Test Cricket - A World XI between the two World Wars

 

The inimitable Don Bradman in his record-breaking 1930 series.

The period between the two World Wars, and a few years more, was the Bradman era. No sportsman dominated any sport as The Don did. Not only in Test cricket but in the First-class game as well, Don Bradman was a colossus who set standards none has ever been able to come even close to matching.

Bradman notched up 468 runs in the four Tests that he played in his maiden Test series in 1928-29 against England, second in his team’s averages at 66.85 per innings. This was the only rubber that Australia lost, apart from the controversial Bodyline series of 1932-33, during the Bradman years. The 1938 face-off in England was drawn, while the other eight series ended on a victorious note. Wally Hammond piled up 905 runs in that series at an average of 113.12. This was the highest aggregate in a Test series by a long way, surpassing the brilliant South African allrounder Aubrey Faulkner’s tally of 732 in 1910-11, and Herbert Sutcliffe’s 734 in 1924-25, both against Australia. For Bradman it was a highly satisfying initiation to Test cricket.   

It was an extraordinary first-class season for Bradman. He hit the first of his six triple centuries, an unbeaten 340 in 488 minutes for New South Wales against Victoria at Sydney. In 13 matches he scored 1690 runs, a record for an Australian season, at an average of 93.88 with 7 hundreds. It was a season that launched the Bradman legend.

There were no Test matches in Australia during the next season of 1929-30, though Arthur Gilligan’s M.C.C. side stopped by to play a few first-class matches en-route to New Zealand for the inaugural Test series there. Totally focused on the first-class game, Bradman broke Bill Ponsford’s world record First-class score of 437 made two seasons earlier. He hit up 452 in just 415 minutes, having struck 49 boundaries, for New South Wales against Queensland at Sydney.

Bradman sailed for England with the 1930 Australian team. Cricket would henceforth never be the same again, and the name Bradman would be the first to be written down in the record books forever. Having scored 131 in the first Test at Trent Bridge, and a tremendous 254 in the second Test at Lord’s, Bradman hit up a triple century in a day at Leeds. On the second morning he surpassed Andy Sandham’s Test record of 325 achieved against the West Indies at Kingston the previous winter. It was an incredible innings lasting 383 minutes, his 334 off 448 balls studded with 46 boundaries. The next highest was Alan Kippax’s 77.  Bradman was sixth out at 508; Australia folded up for 566. He went on to score 232 in the fifth Test at The Oval.

It was a momentous tour. Having played a pivotal role in winning the Ashes, Bradman scored an unprecedented 974 runs in the series, still unequalled to this day, at an average of 139.14. He got all these runs at 40 an hour without hitting a six. Rarely did Bradman loft the ball. Some felt that this aggregate was the equivalent of Sydney Barnes’ feat of 49 wickets in four Tests against South Africa in 1913-14, but against better opposition. No other batsman from either side got even half of Bradman’s tally, nor even more than one hundred. Mammoth scores kept coming repeatedly from his willow like giant waves slapping the shore – a century, two double centuries and a triple century. The double hundreds decided the series.

 The Bradman legend went from one high to another. The Australian icon was the second-highest run-getter in Tests between the two World Wars, with 5093 runs in 37 Tests with 21 hundreds and 8 fifties. Needless to say, Bradman averaged far higher than anyone else between the two wars, and indeed any other period in Test history. His average was 97.94, customary by his standards. The English off-side powerhouse Wally Hammond amassed 6883 runs in 77 Tests at 61.45, playing 70 more innings than Bradman, hitting up 22 hundreds and 22 fifties.

The next in terms of averages, after Bradman during this period, were names that would surprise no one:

Charlie ‘Governor-General’ Macartney, audacious Australian stroke-player, second to Bradman, at 69.55 for his 1252 runs in 14 Tests.

Len Hutton, record-breaking English opener at 67.25 for his 1345 runs in 13 Tests.

George Headley, pioneer among West Indies greats, at 66.71 for his 2135 runs in 19 Tests.

Hammond at 61.45

Herbert Sutcliffe, the resolute English opener at 60.73 for his 4555 runs in 54 Tests.

Eddie Paynter, England’s left-hander, at 59.23 for his 1540 runs in 20 Tests.

Jack Hobbs, the original master at 56.63 for his 2945 runs in 33 Tests.

Jack Ryder of Australia at 51.62 for his 1394 runs in 32 Tests.  

Among these top-class batsmen, one would choose the following five, in batting order, in a World XI between the two World Wars:

Jack Hobbs (England), Tests 33, Highest Score 211, Runs 2945, Average 56.63, Hundreds 10, Fifties 12

Herbert Sutcliffe (England), Tests 54, Highest Score 194, Runs 4555, Average 60.73, Hundreds 16, Fifties 23

Don Bradman (Australia), Tests 37, Highest Score 334, Runs 5093, Average 97.94, Hundreds 21, Fifties 8

George Headley (West Indies), Tests 19, Highest Score 270*, Runs 2135, Average 66.71, Hundreds 10, Fifties 5

Wally Hammond (England), Tests 77, Highest Score 336*, Runs 6883, Average 61.45, Hundreds 22, Fifties 22

The full Test career records of these great batsmen are:

Don Bradman, span 1928-48, Tests 52, Highest Score 334, Runs 6996, Average 99.94, Hundreds 29, Fifties 13

George Headley, span 1930-54, Tests 22, Highest Score 270*, Runs 2190, Average 60.83, Hundreds 10, Fifties 5

Herbert Sutcliffe, span 1924-1935, Tests 54, Highest Score 194, Runs 4555, Average 60.73, Hundreds 16, Fifties 23

Wally Hammond, span 1927-47, Tests 85, Highest Score 336*, Runs 7249, Average 58.45, Hundreds 22, Fifties 24

Jack Hobbs, span 1908-30, Tests 61, Highest Score 211, Runs 5410, Average 56.94, Hundreds 15, Fifties 28

What emerges from these figures is that there was no decline in the performances of the inimitable Don Bradman even after the seven-year break due to the Second World War. The same is true for the opening batsman par excellence Jack Hobbs who was brilliant either side of the First World War. George Headley was dubbed ‘the Black Bradman’ for his feats between the wars. He played two Tests in 1948 and one in 1954, which brought down his average, but still finished above 60.

It is a pity that one had to leave out four brilliant batsmen.

As mentioned, Charlie ‘Governor-General’ Macartney hit up 1252 runs, at 69.55 for in 14 Tests between the Wars. He began as a slow left-arm bowler before the First World War, but was an explosive batsman after the war with an average next only to Bradman between the two wars.

Len Hutton’s time would come after the War.

Bill Ponsford (Australia), Tests 29, Highest Score 266, Runs 2122, Average 48.22, Hundreds 7, Fifties 6

Stan McCabe (Australia), Tests 39, Highest Score 232, Runs 2748, Average 48.21, Hundreds 6, Fifties 13

The giants among bowlers between the two World Wars were the Australian leg-spin, googly duo of Clarrie Grimmett and Bill O’Reilly. They were essentially a part of the dominant Bradman era. Between them they captured 352 wickets in this period. O’Reilly played one Test in 1946, bagging another 8 wickets. The English reposte came from the right-arm fast-medium Maurice Tate, who also bowled off-spin, and the slow left-arm orthodox Hedley Verity. They prised out 299 wickets during this period. These are the only four bowlers who bagged 100 wickets in the inter-war phase, and at fine averages ranging between 23.68 and 26.16.

Their records between the Wars were:

Clarrie Grimmett (Australia, legbreak googly) 1925-36, Tests 37, Balls 14513, Wickets 216, Average 24.21, BBI 7/40, BBM 14/199, 5WI 21, 10WM 7

Maurice Tate (England, right-arm fast-medium, medium, offbreak) 1924-35, Tests 39, Balls 12523, Wickets 155, Average 26.16, BBI 6/42, BBM 11/228, 5WI 7, 10WM 1

Hedley Verity (England, slow left-arm orthodox) 1931-39, Tests 40, Balls 11173, Wickets 144, Average 24.37, BBI 8/43, BBM 15/104, 5WI 5, 10WM 2

Bill O’Reilly (Australia, legbreak googly) 1932-38, Tests 26, Balls 9910, Wickets 136, Average 23.68, BBI 7/54, BBM 11/129, 5WI 10, 10WM 3

To these one would add the terrifying England right-arm fast bowler Harold Larwood, scourge of batsmen during the infamous Bodyline series. His record between 1926-33 was: Tests 21, Balls 4969, Wickets 78, Average 28.35, BBI 6/32, BBM 10/124, 5WI 4, 10WM 1

In his full career, Bill O’Reilly ended up with the following record between 1932-46: Tests 27, Balls 10024, Wickets 144, Average 22.59, BBI 7/54, BBM 11/129, 5WI 11, 10WM 3

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. 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.

Wally Hammond would wheel over his medium pace. With Tate already in the XI for his bowling, one would pencil Gregory down as 12^th man. Those who would fulfil the allrounders roles in this team would, therefore, be:

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

In their entire careers, the other 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

The only wicketkeeper with 100 dismissals to his credit between the two World Wars was the great Australian William ‘Bert’ Oldfield. He pouched 78 catches and effected 52 stumpings, totalling 130 dismissals, in his 54 Tests between 1920 and 1937. He was a competent right-handed batsman too, scoring 1427 runs at an average of 22.65 with a highest score of 65 not out, and 4 half-centuries.

 England’s Leslie Ames narrowly missed the 100 dismissals mark. He took 72 catches behind the stumps and caused 23 stumpings, for an aggregate of 95 dismissals in 47 Tests between 1929 and 1939. He had two more catches to his name as a fielder. Ames was a top-class right-handed batsman, and many believed that he was in the Test side more for his batting skills than his prowess behind the stumps. He hit up 2434 runs at an average of 40.56, with 149 as his top score and 8 hundreds and 7 half-centuries. No other wicketkeeper had a century to his name in this period. Leslie Ames is the only wicketkeeper who figures in the line-up of top batsmen between the wars. He was without doubt the best wicketkeeper-batsman of this period.

George Duckworth was arguably the best English wicketkeeper in this era, but was eclipsed by the far superior batting skills of Ames in the latter part of his Test career. Duckworth held 45 catches and carried out 15 stumpings, aggregating 60 dismissals in 24 Tests from 1924 to 1936. He scored 234 runs with a best of 39 not out, averaging 14.62 with his right-hand batting.

The South African Horace ‘Jock’ Cameron was the fourth wicketkeeper to bag 50 dismissals and more between the Wars. In 26 Tests between 1927 and 1935, Cameron totalled 51 dismissals comprising 39 catches and 12 stumpings. He was a fine right-handed batsman, accumulating 1239 runs at an average of 30.21, with a top-score of 90, and 10 fifties.

Ultimately, it was a difficult choice between Oldfield and Ames, and for his versatility, one would opt for the latter.

So the Test team in batting order between the two World Wars would be:

1.        Jack Hobbs

2.        Herbert Sutcliffe

3.        Don Bradman (captain)

4.        George Headley

5.        Wally Hammond

6.        Leslie Ames (wicketkeeper)

7.        Maurice Tate

8.        Hedley Verity

9.        Clarrie Grimmett

10.    Bill O’Reilly

11.    Harold Larwood

12^th Man Jack Gregory