CHAMPION BATSMAN

Dominion, Volume 32, Issue 259, 31 July 1939, Page 14

CHAMPION BATSMAN

Headley’s Performances George Headley, the champion batsman of the Wettt Indies, began the test campaign in England this season by making history. For the second time in his career he scored two centuries iu a match against England (says the “Sporting Globe”). He had previously performed the feat nine years ago, when he made 114 and 112 in a match at Georgetown. He l is the only batsman to perform the feat twice against another country in test cricket, though H. Sutcliffe has done it for England against 'both Australia and South Africa. Thus Headley began the campaign in a way that indicates that, he is going to live up fully to hia reputation as one of the greatest batsmen of the time. This dusky, sturdily-built West Indian, who just recently had his thirtieth birthday, has had a remarkably successful career, and must rank as one of the first three or four batsmen in the world today. Even Don Bradman is not much ahead of him in the averages for test matches against England. Headley began his test career against an English team in the West Indies nine years ago, when, in eight innings, he compiled 703 runs at an average of 87. In his very first game he made a score of 176. In his third game he made the first of his double centuries, while in his fourth game he made a magnificent score of 223. Shortly afterward he came to Australia with the West Indies team, and made two centuries —102 not out and 105 against Australia. Wheu be first visited England in 1933. he had one fine score of 169 not out in the second test, but otherwise was somewhat disappointing in the tests. Wheu another English team went to the West Indies in 1934-35, he beat all his previous records with a score of 270 not out, and finished with 485 runs at an average ,of 97. Altogether against England lie has ma.de 1628 runs at an average of 81, which is only 10 lower than Bradman's average of 91 for Australia against England. Bradman, however, has played more than twice as many innings, anil has scored 3540 runs. Headley has now made eight centuries, including two exceeding 200, against England. Bradman, on the other hand, has made 15, including seven exceeding 200 and two exceeding 300. Only two other batsmen V. T. Trumpet and W. M. Wopdfull, have made as many as six against England. There can be no question about the quality of Headley’s batting. Australians had ample opportunity when he was here nine years ago to realize what a great batsman he is. Thoroughly orthodox in style, with remarkably flexible wrists, a keenness of sight, characteristic of coloured people, almost perfect footwork, and a great range of strokes, he has everything that goes to the making of a great batsman. He is unquestionably the greatest batsman that the West Indies have produced, and it is fitting, as in the case of Bradman for Australia, that he .should hold the record score for the West Indies—--344 not out for All Jamaica against Lord Tennyson’s English team at Kingston in 1931-32. For some years now he has been playing league cricket in England, but. his club released him so that he could play for the West Indies on this tour. Three days proved sufficient for the playing of this first test between England and the West Indies, England winning by eight, wickets after having lost only five for 404. iu their fir.st innings. It was not expected that the West Indies would bent England, and they- certainly were outplayed in this game. In their first innings total of 277, Headley’s 106 and J. Stollmeyer’s 59 stood out prominently, while iu the second innings of 225, Headley played almost a lone hand in making 107. This century, incidentally, gave Headley 1000 runs for all matches of the tour.