Hobbs, the Master batsman

By Oliver Brett

A REMARKABLE CAREER Born: 16.12.1882, Cambridge Died: 21.12.1963, Hove First-class debut: 24.04.1905 First-class runs: 61,237 @ 50.65 with 197 centuries

Nowadays cricket records are broken on a regular basis, but it is a safe bet that no-one will top the 61,237 runs made by Sir Jack Hobbs.

Sunday marks the centenary of the first-class debut of certainly the finest servant Surrey possessed and one of the best English batsmen of all time.

He was known as The Master and carried on playing until he was past 50.

And there was no gradual decline either, with half of his record 197 centuries coming when he was past his 40th birthday.

He was born within a six-hit of Fenner's, the first-class cricket ground at Cambridge.

His father was a groundsman and umpire at Jesus College and the young Hobbs taught himself how to play the game.

After Hobbs' father died, a family friend suggested he try his luck with Essex, but in a move they had reason to regret over the years that followed, they declined to offer the stylish young batsman a trial.

Hobbs was universally liked and admired within the game

In 1903, at the age of 21, Hobbs joined Surrey to begin a two-year apprenticeship. During this time, he played as a professional for Cambridgeshire, hitting 195 in brilliant style against Hertfordshire.

He made his Surrey debut on 24 April 1905 against The Gentlemen of England, a side captained by WG Grace, who said of Hobbs: "He's going to be a good 'un."

In his second game for the full Surrey side, he made 155 and was immediately granted his county cap.

Hobbs played the first of his 61 Tests on the 1907-08 tour of Australia, appearing in four of the five Tests and hitting three fifties.

Two winters later, when England visited South Africa, Hobbs was the only batsman to master the problems of back-of-the-hand spinners bowling on matting wickets.

YEARS OF PLENTY 1924: 2,094 runs @ 58.16 1925: 3,024 runs @ 70.32 1926: 2,949 runs @ 77.60 1927: 1,641 runs @ 52.93 1928: 2,542 runs @ 82.00

It was soon clear that on all kinds of pitches, wet or dry, at home or away, against pace, spin and swing, Hobbs reigned supreme.

He hit his first Test century in Cape Town in 1910 and four more followed in quick succession.

He was heading towards his 37th birthday when cricket resumed after a five-year hiatus caused by the First World War.

The older Hobbs was less of a risk-taker but his elegant batting led to more apparebntly effortless centuries and astonishing statistics.

In his later years, he lost his attacking verve but remained stylish

He once said, however, that he wanted to be remembered for the way he batted before 1914.

"But, Jack," his friends protested, "you got bags of runs after 1919!"

"Maybe," replied Hobbs, "but they were nearly all made off the back foot."

By now, his opening partnerships for England with Yorkshire's Herbert Sutcliffe were something to behold.

Hobbs was also a charming man, and the world of cricket rejoiced in 1953 when he became the first professional cricketer to be knighted.

A famous but anonymous fast bowler once paid the best of all compliments to Sir Jack, saying "it were 'ard work bowling at 'im, but it were something you wouldn't have missed for nothing."