OverratedSanity
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Sutcliffe was post ww1 which was a friendlier era for batsmen in general. Pre ww1, Hobbs was miles ahead of everyone statistically.
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Strike-rates of some famous batsmen from year's past
- Thread starter Days of Grace
- Start date
GRAB
First Class Debutant
Not an ATG (though I think he was in my children's cricket encyclopedia's 200 Greats - it cut off ca. Brian Lara as it was printed in 95 I think), but curious what Roy McLean's strike rate was like. My father likes to talk him up... Roy McLean | South Africa Cricket | Cricket Players and Officials | ESPNcricinfo .
Days of Grace
International Captain
the big bambino
International Captain
Thats the way you have to look at it imo. Trumper's average was about 13 above the general average of his era. He had one of the highest averages in an era that was easy for bowling. Hobbs is his superior though.
57-58 (according to Davis).
trundler
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Grace - Shrewsbury
Hobbs - Trumper
Bradman - Hammond
And so on.
A tale as old as time.
fredfertang
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
I see Stan McCabe is up there on 61.5, about the same as Bradman - when you consider all the home Tests he played in were timeless that really is quite impressive
Days of Grace
International Captain
The youthful pre-war Hobbs averaged 57.33 with a strike-rate of 59.00.
Compared to averaging 56.63 at a strike-rate of 46.00 after the war on what were easier batting wickets.
The pre-war Hobbs was a supreme batsman.
Compared to averaging 56.63 at a strike-rate of 46.00 after the war on what were easier batting wickets.
The pre-war Hobbs was a supreme batsman.
trundler
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That is how he wanted to be remembered and as per Wisden, whoever didn't see Hobbs pre War, never saw him at all.
bagapath
International Captain
I wonder how many people who actually saw Hobbs bat in a test match are still alive. someone born before 1920 would probably remember his last two test series if they saw him in 1928 or 1930. a few 97/98+ year old Englishmen or Australians might still remember seeing Hobbs bat live.
Days of Grace
International Captain
That’s if those handful were actually into cricket.
a massive zebra
International Captain
The last man to have seen W.G. Grace bat live died in 2009. W.G. had children older than Jack Hobbs, so I would be confident some people who saw Hobbs bat are still around.
Days of Grace
International Captain
Do you have a link for this? Sounds fascinating.
a massive zebra
International Captain
Former world's oldest man Henry Allingham (1896-2009) spoke about this in an interview. From memory he saw W.G. bat at The Oval in about 1903 and visited The Oval as a special guest over 100 years later.
Let me find the interview.
Let me find the interview.
a massive zebra
International Captain
The interview is here.
https://www.webcitation.org/query?u...-supports-surrey,5598,NS.html&date=2007-12-01
As an International Test Match venue and with a membership of around 9,500, one might think that life-long cricket fans regularly visit Surrey County Cricket Club.
Well this is the case, however during Surrey’s LV County Championship Match against Warwickshire at the Brit Oval, Surrey were visited by a special guest, one Henry Allingham, who is otherwise known as the oldest man in Britain.
Henry was invited as a special guest of the Club’s Chief Executive, Paul Sheldon, and the President, Vic Dodds, to enjoy a sit down lunch in the Committee Room and then to help cheer the Brown Caps on in the hard fought action going on out on the pitch.
Henry, who will turn 111 next month, had all around him on the day fascinated by his recollection of visiting The Oval at the age of seven to see possibly the most famous cricketer to have played the game W.G.Grace. For someone at such a grand old age, Henry’s story was remarkably detailed, even to the point of evoking the memory of the great man scoring 43 before retiring to the pavilion to a huge ovation from the crowd.
His journey to the Brit Oval some 103 years later was capped off by a visit from some of the Surrey team during the tea interval. Whilst with Henry, who is also Europe’s oldest man, the Surrey players: Matthew Nicholson, Neil Saker, Nayan Doshi, Chris Schofield and cricket Manager Alan Butcher were able to hear first hand, some of the anecdotes of when Henry watched some of Surrey’s greats in action. The most astonishing story was that of Henry witnessing Sir Jack Hobbs repeatedly trying to smash the opposition bowling into The Oval’s Pavilion.
Surrey’s fast bowler, Saker, who went to meet Henry said: “It was great to meet Henry, he was a really nice guy and although he was hard of hearing, he was very switched on. It was amazing and very inspirational to hear about some of Surrey’s greats from a person who had witnessed them first hand.
An image from that day:
https://www.webcitation.org/query?u...-supports-surrey,5598,NS.html&date=2007-12-01
As an International Test Match venue and with a membership of around 9,500, one might think that life-long cricket fans regularly visit Surrey County Cricket Club.
Well this is the case, however during Surrey’s LV County Championship Match against Warwickshire at the Brit Oval, Surrey were visited by a special guest, one Henry Allingham, who is otherwise known as the oldest man in Britain.
Henry was invited as a special guest of the Club’s Chief Executive, Paul Sheldon, and the President, Vic Dodds, to enjoy a sit down lunch in the Committee Room and then to help cheer the Brown Caps on in the hard fought action going on out on the pitch.
Henry, who will turn 111 next month, had all around him on the day fascinated by his recollection of visiting The Oval at the age of seven to see possibly the most famous cricketer to have played the game W.G.Grace. For someone at such a grand old age, Henry’s story was remarkably detailed, even to the point of evoking the memory of the great man scoring 43 before retiring to the pavilion to a huge ovation from the crowd.
His journey to the Brit Oval some 103 years later was capped off by a visit from some of the Surrey team during the tea interval. Whilst with Henry, who is also Europe’s oldest man, the Surrey players: Matthew Nicholson, Neil Saker, Nayan Doshi, Chris Schofield and cricket Manager Alan Butcher were able to hear first hand, some of the anecdotes of when Henry watched some of Surrey’s greats in action. The most astonishing story was that of Henry witnessing Sir Jack Hobbs repeatedly trying to smash the opposition bowling into The Oval’s Pavilion.
Surrey’s fast bowler, Saker, who went to meet Henry said: “It was great to meet Henry, he was a really nice guy and although he was hard of hearing, he was very switched on. It was amazing and very inspirational to hear about some of Surrey’s greats from a person who had witnessed them first hand.
An image from that day:
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Days of Grace
International Captain
Thanks for that. Wonderful.
Is there a way to like posts on smartphones, btw?
Is there a way to like posts on smartphones, btw?
a massive zebra
International Captain
Can you see three dots at the top right? Click these, scroll down to Desktop site, tick the box to the right.
Cricketweb should now appear as it would if you were using a computer.
SillyCowCorner1
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Time machine desperately needed (for research purposes) in this thread.
I strongly feel that trundler is a reincarnation of pre-war English hippie and cricket connoisseur.
I strongly feel that trundler is a reincarnation of pre-war English hippie and cricket connoisseur.
mr_mister
Cricket Web: All-Time Legend
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.sm...man-who-never-misses-test-20120102-1pifn.html
I nursed this guy every day for about six months in a nursing home last year, became quite close to him. He's still alive and he saw bodyline. Oldest living SCG member and almost certainly holds the record for most days sat at a test match in attendance over a lifespan. Also met Bradman and Larwood a few times. Had some amazing stories about both of them.
Long innings for man who never misses Test
The Bodyline series was a time of outrage among cricket fans, but the beginning of a love affair for one SCG member, writes John Huxley.
It all happened 80 years ago but Perry Brown can still hear the hooting of the crowd, still see the ball rearing menacingly into the bodies of the Australian batsmen, still picture one of the bravest innings ever played.
The date is December 2, 1932, the place the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Eight-year-old Perry and his father, Bunty Brown, have come by bus and tram from their home in Coogee, dressed in their Sunday-best suits, to sit in the members' stand, to watch Australia play England.
It's the boy's first Test. It is also the scene of one of the most controversial matches in cricket history and, for Perry, the start of a remarkable record run in which he has not missed any of the 67 Tests played since at the SCG.
''I may have missed odd days here and there, but I'm pretty sure I've made every first day,'' Brown, who at 88 is also one of a few SCG faithful to have been a member for more than 70 years, says.
This week, the memories have come flooding back as he prepares to join today's celebrations for the start of the 100th Test played at the SCG, against India.
Recent highlights include seeing Steve Waugh hit a four off the last ball of the day for a century against England in 2003. ''That was a wonderful innings. Nobody went home early that day.''
But his most vivid memories are of the early days, attending matches with his father, a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, when Test cricket matches were fewer and farther between. ''These days you're saturated with them.''
No Test match is more memorable than his first. The previous week, Brown had his first glimpse of Don Bradman, who after a slow start, hit 238 in 200 minutes in a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria. ''It was slaughter.''
Now, he found himself watching the first Test of the infamous Bodyline tour, so-called after the English tactics of pitching the ball short and fast on the leg-side in the hope of forcing catches from the defensive batsmen.
''The atmosphere was electrifying,'' Brown says. ''The crowd were very angry when, as my father explained, they put the [leg-side] trap on. They thought it just wasn't cricket. And it wasn't.''
Was there trouble on The Hill, where the most vocal supporters sat? ''There was hooting, shouting, but no bad behaviour. There was no beer thrown or anything like that. This was was the Depression. People couldn't afford beer.''
Indeed, many people could not afford the cost of admission and watched the match from raised ground outside the SCG known locally as the ''Kippax Hill''.
Brown soon overcame his disappointment over the absence of the injured Bradman, as Australia found another hero.
''Only one bloke was scoring any runs. Stan McCabe. He was taking the ball off his ear and smashing it away to the fence. He just took his chances and on that day it came off.''
Brave McCabe went on to make 187 not out. Australia still lost, by 10 wickets. Relations with the mother country were shattered.
But Brown, who was a pharmacist before retiring, was hooked forever on cricket. Especially Test cricket.
The boy was signed on as an SCG member by the legendary Monty Noble - a ''portly, businesslike gentleman'', a former Test captain and official after whom one of the stands is named.
''He told me I must never lend my pass to anyone. And I never have,'' Brown, who today represents the second of four generations of his family to be SCG members, says.
In addition to his late father, whose long involvement with Indian cricket and horse racing brings added significance to this week's Test, Brown's two sons Leigh and Craig, and Leigh's son Andrew are members.
Today, Perry Brown will take his usual Test match seat in the Members' Pavilion, in front of the Australian changing room, from which he watched Don Bradman emerge to great excitement, and greater anticipation, to walk down the steps to bat.
Of course, Test match cricket has changed.
''There were no security guards, managers, media commitments and stuff like that when I started,'' he says. But the cricket will be competitive.
The SCG puts on a very good morning tea and lunch for members. And, as Brown explains, a Test is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with old friends.
''People like, say, [ABC commentator] Jim Maxwell, will pop by and say, 'Hello Perry, how are you?' And I'll say, 'well, I'm still here, Jim'.'' Eighty years on.
I nursed this guy every day for about six months in a nursing home last year, became quite close to him. He's still alive and he saw bodyline. Oldest living SCG member and almost certainly holds the record for most days sat at a test match in attendance over a lifespan. Also met Bradman and Larwood a few times. Had some amazing stories about both of them.
Long innings for man who never misses Test
The Bodyline series was a time of outrage among cricket fans, but the beginning of a love affair for one SCG member, writes John Huxley.
It all happened 80 years ago but Perry Brown can still hear the hooting of the crowd, still see the ball rearing menacingly into the bodies of the Australian batsmen, still picture one of the bravest innings ever played.
The date is December 2, 1932, the place the Sydney Cricket Ground.
Eight-year-old Perry and his father, Bunty Brown, have come by bus and tram from their home in Coogee, dressed in their Sunday-best suits, to sit in the members' stand, to watch Australia play England.
It's the boy's first Test. It is also the scene of one of the most controversial matches in cricket history and, for Perry, the start of a remarkable record run in which he has not missed any of the 67 Tests played since at the SCG.
''I may have missed odd days here and there, but I'm pretty sure I've made every first day,'' Brown, who at 88 is also one of a few SCG faithful to have been a member for more than 70 years, says.
This week, the memories have come flooding back as he prepares to join today's celebrations for the start of the 100th Test played at the SCG, against India.
Recent highlights include seeing Steve Waugh hit a four off the last ball of the day for a century against England in 2003. ''That was a wonderful innings. Nobody went home early that day.''
But his most vivid memories are of the early days, attending matches with his father, a Melbourne Cup-winning jockey, when Test cricket matches were fewer and farther between. ''These days you're saturated with them.''
No Test match is more memorable than his first. The previous week, Brown had his first glimpse of Don Bradman, who after a slow start, hit 238 in 200 minutes in a Sheffield Shield match against Victoria. ''It was slaughter.''
Now, he found himself watching the first Test of the infamous Bodyline tour, so-called after the English tactics of pitching the ball short and fast on the leg-side in the hope of forcing catches from the defensive batsmen.
''The atmosphere was electrifying,'' Brown says. ''The crowd were very angry when, as my father explained, they put the [leg-side] trap on. They thought it just wasn't cricket. And it wasn't.''
Was there trouble on The Hill, where the most vocal supporters sat? ''There was hooting, shouting, but no bad behaviour. There was no beer thrown or anything like that. This was was the Depression. People couldn't afford beer.''
Indeed, many people could not afford the cost of admission and watched the match from raised ground outside the SCG known locally as the ''Kippax Hill''.
Brown soon overcame his disappointment over the absence of the injured Bradman, as Australia found another hero.
''Only one bloke was scoring any runs. Stan McCabe. He was taking the ball off his ear and smashing it away to the fence. He just took his chances and on that day it came off.''
Brave McCabe went on to make 187 not out. Australia still lost, by 10 wickets. Relations with the mother country were shattered.
But Brown, who was a pharmacist before retiring, was hooked forever on cricket. Especially Test cricket.
The boy was signed on as an SCG member by the legendary Monty Noble - a ''portly, businesslike gentleman'', a former Test captain and official after whom one of the stands is named.
''He told me I must never lend my pass to anyone. And I never have,'' Brown, who today represents the second of four generations of his family to be SCG members, says.
In addition to his late father, whose long involvement with Indian cricket and horse racing brings added significance to this week's Test, Brown's two sons Leigh and Craig, and Leigh's son Andrew are members.
Today, Perry Brown will take his usual Test match seat in the Members' Pavilion, in front of the Australian changing room, from which he watched Don Bradman emerge to great excitement, and greater anticipation, to walk down the steps to bat.
Of course, Test match cricket has changed.
''There were no security guards, managers, media commitments and stuff like that when I started,'' he says. But the cricket will be competitive.
The SCG puts on a very good morning tea and lunch for members. And, as Brown explains, a Test is a wonderful opportunity to meet up with old friends.
''People like, say, [ABC commentator] Jim Maxwell, will pop by and say, 'Hello Perry, how are you?' And I'll say, 'well, I'm still here, Jim'.'' Eighty years on.
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morgieb
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I think had it not be for WWI I think Hobbs would generally be seen as conclusively the second best batsman of all-time. Even despite that I still think he's the clear #2 when you consider that a significant portion of his career was in his 40's, and at his prime he was averaging high-50's in a time when batsman were lucky to average above 40.