Test Cricket after World War II, 1950s and 1960s - Top Allrounders

(29 March 1946 to 10 March 1970)

 

Gary Sobers

Keith Miller

Richie Benaud

Trevor Goddard

Needless to say, Gary Sobers stood out like a colossus among allrounders in the period after World War II, and in the 1950s and 1960s. His 6776 runs at an average of 58.92, and 193 wickets with his myriad skills at 34.59 apiece, gave him an incredible quotient of 1.70. He was the only allrounder to score more than 5000 runs, and average above 50 with the bat.

Keith Miller was another from the top drawer in the pantheon of allrounders. Finishing just short of 3000 runs at 2958 runs with an average of 36.97, he ripped out 170 wickets at a brilliant average of 22.97. His quotient of 1.60 was second only to Sobers.

An unsung allrounder the history of Test cricket is the left-handed South African Trevor Goddard. He hit up 2516 runs at an average of 34.46, and bagged 123 wickets at the average of 26.22. He had a fine quotient of 1.31.

The only allrounder to aggregate 2000 runs and capture 200 wickets in this period was Richie Benaud. He scored 2201 runs, though at a modest average of 24.45. His 248 wickets came at an average of 27.03 for a quotient of 0.90. The great Gary Sobers, of course, went on to hit up the then record 8032 runs, averaging 57.78, and prise out 235 wickets for an average of 34.03. He finished with a quotient of 1.69. Benaud’s tally was a record for Australia until the great Dennis Lillee surpassed him in the early 1980s.

Benaud’s contemporary Alan Davidson, one of the greatest left-arm pacemen, had a similar batting average as Benaud, 24.59 for his 1328 runs. With one of the most elegant bowling actions, he knocked over 186 wickets, at a superb average of 20.53, among the best ever. His quotient, as a result, was a commendable 1.19.

Trevor Bailey topped 2000 runs and 100 wickets, 2290 runs (average 29.74) and 132 wickets (average 29.21), for a quotient in the positive, 1.01.

Vinoo Mankad was another with over 2000 runs and 100 wickets. His tally was 2109 runs (average 31.47) and 162 wickets (average 32.32). His quotient fell just short of 1, at 0.97.

The fast bowling prowess of Ray Lindwall put his batting ability in the shade. He was one of the greatest speedsters, and formed a fearsome duo with Keith Miller. His 228 wickets came at an average of 23.03. With the bat he knocked up over 1500 runs, 2 hundreds and 5 fifties. His aggregate was 1502 runs at an average of 21.15, and a quotient of 0.91.

Fred Titmus had scored 1311 runs, averaging 23.00, and taken 146 wickets at 31.30 for a quotient of 0.73 before an accident at sea resulting in him losing four toes sadly curtailed his career.

Two world-class batsmen, Ted Dexter and Frank Worrell, were proficient with the ball too. Dexter scored 4502 runs (average 47.89), and took 66 wickets (average 34.93). Worrell had 3860 runs (average 49.48) and 69 wickets (average 38.72) to his name. Their excellent batting averages earned them high quotients, Dexter with 1.37, and Worrell with 1.27.

Dattu Phadkar and Bapu Nadkarni were competent allrounders in their own different ways. Phadkar scored 1229 runs at an average of 32.34, and bagged 62 wickets at 36.85 apiece. His quotient was 0.87. Nadkarni had 1414 runs (average 25.70), and 88 wickets (average 29.07) to his credit. He signed off with a quotient of 0.88.

Chandu Borde completed the list of allrounders of this period. He was a fine batsman, having aggregated 3061 runs at an average of 35.59. He had picked up 52 wickets at 46.48 when shoulder problems forced him to give up bowling. His quotient was 0.76.

Later, Mushtaq Mohammad and Salim Durrani had fine allround skills to showcase.

The top allrounders with at least 1000 runs and 50 wickets in Test cricket after World War II, 1950s and 1960s were:

Gary Sobers (West Indies 1954-69), Left-hand bat, Left-arm fast, fast-medium, slow left-arm, chinaman and googly, Tests 76, Highest Score 365*, Runs 6776, Average 58.92, 100s 21, 50s 26, Best bowling 6/73, Wickets 193, Average 34.59, 5WI 6, 10WM –, Quotient 1.70

Keith Miller (Australia 1946-56), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast, Tests 55, Highest Score 147, Runs 2958, Average 36.97, 100s 7, 50s 13, Best bowling 7/60, Wickets 170, Average 22.97, 5WI 7, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.60

Ted Dexter (England 1958-68), Right-hand bat, Right-arm medium, Tests 62, Highest Score 205, Runs 4502, Average 47.89, 100s 9, 50s 27, Best bowling 4/10, Wickets 66, Average 34.93, 5WI -, 10WM -, Quotient 1.37

Trevor Goddard (South Africa 1955-70), Left-hand bat, Left-arm medium, Tests 41, Highest Score 112, Runs 2516, Average 34.46, 100s 1, 50s 18, Best bowling 6/53, Wickets 123, Average 26.22, 5WI 5, 10WM –, Quotient 1.31

Frank Worrell (West Indies 1948-63), Right-hand bat, Left-arm fast-medium, slow, Tests 51, Highest Score 261, Runs 3860, Average 49.48, Hundreds 9, Fifties 22, Best bowling 7/70, Wickets 69, Average 38.72, 5WI 2, 10WM –, Quotient 1.27

Alan Davidson (Australia 1953-63), Left-hand bat, left-arm fast, Tests 44, Highest Score 80, Runs 1328, Average 24.59, 100s -, 50s 5, Best bowling 7/93, Wickets 186, Average 20.53, 5WI 14, 10WM 2, Quotient 1.19

Trevor Bailey (England 1949-59), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast-medium, Tests 61, Highest Score 134*, Runs 2290, Average 29.74, 100s 1, 50s 10, Best bowling 7/34, Wickets 132, Average 29.21, 5WI 5, 10WM 1, Quotient 1.01

Vinoo Mankad (India 1946-59), Right-hand bat, Slow left-arm, Tests 44, Highest Score 231, Runs 2109, Average 31.47, 100s 5, 50s 6, Best bowling 8/52, Wickets 162, Average 32.32, 5WI 8, 10WM 2, Quotient 0.97

Ray Lindwall (Australia  1946-60), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast, Tests 61, Highest Score 118, Runs 1502, Average 21.15, 100s 2, 50s 5, Best bowling 7/38, Wickets 228, Average 23.03, 5WI 12, 10WM –, Quotient 0.91

Richie Benaud (Australia 1952-64), Right-hand bat, Right-arm legbreak-googly, Tests 63, Highest Score 122, Runs 2201, Average 24.45, 100s 3, 50s 9, Best bowling 7/72, Wickets 248, Average 27.03, 5WI 16, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.90

Bapu Nadkarni (India 1955-68), Left-hand bat, Slow left-arm, Tests 41, Highest Score 122*, Runs 1414, Average 25.70, 100s 1, 50s 7, Best bowling 6/43, Wickets 88, Average 29.07, 5WI 4, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.88

Dattu Phadkar (India 1947-59), Right-hand bat, Right-arm fast-medium, off-break, Tests 31, Highest Score 123, Runs 1229, Average 32.34, 100s 2, 50s 8, Best bowling 7/159, Wickets 62, Average 36.85, 5WI 3, 10WM –, Quotient 0.87

Chandu Borde (India 1958-69), Right-hand bat, Right-arm legbreak, Tests 55, Highest Score 177*, Runs 3061, Average 35.59, 100s 5, 50s 18, Best bowling 5/88, Wickets 52, Average 46.48, 5WI 1, 10WM –, Quotient 0.76

Fred Titmus (England 1955-68) Right-hand bat, Right-arm off-break, Tests 49, Highest Score 84*, Runs 1311, Average 23.00, 100s -, 50s 9, Best bowling 7/79, Wickets 146, Average 31.30, 5WI 7, 10WM –, Quotient 0.73

Full Test Career

Gary Sobers (West Indies 1954-74), Left-hand bat, Left-arm fast, fast-medium, slow left-arm, chinaman and googly, Tests 93, Highest Score 365*, Runs 8032, Average 57.78, 100s 26, 50s 30, Best bowling 6/73, Wickets 235, Average 34.03, 5WI 6, 10WM –, Quotient 1.69

Mushtaq Mohammad (Pakistan 1959-79), Right-hand bat, Right-arm legbreak-googly, Tests 57, Highest Score 201, Runs 3643, Average 39.17, 100s 10, 50s 19, Best bowling 5/28, Wickets 79, Average 29.22, 5WI 5, 10WM -, Quotient 1.34

Salim Durrani (India 1960-73), Left-hand bat, Slow left-arm, Tests 29, Highest Score 104, Runs 1202, Average 25.04, 100s 1, 50s 7, Best bowling 6/73, Wickets 75, Average 35.42, 5WI 3, 10WM 1, Quotient 0.70

(Quotient is batting average divided by bowling average). 

Test Cricket after World War II, 1950s and 1960s - Top Bowlers

29 March 1946 to 10 March 1970

The fearsome Australian post-World War II pair of pacemen Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller with their record-breaking successor Dennis Lillee.

The devastating English fast bowling duo of the 1950s and 1960s Fred Trueman and Brian Statham chat with greats of yesteryear Sydney Barnes and Frank Woolley, with Colin Cowdrey in the background, 1960.

The post-World War II period saw some top-class bowlers emerge, pacemen as well as spinners. In many ways, it was also an era of great pairs of bowlers. The English new-ball duo of Fred Trueman and Brian Statham were the top wicket-takers, with 307 and 252 wickets respectively. Needless to say, Trueman also held the record of most wickets in Test history at that time. Frank ‘Typhoon’ Tyson created havoc alongside them for five years, capturing 76 wickets in his 17 Tests at a terrific average of 18.56.

The Australian Richie Benaud followed with his leg-spin and googlies, bagging 248 wickets, which was the highest for his country until the legendary Dennis Lillee went past him in the early 1980s. Benaud’s Test career coincided with one of the greatest left-arm pacemen ever, Alan Davidson. He prised out 186 wickets of his own. Their compatriot, the fast bowler Graham McKenzie was next after Benaud with 239 wickets. McKenzie played another three Tests in the home Ashes series after this period, capturing 7 more wickets.

England’s fast-medium Alec Bedser troubled even the greatest of them all, Don Bradman, for some time, getting the great man caught at short-leg by Len Hutton a number of times. He had 236 wickets to his name.

Aussie speedster Ray Lindwall came next with 228 wickets. In tandem with the mercurial allrounder Keith Miller, conjured one of the most fearsome duets. Miller scalped 170 batsmen.

The lanky West Indies off-spinner Lance Gibbs picked up 209 wickets during this time. He added another 100 victims to his tally upto 1976, going past Trueman’s record that stood for more than a decade.

The first to snare 10 wickets in a Test innings, with still a record 19 wickets in a Test to his name, was the English off-spinner Jim Laker. He finished with 193 wickets. For a number of years, the left-armer Tony Lock partnered him. Lock took 174 wickets.

The inimitable and multi-faceted Gary Sobers also captured 193 wickets in this period, but went on to bag 235 wickets before he retired in 1974.

His fellow Barbadian, the colourful fast bowler Wesley Hall, with a long-loping run-up grabbed 192 wickets. Another Barbadian Charlie Griffith was his devastating partner with the new ball. Griffith’s career got mired in the chucking controversy, and he ended up with 94 Test wickets. The controversial Roy Gilchrist operated with Hall for a while, before the arrival of Griffith, snaring 57 wickets.

From South Africa came the top-class off-spinner Hugh Tayfield. He took 170 wickets. A number of other spinners too thrived at this time. Indian left-armer Vinoo Mankad and leg-spinner Subhash Gupte operated in each other’s company for many years in the 1950s, picking up 162 and 149 wickets respectively. The Caribbean spin-twins, Sonny Ramadhin - few batsmen could decipher his off-spin from his leg-spin - and left-armer Alf Valentine played a significant part in the rise of the West Indies as a powerhouse in Test cricket. They had tallies of 158 and 139 victims respectively. The English off-spinners Fred Titmus and David Allen had 146 wickets and 122 wickets respectively to their names.  

Tucked in between these tweakers was the left-armer Bill Johnston, who bowled fast-medium as well as orthodox spin, with 160 wickets. He was joined by the off-spinner Ian Johnson who accounted for 109 batsmen. They were part of Don Bradman’s Invincibles of 1948 as were, of course, Lindwall and Miller. Pakistan produced a right-arm fast-medium bowler of quality in Fazal Mahmood, a handful on matting wickets. He took 139 wickets. The right-arm swing bowler Khan Mohammad took the new-ball with him for a number of years, taking 54 wickets.

Two allrounders followed, England’s right-arm fast-medium Trevor Bailey with 132 wickets, and the South African left-arm medium-pacer Trevor Goddard who made 123 strikes. The latter’s compatriots, right-arm pacemen Peter Pollock and Neil Adcock prised out 116 and 104 wickets respectively. Adcock’s new-ball partner Peter Heine accounted for 58 dismissals.

Indian off-spinner Erapalli Prasanna was the first of what became the famous quartet of spinners along with Bhagwat Chandrasekhar, Srinivas Venkataraghavan and Bishan Singh Bedi. In this period, Prasanna had 113 wickets to his credit. He eventually tallied 189.

Two right-arm pacemen from the Antipodes, Australia’s Alan Connolly and New Zealand’s Richard ‘Dick’ Motz bagged 101 and 100 wickets respectively.

The other bowler in the list of bowlers with 100 wickets and more in this period was England’s left-armer Johnny Wardle who bowled orthodox as well as wrist-spin. His 102 wickets came at the best average of 20.39 among these bowlers.

English fast bowler John Snow was on 99 wickets at this stage. He went on to tally 202 wickets. Ken Higgs partnered him for a few years, and finished with 71 wickets. The Australian fast-medium Neil Hawke finished with 91 wickets.    

Next to Wardle in terms of averages was Davidson at 20.53. They were followed by Adcock, Laker and Trueman at 21.10, 21.24 and 21.57 respectively. Miller was next at 22.97, with his compatriots Lindwall and Johnston at 23.03 and 23.91 respectively. The others who had averages less than 25 were Peter Pollock (24.18), Fazal Mahmood (24.70, Brian Statham (24.84) and Alec Bedser (24.89).

It was indeed an era when several great bowlers regaled the cricketing world with their myriad skills, often in tandem. Many of these names will never be forgotten in the annals of Test cricket.

TOP WICKET-TAKERS (minimum 100 wickets)

Fred Trueman (England, right-arm fast) 1952-65, Tests 67, Balls 15178, Wickets 307, Average 21.57, BBI 8/31, BBM 12/119, 5WI 17, 10WM 3

Brian Statham (England, right-arm fast-medium) 1951-65, Tests 70, Balls 16056, Wickets 252, Average 24.84, BBI 7/39, BBM 11/97, 5WI 9, 10WM 1

Richie Benaud (Australia, right-arm legbreak-googly) 1952-64, Tests 63, Balls 19108, Wickets 248, Average 27.03, BBI 7/72, BBM 11/105, 5WI 16, 10WM 1

Graham McKenzie (Australia, right-arm fast) 1961-70, Tests 57, Balls 16797, Wickets 239, Average 29.19, BBI 8/71, BBM 10/91, 5WI 16, 10WM 3

Alec Bedser (England, right-arm fast-medium) 1946-55, Tests 51, Balls 15918, Wickets 236, Average 24.89, BBI 7/44, BBM 14/99, 5WI 15, 10WM 5

Ray Lindwall (Australia, right-arm fast) 1946-60, Tests 61, Balls 13650, Wickets 228, Average 23.03, BBI 7/38, BBM 9/70, 5WI 12, 10WM –

Lance Gibbs (West Indies, right-arm off-break) 1958-69, Tests 50, Balls 17229, Wickets 209, Average 27.54, BBI 8/38, BBM 11/157, 5WI 13, 10WM 2

Jim Laker (England, right-arm off-break) 1948-59, Tests 46, Balls 12027, Wickets 193, Average 21.24, BBI 10/53, BBM 19/90, 5WI 9, 10WM 3

Gary Sobers (West Indies, left-arm fast, fast-medium, slow left-arm, chinaman and googly) 1954-69, Tests 76, Balls 17366, Wickets 193, Average 34.59, BBI 6/73, BBM 8/80, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Wesley Hall (West Indies, right-arm fast) 1958-69, Tests 48, Balls 10421, Wickets 192, Average 26.38, BBI 7/69, BBM 11/126, 5WI 9, 10WM 1

Alan Davidson (Australia, left-arm fast) 1953-63, Tests 44, Balls 11587, Wickets 186, Average 20.53, BBI 7/93, BBM 12/124, 5WI 14, 10WM 2

Tony Lock (England, slow left-arm) 1952-68, Tests 49, Balls 13147, Wickets 174, Average 25.58, BBI 7/35, BBM 11/48, 5WI 9, 10WM 3

Keith Miller (Australia, right-arm fast) 1946-56, Tests 55, Balls 10461, Wickets 170, Average 22.97, BBI 7/60, BBM 10/152, 5WI 7, 10WM 1

Hugh Tayfield (South Africa, right-arm off-break) 1949-60, Tests 37, Balls 13568, Wickets 170, Average 25.91, BBI 9/113, BBM 13/165, 5WI 14, 10WM 2

Vinoo Mankad (India, slow left-arm) 1946-59, Tests 44, Balls 14686, Wickets 162, Average 32.32, BBI 8/52, BBM 13/131, 5WI 8, 10WM 2

Bill Johnston (Australia, left-arm fast-medium, slow left-arm) 1947-55, Tests 40, Balls 11048, Wickets 160, Average 23.91, BBI 6/44, BBM 9/183, 5WI 7, 10WM –

Sonny Ramadhin (West Indies, right-arm offbreak and legbreak) 1950-61, Tests 43, Balls 13939, Wickets 158, Average 28.98, BBI 7/49, BBM 11/152, 5WI 10, 10WM 1

Subhash Gupte (India, right-arm legbreak googly) 1951-61, Tests 36, Balls 11284, Wickets 149, Average 29.55, BBI 9/102, BBM 10/223, 5WI 12, 10WM 1

Fred Titmus (England, right-arm off-break) 1955-68, Tests 49, Balls 14139, Wickets 146, Average 31.30, BBI 7/79, BBM 9/162, 5WI 7, 10WM –

Fazal Mahmood (Pakistan, right-arm fast-medium) 1952-62, Tests 34, Balls 9834, Wickets 139, Average 24.70, BBI 7/42, BBM 13/114, 5WI 13, 10WM 4

Alf Valentine (West Indies, slow left-arm) 1950-62, Tests 36, Balls 12953, Wickets 139, Average 30.32, BBI 8/104, BBM 11/204, 5WI 8, 10WM 2

Trevor Bailey (England, right-arm fast-medium) 1949-59, Tests 61, Balls 9712, Wickets 132, Average 29.21, BBI 7/34, BBM 11/98, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Trevor Goddard (South Africa, left-arm medium) 1955-70, Tests 41, Balls 11736, Wickets 123, Average 26.22, BBI 6/53, BBM 8/92, 5WI 5, 10WM –

David Allen (England, right-arm off-break) 1960-66, Tests 39, Balls 11297, Wickets 122, Average 30.97, BBI 5/30, BBM 9/162, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Peter Pollock (South Africa, right-arm fast) 1961-70, Tests 28, Balls 6522, Wickets 116, Average 24.18, BBI 6/38, BBM 10/87, 5WI 9, 10WM 1

Erapalli Prasanna (India, right-arm offbreak googly) 1962-69, Tests 22, Balls 7556, Wickets 113, Average 27.05, BBI 6/74, BBM 10/174, 5WI 8, 10WM 1

Ian Johnson (Australia, right-arm offbreak) 1946-56, Tests 45, Balls 8780, Wickets 109, Average 29.19, BBI 7/44, BBM 8/86, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Neil Adcock (South Africa, right-arm fast) 1953-62, Tests 26, Balls 6391, Wickets 104, Average 21.10, BBI 6/43, BBM 8/87, 5WI 5, 10WM –

Johnny Wardle (England, slow left-arm, chinaman) 1948-57, Tests 28, Balls 6597, Wickets 102, Average 20.39, BBI 7/36, BBM 12/89, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Alan Connolly (Australia, right-arm fast-medium) 1963-70, Tests 28, Balls 7602, Wickets 101, Average 28.71, BBI 6/47, BBM 7/109, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Richard ‘Dick’ Motz (New Zealand, right-arm fast) 1961-69, Tests 32, Balls 7034, Wickets 100, Average 31.48, BBI 6/63, BBM 8/113, 5WI 5, 10WM –

BEST AVERAGES (minimum 100 wickets)

Johnny Wardle (England) 1948-57, Tests 28, Balls 6597, Wickets 102, Average 20.39, BBI 7/36, BBM 12/89, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Alan Davidson (Australia) 1953-63, Tests 44, Balls 11587, Wickets 186, Average 20.53, BBI 7/93, BBM 12/124, 5WI 14, 10WM 2

Neil Adcock (South Africa) 1953-62, Tests 26, Balls 6391, Wickets 104, Average 21.10, BBI 6/43, BBM 8/87, 5WI 5, 10WM –

Jim Laker (England) 1948-59, Tests 46, Balls 12027, Wickets 193, Average 21.24, BBI 10/53, BBM 19/90, 5WI 9, 10WM 3

Fred Trueman (England) 1952-65, Tests 67, Balls 15178, Wickets 307, Average 21.57, BBI 8/31, BBM 12/119, 5WI 17, 10WM 3

Keith Miller (Australia) 1946-56, Tests 55, Balls 10461, Wickets 170, Average 22.97, BBI 7/60, BBM 10/152, 5WI 7, 10WM 1

Ray Lindwall (Australia) 1946-60, Tests 61, Balls 13650, Wickets 228, Average 23.03, BBI 7/38, BBM 9/70, 5WI 12, 10WM –

Bill Johnston (Australia) 1947-55, Tests 40, Balls 11048, Wickets 160, Average 23.91, BBI 6/44, BBM 9/183, 5WI 7, 10WM –

Peter Pollock (South Africa) 1961-70, Tests 28, Balls 6522, Wickets 116, Average 24.18, BBI 6/38, BBM 10/87, 5WI 9, 10WM 1

Fazal Mahmood (Pakistan) 1952-62, Tests 34, Balls 9834, Wickets 139, Average 24.70, BBI 7/42, BBM 13/114, 5WI 13, 10WM 4

Brian Statham (England) 1951-65, Tests 70, Balls 16056, Wickets 252, Average 24.84, BBI 7/39, BBM 11/97, 5WI 9, 10WM 1

Alec Bedser (England) 1946-55, Tests 51, Balls 15918, Wickets 236, Average 24.89, BBI 7/44, BBM 14/99, 5WI 15, 10WM 5

Tony Lock (England) 1952-68, Tests 49, Balls 13147, Wickets 174, Average 25.58, BBI 7/35, BBM 11/48, 5WI 9, 10WM 3

Hugh Tayfield (South Africa) 1949-60, Tests 37, Balls 13568, Wickets 170, Average 25.91, BBI 9/113, BBM 13/165, 5WI 14, 10WM 2

Trevor Goddard (South Africa) 1955-70, Tests 41, Balls 11736, Wickets 123, Average 26.22, BBI 6/53, BBM 8/92, 5WI 5, 10WM –

Wesley Hall (West Indies) 1958-69, Tests 48, Balls 10421, Wickets 192, Average 26.38, BBI 7/69, BBM 11/126, 5WI 9, 10WM 1

Richie Benaud (Australia) 1952-64, Tests 63, Balls 19108, Wickets 248, Average 27.03, BBI 7/72, BBM 11/105, 5WI 16, 10WM 1

Erapalli Prasanna (India) 1962-69, Tests 22, Balls 7556, Wickets 113, Average 27.05, BBI 6/74, BBM 10/174, 5WI 8, 10WM 1

Lance Gibbs (West Indies) 1958-69, Tests 50, Balls 17229, Wickets 209, Average 27.54, BBI 8/38, BBM 11/157, 5WI 13, 10WM 2

Alan Connolly (Australia) 1963-70, Tests 28, Balls 7602, Wickets 101, Average 28.71, BBI 6/47, BBM 7/109, 5WI 4, 10WM –

Sonny Ramadhin (West Indies) 1950-61, Tests 43, Balls 13939, Wickets 158, Average 28.98, BBI 7/49, BBM 11/152, 5WI 10, 10WM 1

Graham McKenzie (Australia) 1961-70, Tests 57, Balls 16797, Wickets 239, Average 29.19, BBI 8/71, BBM 10/91, 5WI 16, 10WM 3

Ian Johnson (Australia) 1946-56, Tests 45, Balls 8780, Wickets 109, Average 29.19, BBI 7/44, BBM 8/86, 5WI 3, 10WM –

Trevor Bailey (England) 1949-59, Tests 61, Balls 9712, Wickets 132, Average 29.21, BBI 7/34, BBM 11/98, 5WI 5, 10WM 1

Subhash Gupte (India) 1951-61, Tests 36, Balls 11284, Wickets 149, Average 29.55, BBI 9/102, BBM 10/223, 5WI 12, 10WM 1

FULL CAREER

Lance Gibbs (West Indies) 1958-76, Tests 79, Balls 27115, Wickets 309, Average 29.09, BBI 8/38, BBM 11/157, 5WI 18, 10WM 2

Graham McKenzie (Australia) 1961-71, Tests 60, Balls 17681, Wickets 246, Average 29.78, BBI 8/71, BBM 10/91, 5WI 16, 10WM 3

Gary Sobers (West Indies) 1954-74, Tests 93, Balls 21599, Wickets 235, Average 34.03, BBI 6/73, BBM 8/80, 5WI 6, 10WM –

Erapalli Prasanna (India) 1962-78, Tests 49, Balls 14353, Wickets 189, Average 30.38, BBI 8/76, BBM 11/140, 5WI 10, 10WM 2

Len Hutton and Dennis Compton, great English batsmen either side of the Second World War. Excerpt from Indra Vikram Singh’s book ‘Don’s Century

Len Hutton

Dennis Compton

The last two great batsmen to make their Test debut before the Second World War were the Englishmen Len Hutton and Dennis Compton.

Hutton, the boy from Pudsey, Yorkshire, was in his own words, “an unashamed hero-worshipper of Jack Hobbs.” He wrote in his Fifty Years in Cricket: “My first meeting with Sir Jack literally left me tongue-tied. I gaped and no words came. I shudder to imagine what he must have thought of me.”

As a lad of fourteen, Hutton had the privilege of watching Don Bradman score 300 in a day in the Headingley Test of 1930. Never could he have dreamt at the time that eight years later he would go on to surpass that Ashes high of 334 by Bradman and Hammond’s record Test score of 336 not out. Hutton notched up 364 at the Oval, a mark that was to remain for two decades until Gary Sobers went one better.

That monumental score so early in his career was to remain the centerpiece of Hutton’s career at the highest level, though he made three other double centuries besides 15 more hundreds. His unbeaten 202 at the Oval against the West Indies in 1950 was a lone hand, as he carried his bat in the face of a humiliating defeat. He was a dasher - by Yorkshire standards - before the war, but later became the archetypal new age opener, intent first on seeing off the shine of the ball as much as getting his eye in.

During the war he suffered a debilitating injury, not by enemy fire, but ironically in the friendly environs of a gymnasium. A series of operations caused his left arm to be shortened by an inch.

In 1952 he became the first professional to captain England. At the helm he showed the same caution that had crept into his batting. In many ways he was predecessor to Sunil Gavaskar, curbing his early aggressive instincts to become a staid opener as well as leader, intent on first securing his position before seeking any valour that might come his way. As Learie Constantine stated, “Hutton made a fetish of the textbook.” In his 79 Tests Hutton scored 6971 runs, averaging 56.67.

The change in Hutton’s approach to batting was also a result of extenuating circumstances. Batting had become rather easy in the inter-war period because of the flat wickets that had been rolled out. An early reaction to this, and the rampaging Bradman, was Bodyline, but that was soon stamped out. In 1935 the lbw law was amended whereby a delivery pitching outside the off-stump but coming in to hit the batsman’s pad in line with the stumps could be given out if, in the opinion of the umpire, it would have gone on to hit the stumps. Batsmen adjusted to this soon enough.

In 1948, a new provision permitted requisitioning of a new ball after 55 overs. It worked to the advantage of Bradman’s team which had a top-class fast bowling pair in Ray Lindwall and Keith Miller, aided by the swing of the tall left-armer Bill Johnston. Not all captains, though, were lucky enough to have high quality pace attacks, and in fact the season after was one of the highest scoring ever. While the perpetually hard ball flew quicker off the bat all the way to the fence, the 55-over new ball regulation was proving to be the bane of spin bowling.

To bring back the balance between bat and ball, there was now only one option left before the game’s administrators, that of preparing sporting wickets. The process began around 1950 in England. Pitches started bearing a greenish tinge, and rolling was less intensive. The ball was now seaming considerably, its shine retained for longer periods on the lush outfields.

Australia followed suit, and the 1935 lbw law began to yield rich dividends for the bowlers, with the ball cutting in sharply off the grassy surfaces. If the batsmen were a blessed lot between the two great wars, the decade of the 1950s was the most testing for them than at any time since the First World War.

If prodigious scorers like Hobbs, Sutcliffe, Hammond, Ponsford, Bradman and Headley thrived from the 1920s to the 1940s, latter day stars like Hutton had to battle hard for their runs. Wickets in the West Indies, though, continued to favour batsmen. It is significant that of the non-West Indies batsmen who played much of their cricket in the 1950s, only Hutton and Compton averaged above 50 in Tests, and they had the benefit of playing some of their cricket in the 1930s and 1940s.

The flamboyant Compton rattled up 5807 runs at an average of 50.06 with 17 centuries in 78 Tests. He was debonair as he was gutsy, which was never more evident than in that Old Trafford Test of 1948. He was hit on the head by a Lindwall bouncer and had to leave the field to get stitched up. He came back and stood up manfully to the pace assault, remaining unconquered on 145, while none of his teammates could reach 50. 

Incredibly talented, Compton was left-winger for Arsenal and also represented England at soccer eleven times during the war, though those matches were not recorded as official internationals. Indian fans were fortunate to see Compton in action during the war years. He scored an unbeaten 249 for Holkar in the 1944-45 Ranji Trophy final against Bombay. His highest in first-class matches was 300 for MCC against N.E. Transvaal at Benoni in 1948-49.  

In the popularity stakes, Compton was a winner all the way. His running between wickets was either ridiculous or hilarious, depending on which side you were on. In the field no one could be sure what to expect, brilliant one moment, hopelessly lost the next. He was the captain’s delight, and despair, depending on what seized him, one of cricket’s unforgettable characters.

(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

188 pages