Compton & Hobbs: The Century Men
All batsmen love scoring centuries. At the top level, it is the currency by which they are judged.
''It's not how but how many'' - London County International Ambassador Anil Kumble reaches his milestone century as Matt Prior dives in vain at The Oval, England v India 2007
Every young player dreams of scoring their first century, and fantasises about scoring a century at Lord’s. Some get the chance to convert fantasy into reality, and do it with aplomb. One such figure was the legendary Denis Compton, of Middlesex and England. On this day in 1947, Denis scored his 17th century of the season playing for Middlesex against South Africa at Lord’s. In this golden summer for Compton, ‘The Brylcreem Boy’ scored 3,816 runs at an average of 90.85, won the County Championship, and also scored four Test centuries against South Africa.
Earlier in the season, Compton and his Middlesex ‘twin’, Bill Edrich, put on a record 370 for the third wicket for England in their win against South Africa in the Lord’s Test, whilst making 208 himself.
By making his 17th century of the season, Compton beat the legendary Sir Jack Hobbs’ record of 16 centuries in an English First-Class season in 1925. At the end of the season, in the annual ‘County Champions’ v ‘The Rest’ match Compton scored an 18th century, which remains a record for centuries in a First-Class Cricket season,when making 246 at The Oval.
A Special Moment in Time - Anil Kumble celebrates his first Century
The irony of the 4th September, is that on the very same day in 1925, Hobbs made his 15th century when making a record score of 266 in the annual Gents v Players match. Hobbs carried his bat through the innings, which remained the record score in a fixture which had first taken place in 1806, and was last played in 1962.
Hobbs was the ultimate century maker in Cricket history, with 199 to his name when his career ended. He was also part of 166 century partnerships in First-Class Cricket, another of the many records held by ‘The Master Batsman’, which also include being the oldest man to score a Test century, when making 142 against Australia in the 5th Test,at the Melbourne Cricket Ground in 1929, aged 46.
