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Len Hutton
England
Personal information
Full name	Sir Leonard Hutton
Born	23 June 1916(1916-06-23)
	Fulneck, Pudsey, England
Died	6 September 1990 (aged 74)
	Kingston-upon-Thames, England
Role	Opener
Batting style	Right-hand
Bowling style	Right-arm leg break
International information
Test debut (cap 603)	26 June 1937: v New Zealand
Last Test	25 March 1955: v New Zealand
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1938-1960	MCC
1934-1955	Yorkshire
Career statistics
	Tests	FC
Matches	79	513
Runs scored	6971	40140
Batting average	56.67	55.51
100s/50s	19/33	129/179
Top score	364	364
Balls bowled	260	9740
Wickets	3	173
Bowling average	77.33	29.51
5 wickets in innings	–	4
10 wickets in match	–	1
Best bowling	1/2	6/76
Catches/stumpings	57/–	401/–
As of 14 August 2007 Source: cricketarchive.com

Sir Leonard Hutton (born June 23, 1916 in Fulneck near Pudsey, Yorkshire, died September 6, 1990 in Kingston upon Thames, Surrey) was an English cricketer, who dominated the national and international cricket scene for the decade after the Second World War.

He was born into a keen cricketing family. From an early age the young Leonard immersed himself in cricket and became an avid student of the art of batting. George Herbert Hirst, the Yorkshire and England all-rounder, said he could not teach him anything about batting when Hutton was fourteen. Hutton learned from players such as Wilfred Rhodes, Herbert Sutcliffe, Bill Bowes, Hedley Verity and Brian Sellers.

He made his first class debut for Yorkshire in 1934 at the age of 17; in 14 championship matches that season he scored five fifties and his maiden first class century. From an early age his batting was skillful and showed ability to deal with all types of pitches — these were the days of uncovered wickets.

Hutton made his Test match debut against New Zealand in 1937 and hit his first Test century at Old Trafford in only his second Test. A year later he was to break Wally Hammond's record for the highest individual score in Test matches with 364, which remains the highest Test innings by an Englishman. This innings was at The Oval in 1938, against Australia, and took over 13 hours, a stupendous feat of concentration for a 22 year old. The following year he thrilled the crowds with his attacking play as the West Indian attack was taken apart as he scored 196 in the Lord's Test (the last 96 runs coming in 95 minutes). He finished the series on a high with 165 not out at The Oval.

Wartime saw Hutton become an Army PT instructor where he badly broke his left arm in a gymnasium accident. He had to have bone grafts to repair the damage and after eight months in hospital was left with his left arm two inches shorter than his right.

Although this injury seemed not to affect his subsequent career (his Test average was higher after the war than before) it must have played on his mind, knowing a blow on his left forearm could have ended his career. Perhaps this injury increased his innate sense of caution, Hutton could be a wonderful attacking batsman when in the mood and could play every stroke in the book. But more often than not the burden of carrying England’s batting saw him adopt a much more circumspect approach, he was a hard headed, practical man who described himself as being a "Round head" as opposed to Compton’s Cavalier. But all are agreed that when he let himself go he could be a glorious batsman, his innings of 37 out of 49 at the Sydney Test of 1946/47 was scintillating and had elder members of the crowd recalling the Legendary Victor Trumper.

Hutton (l) and Arthur Morris toss at the beginning of the Second Test between England and Australia in 1954–55

The first post-war series against Australia in 1946/47 was a difficult one for England, perhaps it came too soon after the war and English cricket had not returned to its pre war standard. The squad was too old and the younger players such as Evans and Bedser were not yet established. Hutton, however, showed he could still do the business with a century in the last Test.

1948 saw him dropped for the only time in his Test career, this was against Bradman's legendary team. His being dropped was controversial and provoked much debate, promptly restored to the side the following Test he scored steadily over the rest of the series with three half centuries and a score of 30 that was the top score out of 52 at The Oval.

The early 1950s saw Hutton establish himself as England's batting rock, he alone mastered the West Indian spin duo of Ramadhin and Valentine, scoring 202 not out in the 1950 Oval Test. (England made 344; this is the lowest Test total to include a double century.^[1]). He batted at No 8 in England's second innings against Australia at Brisbane in 1950-51 as a ploy to counteract the effects of a 'sticky,' rain-affected pitch and scored a remarkable unbeaten 62 out of England's total of 122. He was given out in most unusual fashion against South Africa at The Oval in 1951. A ball from Athol Rowan ballooned up from a top edge and Hutton, in fending it away from his stumps, prevented wicket-keeper Russell Endean from making a catch. The South Africans appealed and Hutton was given out 'obstructing the field'.

In 1952 he was appointed as England's first professional captain for 65 years. Many people in cricket's establishment were against this break with tradition but Hutton simply got on with the job. Victory against India in 1952 was followed by regaining the Ashes in 1953 against Lindsay Hassett's Australians. Yorkshire were still captained by an amateur and he never captained his county as a result.

Len Hutton's career performance graph.

Perhaps his greatest achievement came in the 1953/54 series in the West Indies; England were 2-0 down in the Test series amid rancour and disputes. Hutton however showed his customary determination and resolve to lead England to victory in two Tests to draw the series 2-2.

1954/55 saw Hutton lead England to Australia, after being badly beaten in the first Test at Brisbane, (after Hutton put the home side into bat) he stuck to his guns and England fought back. Frank Tyson came to the fore with some of the fastest bowling ever seen (staunchly supported by Brian Statham), young batsmen like Peter May and Colin Cowdrey emerged and Hutton's side came out victorious three Tests to one. Hutton deserved much credit for once again showing resolve and determination to come back from a setback to fight back and win.

This triumph was to be his crowning moment as he had to withdraw from the following home series with ill health. He subsequently retired in 1956 succumbing to a bad back that had been bent over a cricket bat since childhood. He retired after playing 79 Test matches, scoring 6971 runs at an average of 56.67 with 19 hundreds. In all first class cricket he scored 40140 runs at an average of 55.51 with 129 hundreds. In short he was a true great of the game and must rank alongside Jack Hobbs and Hammond as the finest of English batsmen.

He was knighted in 1956 for his services to cricket.

Hutton was appointed as one of the England Test team's selectors in 1975. He relinquished the role after the 1976 season.

He married Dorothy Dennis on 3 September 1939 and they had two sons Richard and John. Their elder son Richard Hutton became a successful cricketer for Repton, Cambridge University, Yorkshire and England. Richard's elder son Ben Hutton captained Middlesex between 2005 and 2006.

He died from a ruptured aorta in Kingston Hospital, Norbiton, Surrey on his son Richard's 42nd birthday, aged 74.

Cricket Portal

• Cricinfo Player Profile : Sir Leonard Hutton