Sir Len Hutton returns to The Oval, where he set his astonishing world record, at the age of 72
Len Hutton was ranked number 11, behind other England batting greats, such as W. G. Grace, Jack Hobbs, Wally Hammond and Denis Compton. Were that list to be revised today, 'Sir Len' might drop a place further among his compatriots to make space for the remarkable Joe Root. Yet there was a time when Hutton was the supreme English batting titan. The innings with which he carved that reputation came at the Oval in the final Test of 1938. Remarkably, he was only 22, one year into his international career, playing in his sixth Test.
In this, the Bradman era of Ashes cricket, the Australians generally had the upper hand and they were already one up going to the Oval, which meant they had retained the Ashes. Even so, the match was eagerly anticipated. War clouds were gathering. When would England next see a touring Australian side? By 6am on the first day, there were long queues outside the Oval, some fans having slept there overnight. Designated as a timeless Test, to be played until a winning result was achieved, England hoped to draw the series, although 'Bosser Martin, the portly Oval groundsman, declared he'd produced a wicket to 'last until Christmas.'
Denne historien er fra April 27, 2022-utgaven av Country Life UK.
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Happiness in small things
Putting life into perspective and forces of nature in farming
Colour vision
In an eye-baffling arrangement of geometric shapes, a sinister-looking clown and a little girl, Test Card F is one of television’s most enduring images, says Rob Crossan
'Without fever there is no creation'
Three of the top 10 operas performed worldwide are by the emotionally volatile Italian composer Giacomo Puccini, who died a century ago. Henrietta Bredin explains how his colourful life influenced his melodramatic plot lines
The colour revolution
Toxic, dull or fast-fading pigments had long made it tricky for artists to paint verdant scenes, but the 19th century ushered in a viridescent explosion of waterlili
Bullace for you
The distinction between plums, damsons and bullaces is sweetly subtle, boiling down to flavour and aesthetics, but don’t eat the stones, warns John Wright
Lights, camera, action!
Three remarkable country houses, two of which have links to the film industry, the other the setting for a top-class croquet tournament, are anything but ordinary
I was on fire for you, where did you go?
In Iceland, a land with no monks or monkeys, our correspondent attempts to master the art of fishing light’ for Salmo salar, by stroking the creases and dimples of the Midfjardara river like the features of a loved one
Bravery bevond belief
A teenager on his gap year who saved a boy and his father from being savaged by a crocodile is one of a host of heroic acts celebrated in a book to mark the 250th anniversary of the Royal Humane Society, says its author Rupert Uloth
Let's get to the bottom of this
Discovering a well on your property can be viewed as a blessing or a curse, but all's well that ends well, says Deborah Nicholls-Lee, as she examines the benefits of a personal water supply
Sing on, sweet bird
An essential component of our emotional relationship with the landscape, the mellifluous song of a thrush shapes the very foundation of human happiness, notes Mark Cocker, as he takes a closer look at this diverse family of birds
