Over 61,000 Runs In First-Class Cricket

Taranaki Daily News, 16 April 1935, Page 12

Over 61,000 Runs In First-Class Cricket

LIST OF SOME OF J.

TWO years ago J. B. Hobbs, who had already retired from Test cricket, announced his intention to drop gradually and ■ quietly out of the Surrey County eleven. It was hoped that he would .not do so until he had scored 200 centuries in first-class cricket —a feat never yet achieved. But Hobbs has now definitely retired from all first-class cricket, when he still wants three centuries to reach the 200, and a cablegram published a few days ago showed that he cannot be prevailed upon to change his mind. It seems that during the winter since the 1934 cricket season in England Hobbs had a long period of illness. It was this that led to his decision not to prolong into the 1935 season his gradual retirement from the first-class game. “1 am very sorry to have to make a decision like this,” said Hobbs a few weeks ago. when he announced his definite retirement. “It is a big break, but it has been coining to me for a long time. What I feel most is having to give disappointment to so many of my friends who wanted me to get the 200 centuries. 1 have not worried much about records myself. Mrs Hobbs thinks I ought to go on, but those who have been urging me to do this scarcely seem prepared to supply me with two new legs. After many years in the’ field, mine get very tired nowadays abou« 4 or 5 o’clock in the afternoon.” John Berry Hobbs was born at Cambridge on December 16, 1882. As groundsman to Jesus College, his father saw that his sons should know the game. Young Hobbs played his first match with Jesus College choirboys, and he tells how “I was trembling like a leaf when I went in to bat.” Hobbs progressed rapidly, until for Cambridgeshire, in 1904, he scored 696 runs with an average of 58. Under the influence of Tom Hayward, himself at that time the greatest batsman in the Surrey eleven, Hobbs had joined the ground staff at Kennington Oval in 1903. Two years later he entered upon ms long career in the Surrey eleven with 155 at the Oval against Essex. Going on from success to success, he placeo most English records to his name until last May, with 116 against Lancashire at Old Trafford, he earned his final laurels as a century-maker with a total of 197 separate hundreds. . A complete chronicle of his doings tells best what Hobbs accomplished, but figures cannot convey his influence as an opening batsman (comments an English cricket critic). Both for Surrcv and for England he constantly pawed the way to a winning position, or, by supreme skill in defence and scoring under difficulties, turned a desperate situation. His manner of dealing with all kinds of bowling, when turf and weather favoured run-getting, revealed the full art of stroke play. In fielding, Hobbs for many years was without a superior at cover-point. Few batsmen would attempt twice a short single for a stroke anywhere near Hobbs. Hobbs has been as popular in Australia as on English playing-fields. He holds a strong opinion against “direct attack.” In August, 1932, he protested against the bowling of Bowes, the Yorkshireman, at the Oval, and has said, “Seriously, somebody will be killed one of these days by a bumping bail from some fast bowler, and then the practice will be stopped.” One of the stories Hobbs is fond of telling concerns his departure for the South African tour of 1909-10. He and Strudwick, the England wicketkeeper, could not find a taxi-cab to take them to Waterloo, and, in desperation. stopped a donkey-barrow, put their bags on it, and marched behind to meet their colleagues at the station. During the tour began the many firstwicket stands between Wilfred Rhodes

B. HOBB’S RECORDS

and Hobbs, and, as Hobbs put it, “We embarked on our famous short-run business.” In this the two batsmen astonished the South Africans, who could not believe that they had no secret signals. “There was once a pair of batsmen who tried to make their signals very secret indeed. Their plan was, ‘When I say no, you run; when I say yes, you don’t.’ And they always succeeded in running themselves out.” After beating W. G. Grace’s record of 126 hundreds Hobbs wrote: “For all my joy when I passed ‘W.G.’s’ wonderful figures I experienced many a pang. All my life Grace meant a lot to me, and I seemed to be thrusting him farther into the shades.”

Following are some of the most important records standing to the name of Hobbs:— Total runs to the end of the 1934 season, 61,221. In 1930 Hobbs beat W. G. Grace’s record aggregate of 54,896. Total runs v. Australia in Test matches, 3636.

Hobbs played in 41 Test matches against Australia. Hundreds in first-class cricket, 197. (Hendren, with 150 hundreds, is his nearest rival.) Hundreds in Test matches, 15 (12 v. Australia —a record), 2 v. South Africa, 1 v. West Indies.

Hobbs and Rhodes first-wicket record partnership in England v. Australia Test matches, 323 at Melbourne in 1911-12. Hobbs and Sutcliffe first-wicket record partnership In Test matches between England and South Africa, 268 at Lord’s in 1924. (The innings of 211 made by Hobbs at Lord’s in 1924 is the record highest store in England v. South Africa Tests.) Hobbs has taken part in 168 partnerships of three figures for the first wicket.

His 428 with Sandham v. Oxford University at the Oval in 1926 is the highest first-wicket partnership for Surrey. Hobbs has to his credit the unparalleled feat of having made two separate hundreds in a match on six occasions. His highest aggregate in a season ,was 3024 runs in 1925. His 16 hundreds during the season of 1925 is a record for first-class cricket. Hobbs claims the highest score ever made at Lord’s—3l6 not out against Middlesex in 1926 (the highest innings of his career).