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

Top allrounders in Test cricket between the two World Wars

Maurice Tate was the only player to score 1000 runs and take 100 wickets between the two World Wars.

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.

Charles Kelleway's Test career straggled the two World Wars.

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.

Top Bowlers in Test Cricket between the two World Wars

 

Clarrie Grimmett

Maurice Tate

Hedley Verity

Bill O'Reilly

Top Bowlers in Test Cricket between the two World Wars

The giants among bowlers between the two World Wars were the Australian leg-spin, googly duo of Clarrie Grimmett and Bill O’Reilly. 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.

The Aussie leg-break and googly specialist Arthur Mailey and the England’s left-arm fast-medium Bill Voce just missed out, snaring 99 and 97 wickets respectively. Voce took one more wicket after the war. The Australian slow left-armer Bert Ironmonger had the best average at 17.97 for his 74 wickets.

The best figures in an innings was 9 for 121 by Arthur Mailey against England at Melbourne in 1920-21. Hedley Verity had an analysis of 8 for 43 against Australia at Lord’s in 1934. The English slow left-arm orthodox Jack White took 8 for 126 against Australia at Adelaide in 1928-29.

The top haul in a Test was 15 for 104 by Verity against Australia at Lord’s in 1934, in what came to be known as ‘Verity’s Test’. This was followed by two superb analyses by Grimmett against South Africa four years apart. He captured 14 for 199 at Adelaide in 1931-32 and 13 for 173 at Durban in 1935-36. Mailey’s match figures against England at Melbourne in 1920-21 were 13 for 236. White, on his part, completed the Test versus Australia at Adelaide in 1928-29 with 13 for 256.

The first hat-trick came from the English right-arm medium-pacer Maurice Allom against New Zealand at Christchurch in 1929-30. England’s off-spinner Tom Goddard followed versus South Africa at Johannesburg in 1938-39.

The English fast bowling foursome Harold Larwood, Bill Voce, Gubby Allen and Bill Bowes captured 318 wickets between them in the inter-war period at fine averages in the 20s.

TOP WICKET-TAKERS (minimum 50 wickets)

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

Arthur Mailey (Australia, legbreak googly) 1920-26, Tests 21, Balls 6119, Wickets 99, Average 33.91, BBI 9/121, BBM 13/236, 5WI 6, 10WM 2

Bill Voce (England, left-arm fast-medium) 1930-37, Tests 24, Balls 5852, Wickets 97, Average 26.04, BBI 7/70, BBM 11/149, 5WI 3, 10WM 2

Jack Gregory (Australia, right-arm fast) 1920-28, Tests 24, Balls 5582, Wickets 85, Average 31.15, BBI 7/69, BBM 8/101, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Cyril Vincent (South Africa, slow left-arm orthodox) 1927-35, Tests 25, Balls 5851, Wickets 84, Average 31.32, BBI 6/51, BBM 8/149, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Wally Hammond (England, right-arm medium-fast) 1927-39, Tests 77, Balls 7963, Wickets 83, Average 37.77, BBI 5/36, BBM 7/87, 5WI 2, 10WM -

Harold Larwood (England, right-arm fast) 1926-33, Tests 21, Balls 4969, Wickets 78, Average 28.35, BBI 6/32, BBM 10/124, 5WI 4, 10WM 1

Gubby Allen (England, right-arm fast) 1930-37, Tests 22, Balls 4116, Wickets 76, Average 28.60, BBI 7/80, BBM 10/78, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Bert Ironmonger (Australia, slow left-arm orthodox) 1928-33, Tests 14, Balls 4695, Wickets 74, Average 17.97, BBI 7/23, BBM 11/24, 5WI 4, 10WM 2

Bill Bowes (England, right-arm fast-medium, medium) 1932-39, Tests 14, Balls 3481, Wickets 67, Average 21.58, BBI 6/33, BBM 9/219, 5WI 6, 10WM –

AP ‘Tich’ Freeman (England, legbreak googly) 1924-29, Tests 12, Balls 3732, Wickets 66, Average 25.86, BBI 7/71, BBM 12/171, 5WI 5, 10WM 3

Walter Robins (England, legbreak) 1929-37, Tests 19, Balls 3318, Wickets 64, Average 27.46, BBI 6/32, BBM 7/68, 5WI 1, 10WM –

Ken Farnes (England, right-arm fast) 1934-39, Tests 15, Balls 3932, Wickets 60, Average 28.65, BBI 6/96, BBM 10/179, 5WI 3, 10WM 1

Learie Constantine (West Indies, right-arm fast, medium) 1928-39, Tests 18, Balls 3583, Wickets 58, Average 30.10, BBI 5/75, BBM 9/122, 5WI 2, 10WM –

Tim Wall (Australia, right-arm fast) 1929-34, Tests 18, Balls 4812, Wickets 56, Average 35.89, BBI 5/14, BBM 8/189, 5WI 3, 10WM –

EP ‘Buster’ Nupen (South Africa, right-arm fast-medium) 1921-36, Tests 17, Balls 4159, Wickets 50, Average 35.76, BBI 6

FULL CAREER

Bill O’Reilly (Australia) 1932-46, Tests 27, Balls 10024, Wickets 144, Average 22.59, BBI 7/54, BBM 11/129, 5WI 11, 10WM 3

Bill Voce (England) 1930-47, Tests 27, Balls 6360, Wickets 98, Average 27.88, BBI 7/70, BBM 11/149, 5WI 3, 10WM 2

Wally Hammond (England) 1927-47, Tests 85, Balls 7969, Wickets 83, Average 37.80, BBI 5/36, BBM 7/87, 5WI 2, 10WM –

Gubby Allen (England) 1930-48, Tests 25, Balls 4386, Wickets 81, Average 29.37, BBI 7/80, BBM 10/78, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Bill Bowes (England) 1932-46, Tests 15, Balls 3655, Wickets 68, Average 22.33, BBI 6/33, BBM 9/219, 5WI 6, 10WM –

BEST AVERAGES (minimum 50 wickets)

Bert Ironmonger (Australia) 1928-33, Tests 14, Balls 4695, Wickets 74, Average 17.97, BBI 7/23, BBM 11/24, 5WI 4, 10WM 2

Bill Bowes (England) 1932-39, Tests 14, Balls 3481, Wickets 67, Average 21.58, BBI 6/33, BBM 9/219, 5WI 6, 10WM –

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

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

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

AP ‘Tich’ Freeman (England) 1924-29, Tests 12, Balls 3732, Wickets 66, Average 25.86, BBI 7/71, BBM 12/171, 5WI 5, 10WM 3

Bill Voce (England) 1930-37, Tests 24, Balls 5852, Wickets 97, Average 26.04, BBI 7/70, BBM 11/149, 5WI 3, 10WM 2

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

Walter Robins (England) 1929-37, Tests 19, Balls 3318, Wickets 64, Average 27.46, BBI 6/32, BBM 7/68, 5WI 1, 10WM –

Harold Larwood (England) 1926-33, Tests 21, Balls 4969, Wickets 78, Average 28.35, BBI 6/32, BBM 10/124, 5WI 4, 10WM 1

Gubby Allen (England) 1930-37, Tests 22, Balls 4116, Wickets 76, Average 28.60, BBI 7/80, BBM 10/78, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Ken Farnes (England) 1934-39, Tests 15, Balls 3932, Wickets 60, Average 28.65, BBI 6/96, BBM 10/179, 5WI 3, 10WM 1

Learie Constantine (West Indies) 1928-39, Tests 18, Balls 3583, Wickets 58, Average 30.10, BBI 5/75, BBM 9/122, 5WI 2, 10WM –

Jack Gregory (Australia) 1920-28, Tests 24, Balls 5582, Wickets 85, Average 31.15, BBI 7/69, BBM 8/101, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Cyril Vincent (South Africa) 1927-35, Tests 25, Balls 5851, Wickets 84, Average 31.32, BBI 6/51, BBM 8/149, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Arthur Mailey (Australia) 1920-26, Tests 21, Balls 6119, Wickets 99, Average 33.91, BBI 9/121, BBM 13/236, 5WI 6, 10WM 2

EP ‘Buster’ Nupen (South Africa) 1921-36, Tests 17, Balls 4159, Wickets 50, Average 35.76, BBI 6/46, BBM 11/150, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Tim Wall (Australia) 1929-34, Tests 18, Balls 4812, Wickets 56, Average 35.89, BBI 5/14, BBM 8/189, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Wally Hammond (England) 1927-39, Tests 77, Balls 7963, Wickets 83, Average 37.77, BBI 5/36, BBM 7/87, 5WI 2, 10WM -

Jack White just missed the 50-wickets mark, ending up with 49 wickets at 32.26 in his decade-long 15-Test career from 1921 to 1931.

Among those who took between 25 and 49 wickets, the best averages were achieved by South Africa’s right-arm fast bowler George Bissett who played four Tests in only one series against England in 1927-28. He bagged 25 wickets at 18.76 apiece. England’s right-arm medium-pacer Alex Kennedy too played 5 Tests in just the series against South Africa in 1922-23. His tally was 31 wickets at 19.32.

The West Indies fast bowler Manny Martindale was next in the averages in this category with 37 wickets at 21.72 in 10 Tests between 1933 and 1939. He formed a fearsome fast bowling pair with Learie Constantine who took 58 wickets at an average of 30.10 in 18 Tests from 1928 to 1939.

The Indian duo of Mohammad Nissar and Amar Singh, both right-arm fast-medium, played in series against England between 1932 and 1936. Nissar captured 25 wickets at 28.28 in 6 Tests, while Amar Singh bagged 28 wickets at 30.64 In 7 Tests.

Don Bradman’s astounding record triple century in the Leeds Test of 1930. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh's book 'Don's Century'

 

Young Don Bradman in action during the course of his matchless triple hundred in a day in the Leeds Test of 1930. On the second day he broke Andy Sandham’s Test record by hitting up 334 runs, and became the first to notch up the highest scores in first-class as well as Test cricket. Brian Lara emulated him 64 years later. 

 

It was Maurice Tate again who should have bowled Don Bradman with a vicious in-cutter for a duck at Headingley. “My first ball missed the off-peg by a coat of varnish,” rued Tate. Wicketkeeper George Duckworth threw up his hands in jubilation only to let the ball through for four byes. Bradman had walked in to face the twelfth ball of the match after Archie Jackson had been dismissed cheaply. 

Unfazed by the close shave, Bradman went on the attack. He reached his fifty in 49 minutes, out of a total of 61. His partner Woodfull was, for the most part, a bystander. The Australian hundred was up in 80 minutes, with Bradman on 81 and Woodfull 17. The skipper did the sensible thing, taking singles and giving his young star most of the strike. Bradman pulled Larwood to reach his hundred, fourth in consecutive Test matches. 

At lunch he was on 105, with Woodfull having advanced to 29, out of a total of 136. Only two others had hit up a century before lunch on the first day of a Test, both Australians against England, Victor Trumper at Manchester in 1902, and Charlie Macartney, who like Bradman had Woodfull as partner on the same ground at Leeds four summers earlier in 1926. Pakistan’s Majid Khan joined the club in 1976-77 against New Zealand at Karachi. Four decades later, Australian David Warner achieved the feat against Pakistan in 2016, followed by India’s Shikhar Dhawan off the Afghan attack in 2018.

Hundred before lunch. Bradman coming in for lunch with a century already under his belt on the first day, emulating the feats of compatriots Victor Trumper and Charlie Macartney. Pakistan’s Majid Khan, Australian David Warner and India’s Shikhar Dhawan joined the club later.

Woodfull departed at 194, having reached a customary sedate 50. Bradman rattled up the fastest Test double century in 214 minutes, quicker than Trumper’s 226-minute effort against South Africa at Adelaide in 1910-11, and his own 234 minutes of brilliance in the previous Test at Lord’s. It is reckoned that Bradman played uppishly only twice, when he was on 141 and 202, eluding mid-on, but was otherwise in total command. By tea he was on 220, his partner now being Alan Kippax. 

Bradman got his first chance of the series after 15 hours of batting when the weary Duckworth dropped a difficult one off George Geary. He was then on 273. With Kippax he put on 229 for the third wicket. Bradman reached his triple century in 336 minutes. It is still the second-quickest ever recorded in terms of time after Hammond who clocked up the coveted figure in 288 minutes against New Zealand at Auckland in 1932-33. At stumps The Don was unbeaten on 309, the only instance in Test history of a batsman scoring three hundred runs in a day. Australia were 458 for three. During the course of this exciting day, Bradman passed 1000 runs in only the 13th innings of his 7th Test match. 

That evening Bradman noted: “My feet are awfully tired, but I could have gone on if it hadn’t been the close. I am happy to have beaten the record (Englishman R.E. Foster’s 287 in Ashes contests), but happier still to think Australia is in such a good position. I believe I have been credited with the intention of going on to score 500! Nothing so ambitious crossed my mind. I consider I was lucky to strike my best form on an ideal batsman’s wicket.” 

On the second morning Bradman surpassed Andy Sandham’s Test record of 325 achieved against the West Indies at Kingston the previous winter. He was finally taken by Duckworth, Tate claiming his wicket for the fifth and last time. It was obviously a tremendous innings lasting 383 minutes, his 334 off 448 balls studded with 46 boundaries, and containing 6 threes, 26 twos and 80 singles. The next highest was Kippax’s 77. Bradman was sixth out at 508; Australia folded up for 566. 

A delighted admirer, England-based Australian businessman Arthur Whitelaw, presented Bradman a purse of ₤ 1000 for the record innings. It was a princely sum considering that each of the Australian players received ₤ 600 for the entire tour. That Bradman did not share his bounty, or any part of it, with his teammates caused considerable heartburn. The new record-holder, prudent as ever in matters financial, wasted no time in depositing the windfall in his future wife Jessie’s account in the Commonwealth Bank, where she was employed. 

“It was an innings that will be remembered not only for its magnitude but for its magnificence,” wrote former England captain Pelham Warner. “It is impossible,” he continued, “to imagine greater batting. It was glorious. To call him a run-getting machine, as he has been called, is a poor compliment that rather implies that the runs are ground out with a roar and a clash and a clatter, while as a fact he makes his runs easily, smoothly and naturally with the mark of genius throughout. He is never flurried or in any apparent hurry, and yet runs come from his bat almost as fast as bullets from a machine gun; there has never been a batsman who in match after match had claimed such a huge proportion of the runs scored.” Ominously and, as it turned out, ironically, Warner concluded, “We must if possible, evolve a new type of bowler and develop fresh ideas on strategy and tactics to curb his almost uncanny skill.” 

He may have mesmerised the onlookers, but Bradman himself was not entirely impressed by his own feat. In his autobiography Farewell to Cricket that he wrote after retirement, Bradman reflected: “Whilst admitting that my form was excellent, I have always maintained it was not such a good innings as the previous one at Lord’s. It was made perhaps at a slightly faster rate and included a century before lunch on the first day after Jackson had been dismissed for 1, but there were blemishes in strokeplay of which I was well aware.” Clearly, the perfectionist that he was, Bradman was not satisfied with his record-shattering effort. That is what made him the champion that he was. 

A boy of fourteen from Pudsey, Yorkshire, was also at Headingley on that pulsating opening day. His name: Len Hutton. He already hero-worshipped Bradman and as he wrote 58 years later in The Observer, paying tribute to The Don on his 80th birthday, “Bradman made his way to the wicket very slowly on that sunny morning.” Ruminating on the day’s play, Hutton observed: “This was batsmanship of a class never seen before; a ruthless, systematic destruction of an English attack that included Larwood, Tate, Geary, Dick Tyldesley and Hammond. Even when he made an error in that astonishing 334 at Leeds he was quick enough to profit. He charged at one of Tyldesley’s slow leg-breaks, slipped when well out of his crease and just as Duckworth was waiting to collect the ball to effect the stumping, Bradman somehow got his bat to the ball as he fell, cut it down to third man and, instead of being out, got away with a single.” That is called a stroke of genius. 

In his book Fifty Years in Cricket, Hutton wrote: “The speed of Bradman’s footwork and the ease with which he found, and even created gaps in the field were a revelation, and an abiding memory. He put the ball exactly where he wanted it to go – and that is no exaggeration. England’s captain Percy Chapman admittedly did not have the fleetest of fielding sides, but no matter how he tried, he could not plug the holes. They appeared everywhere, and no sooner was one filled than another was exposed. For example, if third-man was placed square, Don would steer between slip and gully. If Chapman tried to move third-man finer, Don would thump the move with a fierce square cut, a stroke he played to perfection. And so it went on. Bradman aimed for the maximum result from every stroke, and he saw no advantage in hitting hard and straight to a fielder.” That evening the wide-eyed Hutton rushed back to Pudsey, found two bowlers to practise against and tried to emulate Bradman till the midsummer light faded completely. 

The doyen of writers, Neville Cardus, was in the press box, and he wrote later in his book Play Resumed with Cardus: “At Leeds Bradman announced his rights to mastership in a few swift moments. He made 72 runs in his first hour at the wicket, giving to us every bit of cricket excepting the leg-glance. Every fine point of batsmanship was to be admired; strokes powerful and swift and accurate and handsome; variety of craft controlled with singleness of mind and purpose. Bradman was as determined to take no risks, as was to hit boundaries from every ball the least loose. And his technique is so extensive and practised that he can get runs at the rate of 50 an hour, without once needing to venture romantically into the realms of the speculative or the empirical.” In simple terms it meant that Bradman had the ability to turn good balls into bad, and never failed to punish the bad ones. 

Lest we forget, there was still a match on. Rain permitted only 45 minutes’ play on the third day, and though England were forced to follow on despite a Hammond hundred, there was never a chance of a result thereon. That was maybe another reason why Bradman was a little bit less than satisfied with this innings. So far in this series he had scored a century, double century and triple century in consecutive Tests. 

(Author Indra Vikram Singh can be contacted on email singh_iv@hotmail.com).

Don’s Century 

Published in India by Sporting Links 

ISBN 978-81-901668-5-0 

Fully illustrated 

Paperback French Fold 

11 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches 

Weight 480 grams 

188 pages 

Available on Amazon at an attractive price: https://www.amazon.in/dp/8190166859 

Indra Vikram Singh's other books available on Amazon: https://www.amazon.in/s?k=Indra+Vikram+Singh&i=stripbooks&rh=p_6%3AA3HSV0N9AV7NOK&dc&qid=1602408830&rnid=1318474031&ref=sr_nr_p_6_1