Editing Len Hutton (section)

==Career before the Second World War==

===First years with Yorkshire===
[[File:Herbert Sutcliffe.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Herbert Sutcliffe]] in 1924: Sutcliffe recognised Hutton's potential in Pudsey during 1929. He later established an opening partnership with Hutton and wrote that his partner was "a marvel&nbsp;– the discovery of a generation".<ref name=H21/>| alt= A cricketer ready to bat.]]
By 1933, Hutton was regularly opening the batting for the Pudsey St Lawrence first team in the [[Bradford Cricket League]]. By close observation of his opening partner, the former Yorkshire county batsman [[Edgar Oldroyd]], Hutton further developed his batting technique, especially in defence. The local press soon identified Hutton as a player of promise, particularly after he scored a match-winning 108 [[not out]] in the [[Priestley Cup]].<ref>Howat, pp. 10–11.</ref> Senior figures within Yorkshire cricket identified him as a potential successor to [[Percy Holmes]] as an opening partner to Sutcliffe; at this stage in his career, Hutton was also considered a promising [[leg spin]] bowler.<ref>Howat, pp. 13–15.</ref> In the 1933 season Hutton was selected for the Yorkshire Second Eleven. Although he failed to score a run in either of his first two innings, over the season he scored 699 [[Run (cricket)|runs]] at an [[Batting average (cricket)|average]] of 69.90.<ref>Howat, pp. 12–13.</ref> Yorkshire appointed [[Cyril Turner (cricketer)|Cyril Turner]] as Hutton's mentor; [[Hedley Verity]] and Bowes also offered Hutton guidance in his early career.<ref>Howat, p. 17.</ref><ref name="Hodgson, p. 139">Hodgson, p. 139.</ref>

Hutton made his first-class debut for Yorkshire in 1934, at the age of 17 the youngest Yorkshire player since Hirst, 45 years earlier.<ref name=H15-16/> In his first match, against [[Cambridge University Cricket Club|Cambridge University]], he was [[run out]] for [[duck (cricket)|a duck]] but scored an unbeaten 50 runs in his second match; he followed this with another half-century against [[Warwickshire County Cricket Club|Warwickshire]] on his [[County Championship]] debut.<ref name=H15-16>Howat, pp. 15–16.</ref><ref name=figures>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results2.cgi?playernumber=694&opponentmatch=exact&playername=&resulttype=All&matchtype=All&teammatch=exact&startwicket=&homeawaytype=All&opponent=&endwicket=&wicketkeeper=&searchtype=InningsList&endscore=&playermatch=contains&branding=cricketarchive&captain=&endseason=&startscore=&team=&startseason=| title = Player Oracle (L Hutton)| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =27 October 2010}}</ref> He played regularly for the rest of the season but to prevent his overexposure to Championship cricket, Yorkshire limited his appearances and returned him periodically to the second eleven.<ref>Howat, pp. 19–20.</ref> In matches for the first team, Hutton shared large first-wicket [[Partnership (cricket)|partnerships]] with [[Wilf Barber]]<ref name="Howat, p.16">Howat, p. 16.</ref> and with [[Arthur Mitchell (cricketer)|Arthur Mitchell]], before scoring his maiden first-class century in an innings of 196 against [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]].<ref>Howat, p. 19.</ref> At the time, he was the youngest Yorkshire batsman to score a first-class century.<ref name=ODNB/> He finished the season with a total of 863 runs at an average of 33.19;<ref name=fcbatting>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/694/f_Batting_by_Season.html| title = First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Len Hutton| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =5 February 2010}}</ref>

An operation on his nose before the 1935 season delayed Hutton's appearance on the cricket field that year. Attempting to return too quickly, he endured poor health which limited his subsequent appearances and effectiveness; by the middle of August he had scored a total of just 73 runs.<ref>Howat, pp. 21–22.</ref> A century against [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]] led to run of bigger scores, and his contribution to Yorkshire's County Championship victory that season<ref name=ccposn>{{Cite book| title = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 2010| publisher = John Wisden & Co| chapter = LV County Championship: County Championship Final Positions 1890–2010| page = 575}}</ref> was 577 runs at an average in first-class matches of 28.85.<ref name=figures/><ref name=fcbatting/> In the winter of 1935–36 Hutton went on his first overseas tour, as Yorkshire visited Jamaica.<ref name="Howat, p.23">Howat, p. 23.</ref> In the 1936 season he reached 1,000 runs in a season for the first time—1,282 runs at an average of 29.81—and was awarded his [[county cap]] in July.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref>Howat, p. 25.</ref> He took part in several large partnerships through the season, including one of 230 with Sutcliffe, although he experienced a sequence of low scores in May and June.<ref name=H245>Howat, pp. 24–25.</ref>

Throughout his first seasons, Hutton faced press criticism for his caution and reluctance to play attacking shots. Although regarding him a certain England selection in the future, critics thought Hutton slightly dull and pedestrian.<ref name=ODNB/> Yorkshire remained unconcerned;<ref name=ODNB/><ref>Howat, p. 28.</ref> cricket writer Alan Hill believes Hutton's subsequent success was built on this initial establishment of a defensive technique.<ref name=H245/><ref>Hill, pp. 170–71.</ref> His achievements brought limited recognition, owing to the high level of expectation surrounding him.<ref name=coy/> This sense of frustration was heightened by comments from Sutcliffe in 1935, when he wrote that Hutton was "a certainty for a place as England's opening batsman. He is a marvel&nbsp;– the discovery of a generation ... His technique is that of a maestro."<ref name=H21>Howat, p. 21.</ref> Such praise was rare from Sutcliffe, but Hutton found the comments a burden, while others found them embarrassing.<ref name=ODNB/><ref name=H21/><ref>Hill, p. 169.</ref>

===Test match debut===
After Hutton began 1937 with a series of high scores<ref name=figures/>—including an innings of 271 against [[Derbyshire County Cricket Club|Derbyshire]], the reigning County Champions, and 153 against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]] two days later when he and Sutcliffe shared a 315-run opening partnership<ref>Howat, pp. 27–29.</ref>—he was chosen to play for England against New Zealand in the first Test match of the season.<ref>Howat, pp. 28–29.</ref> On 26 June, he made his Test debut at [[Lord's Cricket Ground]], scoring 0 and 1.<ref name=inns>{{cite web| url = http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/14334.html?class=1;template=results;type=batting;view=innings| title = Statsguru: L Hutton Test matches (innings by innings list)| publisher = ESPNcricinfo| access-date = 30 July 2010| url-status = dead| archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110811034806/http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/14334.html?class=1%3Btemplate%3Dresults%3Btype%3Dbatting%3Bview%3Dinnings| archive-date = 11 August 2011}}</ref> Retaining his place in the England team after scoring centuries for Yorkshire in the following games, he scored his maiden Test hundred on 24 July in the second Test at [[Old Trafford Cricket Ground|Old Trafford, Manchester]]. He batted for three-and-a-half hours to score exactly 100 runs and shared a century opening partnership with [[Charlie Barnett (cricketer)|Charlie Barnett]].<ref name=figures/><ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16317.html| title = England v New Zealand in 1937| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =28 April 2010}}</ref> Hutton's remaining two innings in the Test series yielded 14 and 12, giving him 127 runs at an average of 25.40.<ref name=inns/><ref name=tbat>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/694/t_Batting_by_Season.html| title = Test Batting and Fielding in Each Season by Len Hutton| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =28 April 2010}}</ref> Also in 1937, Hutton made his first appearance for [[Gentlemen v Players|the Players against the Gentlemen]] at Lord's.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16293.html| title = Gentlemen v Players in 1937| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =10 June 2010}}</ref> In total that year he scored 2,888 runs, more than double his previous seasonal best, at an average of 56.62 and including ten centuries.<ref name=fcbatting/> He also recorded the best bowling performance of his career, six wickets for 76 against Leicestershire, altogether taking ten wickets in the match—the only time he achieved this.<ref name=figures/> His performances that year earned him selection as one of ''Wisden's'' [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year|Cricketers of the Year]]. The citation praised his attitude, technique, fielding and bowling, noting however that some commentators continued to criticise his overcaution.<ref name=coy>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/154653.html| title = Len Hutton (Cricketer of the Year 1938)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1938| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | access-date =3 May 2010}}</ref>

In early matches of the 1938 season, with an [[the Ashes|Ashes]] series against Australia pending, Hutton made three centuries and scored 93 not out.<ref name=figures/> Selected for a Test trial, he shared a century opening partnership with [[Bill Edrich]],<ref name=figures/><ref>Howat, pp. 32–33.</ref> and was selected for the first Test at [[Trent Bridge]] in Nottingham beginning on 28 June.<ref name=inns/> In just over three hours, Hutton scored 100 from 221 [[Delivery (cricket)|deliveries]] on his Ashes debut, adding 219 with [[Charlie Barnett (cricketer)|Charlie Barnett]] for the first wicket. England, in [[Wally Hammond]]'s first match as Test captain, posted a total of 658 for eight wickets, but the match was drawn.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16611.html| title = England v Australia in 1938| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =3 May 2010}}</ref> Hutton failed in the second Test, with two single figure scores in another drawn game.<ref name=figures/> He was generally unsuccessful with the bat in the following weeks, during which the third Test was entirely rained off. Following a sequence of low scores for Yorkshire, Hutton's finger was broken in a match against Middlesex played on a dangerous pitch at Lord's.<ref name=figures/><ref name=H34-5/> Consequently, he could not play in the fourth Test, played at his home ground, Headingley, in which England were soundly beaten.<ref name=H34-5>Howat, pp. 34–35.</ref> After missing a month of cricket, Hutton played just two games before his selection for the final Test of the series.<ref name=figures/><ref>Howat, p. 35.</ref>

===Test record score===
[[File:Bradman&Bat.jpg|right|thumb|upright|[[Donald Bradman]], whose [[The Ashes|Ashes]] record score of 334 Hutton broke in 1938|alt=Man in double breasted suit, posing with a cricket bat.]]
The last Test was played at [[The Oval]] and began on 20 August 1938.<ref name=inns/> Hammond won the toss on a very good pitch for batting,<ref name=oval38/> and after an early wicket fell, Hutton and [[Maurice Leyland]], his Yorkshire teammate, took the score to 347 for one wicket after the first day. Hutton was unbeaten on 160 although Australia missed a chance to dismiss him, [[Stumping|stumped]], when he had scored 40. After a rest day, the Yorkshire batsmen took their partnership to 382 before Leyland was out. Hutton then shared substantial partnerships with Hammond and [[Joe Hardstaff junior]], taking his personal score to 300 at the end of the second day, out of a total of 634 for five. In the process he surpassed the previous highest Test score by an England batsman in a home match. Hutton maintained caution throughout; ''Wisden'' commented that his dominance of the bowling had become slightly monotonous after two days, although it recognised his skill.<ref name=oval38>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/151853.html| title = England v Australia 1938| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1939| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | access-date =3 May 2010}}</ref><ref name=oval38card>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16792.html| title = England v Australia in 1938| publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =3 May 2010}}</ref> On the third day (23 August), the Australians made a concerted effort to dismiss Hutton before he broke Bradman's 1930 record Ashes score of 334— the record score in a Test match was Hammond's 336 not out against New Zealand, but it was compiled against what was perceived as inferior bowling, and Bradman's total was more prestigious.<ref>{{cite book |last = Hilton |first = Christopher |title = Cricket's 300 Men and one 400 man |publisher = Breedon Books |year = 2005 |location= Derby | isbn=1-85983-450-7 |pages=37–38}}</ref> Although showing nerves as he approached the record, Hutton passed Bradman's score with a [[Late cut|cut]] off [[Chuck Fleetwood-Smith]],<ref name=oval38/><ref>Howat, p. 37.</ref> and extended his score to 364 before he was out, caught. Lasting for more than 13 hours, with 847 [[Delivery (cricket)|balls]] faced, Hutton's innings was the longest in first-class cricket at the time. It was only the sixth Test of his career.<ref name=inns/><ref name=oval38/><ref name=oval38card/> The innings was the highest individual score in a Test until [[Garfield Sobers]] scored 365 not out in 1958; it remains the 6th highest in Tests and is the most runs scored in an innings by an English player.<ref>{{cite web|title=Records: Test matches: Batting records: Most runs in an innings|url=http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/records/208504.html|publisher=ESPNCricinfo|access-date=5 July 2013}}</ref> England eventually scored 903, the highest team total in a Test at that time, before Hammond declared the innings closed. Australia were bowled out twice and England won by an innings and 579 runs to draw the series with one victory apiece.<ref name=oval38card/>

Commentators mainly praised Hutton's concentration and stamina; his slow scoring, particularly when compared to Bradman's innings of 334, was excused on the grounds that the Oval match was played without a time limit, and run accumulation was more important than fast scoring. Furthermore, Hammond had instructed Hutton to bat as long as possible.<ref>Howat, pp. 39–40.</ref> Among views expressed by Test cricketers, [[Les Ames]] believed that while Hutton had shown great skill, a combination of a very easy wicket for batting and an unusually weak bowling attack presented an ideal opportunity. Former England captain [[Bob Wyatt]] described the innings as one of the greatest feats of concentration and endurance in the history of the game.<ref>Hill, pp. 177–78.</ref> Some critics expressed distaste at England's approach, but this opinion was not widely shared.<ref>Birley, pp. 257–58.</ref> In the aftermath of the innings, Hutton became famous, in constant demand from the public and press who compared him to Bradman. Hutton later described the acclamation he received as one of the worst things that happened to him, not least because expectations were unreasonably high every time he subsequently batted.<ref>Howat, pp. 40–42.</ref> When the season ended, Hutton had scored 1,874 runs in all matches at an average of 60.45.<ref name=fcbatting/>

===Leading batsman===
From October 1938, Hutton toured South Africa with the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC)—the name by which England teams toured at the time—under the captaincy of Hammond; England won the series 1–0, with the other four games drawn.{{refn|Throughout Hutton's career, the MCC organised and administered English cricket. Official English touring teams always played under the name of MCC and were only styled "England" during Test matches.<ref>{{cite web| url =http://www.lords.org/history/mcc-heritage/mcc-history/| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20130607222859/http://www.lords.org/history/mcc-heritage/mcc-history/| archive-date =7 June 2013| title = MCC History| publisher = MCC| access-date = 15 May 2013}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book | last = Peebles | first = I. A. R. | editor1-last= Swanton | editor1-first= E. W. | editor2-last = Plumptre | editor2-first = George | editor3-last= Woodcock | editor3-first = John | title = Barclay's World of Cricket | chapter = History (1900–1914)| publisher = Willow Books in association with Barclays Bank PLC | location = London | year = 1986 | edition = 3rd| isbn =0-00-218193-2| page = 20}}</ref>|group=notes}} He scored centuries in two early matches but in a match against [[Gauteng cricket team|Transvaal]], a [[Delivery (cricket)|delivery]] from [[Eric Davies]] knocked him unconscious and forced him to miss the first Test.<ref name=H43>Howat, p. 43.</ref> Unsuccessful on his return in the second Test, Hutton scored a double century in the following tour match, but had another low score in the third Test, which England won.<ref name=figures/><ref name=inns/> He was more successful in the final Tests. In the fourth, on a difficult pitch for batting, he scored 92.<ref name=inns/><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/151862.html| title = South Africa v England 1938–39| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1940| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | access-date =6 May 2010}}</ref> The final Test was drawn after ten days of play in a supposedly "timeless" Test. In a match which set a record aggregate of runs, Hutton scored 38 and 55 but his contributions were overshadowed by the heavy scoring of others.<ref name=inns/><ref name="Howat, p. 44">Howat, p. 44.</ref> Although Hutton scored 265 runs in the Test series, at an average of 44.16,<ref name=tbat/> critics were disappointed, expecting more after his record innings of 1938. In all first-class matches, he scored 1,168 runs at an average of 64.88, the highest aggregate among the tourists, and accumulated five centuries. Spectators found his batting attractive and the ''Wisden'' correspondent regarded him the most accomplished batsman on the tour.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/155219.html| title = The M.C.C. team in South Africa 1938–39| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1940| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | access-date =6 May 2010}}</ref>

In its summary of the 1939 season, ''Wisden'' noted the development of Hutton into a more exciting batsman to watch, observing that he "gave further evidence of being one of the world's greatest batsmen".<ref name="Howat, p. 44"/> He began to dominate opening partnerships with Sutcliffe, in contrast to prior seasons when he was the junior partner.<ref>Hill, p. 174.</ref> In total, he scored 2,883 runs, over 400 more than any other batsman and his average of 62.27 placed him second in the national averages behind Hammond.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=H45>Howat, p. 45.</ref> Among his twelve centuries, Hutton scored his highest total for Yorkshire, 280 not out in six hours against [[Hampshire County Cricket Club|Hampshire]], sharing an opening partnership of 315 with Sutcliffe.<ref name="H45"/><ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/16/16983.html| title = Yorkshire v Hampshire in 1939|publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =13 May 2010}}</ref> His contributions helped Yorkshire to their third successive Championship.<ref name=ccposn/> He was also successful in representative matches, scoring 86 for the Players against the Gentlemen,<ref name=figures/> and compiling 480 runs (averaging 96.00) in the Test matches against West Indies.<ref name=tbat/> England won the series, after recording victory in the first match and drawing the others. Hutton scored 196 in the first Test, hitting his last 96 runs in 95 minutes; he and [[Denis Compton]] scored 248 runs together in 133 minutes.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/17/17032.html| title = England v West Indies in 1939|publisher = CricketArchive| access-date =13 May 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/151856.html| title = England v West Indies 1939 (First Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1940| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | access-date =13 May 2010}}</ref> After low scores in the second Test, Hutton scored 73 and 165 not out in the final game at the Oval.<ref name=inns/> Facing a West Indian lead of 146, he batted five hours in the second innings, sharing a partnership of 264 with Hammond.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/story/151858.html| title = England v West Indies 1939 (Third Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1940| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | access-date =13 May 2010}}</ref> He ended his season with a century against Sussex in Yorkshire's final match before the war; two days after its conclusion, the Second World War began.<ref>Howat, pp. 48–49.</ref>