South Yorkshire Times, July 10, 1943
Memorable Innings by Hutton in Swinton Charity Match
With six test and county players and two West Indies players the “star” attractions, and the inimitable Len Hutton in glorious form, there was plenty of good cricket to delight about 3,000 spectators at Swinton on Monday. Much preliminary hard work had been put in by the organising committee, with an efficient leader in Mr Cyril Peat, to ensure the success of this charity game, and a handsome sum of at least £400 was realised for Police Charities and the Mexborough Montagu Hospital.
The two sides were sponsored by Mr. G. C. Vaughan, Chief Constable of the West Riding, and Mr. S. C. Ward, J.P., and several prominent police cricketers were included.
Players and patrons were entertained to lunch by Mr. Collin Ward in the pavilion prior to the match. Mr Ward extended a warm welcome to all the players and patrons and mentioned that the last time there was such a gathering of county players in Swinton was immediately after the last war when he arranged for a team to meet what was practically a Derbyshire XI. Wilfred Rhodes, the famous Yorkshire player, whom he welcomed among them that day, was then playing. He thanked the players taking part and members of the committee for helping to make the game such a success. He extended his best thanks to all the committee who had worked very hard
Swinton Connections
Mr. Vaughan spoke of the pleasure it gave him to return among his old friends at Swinton, and particularly among members of the constabulary. Mr. Vaughan spent the early days of his police career in the district and he had a long and happy friendship with Mr. Ward. It was very fitting that they should now be engaged in friendly combat and particularly with the object of raising funds for such deserving charities as the Police Orphanage and the Montagu Hospital. He looked forward to spending a very happy day among them and he took the opportunity of thanking Mr. Ward on behalf of all present for his generous hospitality.
The Committee comprised: Mr. C. W. Peat (chairman), Mr. F. Young (secretary), Messrs. G. H. Smickersgill, J. B. Wilkinson, F. Tingle, A. Fairhurst, B. Clifton, D. Hayes, H. E. Kershaw, E. Walton, P. Bacon, H. Thompson, W. Broadhead, H. Brocklesby, R. Ingham, J. Brearley and P. Beaumont. A word of praise is due to Mr. T. Parkin who had the ground and wicket in such excellent condition. Umpires were Mr. Wilfred Rhodes (Yorkshire and England) and Mr. J. Harrison, and scorers P.c. Ward and Mr G. Mangham, the latter now in his 51st year as scorer to the Swinton Club. Mr. Tinkler, of Sheffield, entertained the crowd by a breezy commentary on the play through the microphone.
The game opened with more stylish cricket than big hitting but finished with Len Hutton and Walter Spicer (Sheffield United) mastering the bowling and carrying the interest in the match to the very end and securing a magnificent victory for Mr. Ward’s team, which may evoke another challenge for a return match.
Mr Vaughan’s XI batted first, Herbert Sutcliffe and Eddie Paynter having first knock. Sutcliffe was an early casualty, a rising ball from Ellison damaging a ligament in his shoulder when he had scored 14, and he took no further part in the game. Paynter, who was not too well, was caught by Hutton in the slips. The Derbyshire all-rounder, Alf Pope, batted confidently, and partnered by the West Indian, E. A. Martindale, scored quickly off Hutton’s spin bowling, and Cyril Turner. Pope hit the first six off Hutton and went on to score four fours from four successive balls off Turner before the latter clean bold him. The Derbyshire man made 55 in an hour and finished with 79.
Good Stumping
Mr. Ward’s team fielded soundly. Copson saved a number of likely fours near the boundary, and A. Spenceley, Swinton’s stumper, kept a keen eye on the ball to catch Martindale when the latter was well set. The fact that there was only one extra was largely due to Spenceley’s good stumping. Mr. Vaughan’s XI declared at 195 for five obtained in 2 hours 10 minutes. W. Copson, the Derbyshire and England bowler, had the best return with 2 for 19, others taking wickets being Ellison (1 for 35) and Turner (2 for 55).
Len Hutton and G. Barnett battered cautiously at first against the bowling of Pope and Detective Sergeant Stubbs, and Pope soon had Barnett back in the pavilion. It took Hutton five minutes under the hour to make his 50, but once he had the measure of the bowling he hit fours repeatedly. After contributing 30, Cyril Turner was dismissed, Frank Ellis making a brilliant low catch off Martindale. The left-hander, P.c. Pike, took over from Stubbs, and clean bowled E. St. John Hill with his third ball, when Hill had added only a single to the total. It took Mr. Ward’s team 1 ¾ hours to pass the 200, Hutton was right on top of his form and scored freely from each bowler. In one over he hit two sixes and two fours. It was a batsman’s wicket and Hutton and Spicer took full advantage of it. Hutton’s unbeaten 149 was scored in just over two hours.
Pope took 1 for 37, Martindale 1 for 35, and Pike 1 for 63. Scores:- G. C. VAUGHNAN’S XI – Sutcliffe (Yorkshire) retired hurt 14, Paynter (Lancashire) c Hutton b Ellison 12, A. Pope (Derbyshire) b Turner 79, E. A. Martindale (West Indies) c Spenceley b Turner 41, P.s. Lunn (captain) b Copson 27, P.c. Hadfield not out 16, P.c. Farrar c Copson 0, P.c. Pike not out 5, extra 1; total (for five wickets declared) 195.
- C. WARD’S XI – Len Hutton (Yorkshire) not out 149, G. Barnett (Swinton) b Pope 1, C. Turner (Yorkshire) c Ellis b Martindale 30, E. St. J. Hill (West Indies) b Pike 1, W. Spicer (Sheffield United) not out 44; extras 5; total (for three wickets) 230.