RECORD SCORES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21457, 3 April 1933, Page 10

RECORD SCORES

HAMMOND'S LARGE TOTAL NOTABLE PERFORMANCES FINE ALL-ROUND PLAYER Although W. R. Hammond, who mado 336 not out for England in the cricket test match at Eden Park on Saturday, eclipsed tho previous record for a test, held by D. Bradman, Australia, with 334 against England in ]930, Bradman still holds the record for the highest individual score in first-class matches. This is 452 not out, which total Bradman mado for New South Wales against Queensland in 1929-30. Hammond, who is a Gloucestershire professional, was born at Dover on Juno 39, 1903. On his first visit to Australia, in tho 1925-29 season, ho showed wonderful batting form. In the test matches he made 251 at Sydney and 200 at Melbourne. At Adelaide ho compiled 119 not out and 177 in tho same match. In the five tests Hammond compiled 905 runs in nine innings, 0110 not out, at an averago of just over 113 runs each innings. During tho last series of tests in Australia Hammond made 112 in tho first and 101 in the fifth, both at Sydney. Ho was third in the English averages, scoring 440 runs in nine innings, one not out, at an average of 55 each innings. His higest score on the tour wa,s 203 against Victoria at Melbourne, whilo ho also mado 101 against a Queensland country team at Toowoomba. Besides two separate hundreds in the test at Adelaido, Hammond has two similar performances in county cricket in England. Playing for Gloucester against Surrey at tho Oval in 1927 ho scored 108 and 128. Tho next season, against tho same county at Cheltenham, he made 139 and 143. On the present tour of New Zealand Hammond compiled 227 in tho first test at Christcliurch and 336 not out in the second test on Saturday. His remarkably fine slip fielding and keen sense of anticipation, besides his ability as a bowler, rank him as the finest all-round cricketer in the world to-day. The highest individual score in New Zealand goes to tho credit of J. N. Crawford, who visited the Dominion in 1914 with an Australian team under the captaincy of Arthur Sims, a former well-known New Zealand and Canterbury representative. The late Victor Truniper was also a member of this eleven. Crawford scored 354 against South Canterbury at Teinulca. It. C. Blunt, who is now under engagement in England, holds the record for a New Zealand batsman. Playing for Otago against Canterbury at Lancaster Park in the Plunket Shield series last season, Blunt was unbeaten with 338 to his credit.