They were followed in terms of Test averages by three of their compatriots Vernon Ransford, Warwick Armstrong and Reggie Duff.
In 20 Tests from 1907 to 1912, the left-handed Vernon Ransford scored 1211 runs at an average of 37.84 with 1 hundred and 7 fifties, and a highest score of 143 not out.
The Test career of the imposing Warwick ‘Big Ship’ Armstrong straddled the First World War. In 40 Tests from 1902 to 1912, the right-handed allrounder Warwick Armstrong scored 2247 runs at an average of 35.66 with 3 hundreds and 7 fifties, and a highest score of 159 not out. With his fast-medium and leg-break bowling, Armstrong captured 70 wickets at an average of 35.81. He was already in his forties when Test cricket resumed after the First World War. Not only did his performances improve further, but Armstrong was at the helm of a top-class Australian side that handed out a 5-0 and 3-0 drubbing to England in 1920-21 and 1921, winning the first eight of those Tests in a row. When he hung up his boots in 1921, in 50 Tests Armstrong had scored 2893 runs at an average of 38.68 with 6 hundreds and 8 fifties, the highest score being the same at 159 not out. He finished with 87 wickets at an average of 33.59.
In 22 Tests from 1902 to 1905, the right-handed Reginald Duff scored 1317 runs at an average of 35.59 with 2 hundreds and 6 fifties, and a highest score of 146.
The first batsman to score 1000 Test runs was the right-handed Englishman Arthur Shrewsbury. Playing only in the 19th century, In 23 Tests from 1881 to 1893, Shrewsbury scored 1227 runs at an average of 35.47 with 3 hundreds and 4 fifties, and a highest score of 164.
There were three other batsmen who scored 1000 Test runs while playing only in the 19th century, WG Grace, George Giffen and AC Bannerman. Wickets in the 1870s and 1880s were very rough and uneven. They improved in the 1890s but were still far inferior to those later. The batting performances of these players is, therefore, very commendable.
In 22 Tests from 1880 to 1899, the inimitable right-handed English opening batsman WG Grace scored 1098 runs at an average of 32.29 with 2 hundreds and 5 fifties, and a highest score of 170.
The Australian allrounder George Giffen was a right-handed batsman and right-arm medium pace bowler. In 31 Tests from 1881 to 1896, Giffen scored 1238 runs at an average of 23.35 with 1 hundred and 6 fifties, and a highest score of 161. He took 103 wickets at an average of 27.03.
In 28 Tests from 1879 to 1893, the right-handed Australian batsman Alec Bannerman scored 1108 runs at an average of 23.08 with 8 fifties, and a highest score of 94.
Apart from the batsmen mentioned above, there were six others who scored 1000 Test runs before the First World War, and averaged above 30. Of these, two were great allrounders, Wilfred Rhodes and Monty Noble.
In 47 Tests from 1899 to 1914, the right-handed English batsman Wilfred Rhodes scored 1965 runs at an average of 32.21 with 2 hundreds and 10 fifties, and a highest score of 179. He took 127 wickets at an average of 26.96 with his slow left-arm bowling upto the War. Rhodes went on to play after the War as well upto 1930. In 58 Tests he scored 2325 runs at an average of 30.19, scoring one more fifty, the highest score being the same.
In 42 Tests from 1898 to 1909, the right-handed Australian batsman Monty Noble scored 1997 runs at an average of 30.25 with 1 hundred and 16 fifties, and a highest score of 133. He took 121 wickets at an average of 25 with his right-arm medium-pace and off-breaks.
In 35 Tests from 1896 to 1909, the right-handed English batsman Tom Hayward scored 1999 runs at an average of 34.46 with 3 hundreds and 12 fifties, and a highest score of 137.
In 35 Tests from 1894 to 1909, the right-handed English batsman Archie MacLaren scored 1931 runs at an average of 33.87 with 5 hundreds and 8 fifties, and a highest score of 140.
In 26 Tests from 1896 to 1912, the right-handed English batsman Charles (C.B.) Fry scored 1223 runs at an average of 32.18 with 2 hundreds and 7 fifties, and a highest score of 144.
In 31 Tests from 1899 to 1909, the right-handed English batsman Johnny Tyldesley scored 1661 runs at an average of 30.75 with 4 hundreds and 9 fifties, and a highest score of 138.
There remain three other batsmen who scored above 1000 before the First World War, Joe Darling, Dave Nourse and Syd Gregory.
In 34 Tests from 1894 to 1905, the left-handed Australian batsman Joe Darling scored 1657 runs at an average of 28.56 with 3 hundreds and 8 fifties, and a highest score of 178.
In 32 Tests from 1902 to 1914, the left-handed South African batsman Dave (A.W.) Nourse scored 1512 runs at an average of 28.52 with 11 fifties, and a highest score of 93 not out. Known as the Grand Old Man of South African Cricket, Nourse went on to play after the War as well until 1924. Ultimately in 45 Tests, Nourse scored 2234 runs at an average of 29.78 with 1 century and 15 fifties, and a highest score of 111. He also bowled left-arm medium-pace, finishing with 41 Test wickets at an average of 37.87.
In 58 Tests from 1890 to 1912, the right-handed Australian batsman Syd Gregory scored 2282 runs at an average of 24.53 with 4 hundred and 8 fifties, and a highest score of 201.
These, in brief, are the finest wielders of the willow before the First World War, some of whom went on to play after the war as well.
