Flashback: The highest individual score in the Ashes
On August 23, 1938, as England’s three-day batting extravaganza came to a close, several records were broken. Test matches that do not favour the batters are often considered to be “poor.” However, few cricket grounds have produced matches as uninteresting as the one at The Oval during the 1938 Test. The fact that the batters did not appear to be getting out was more important than the reality that they did not score any runs or even appear to be getting out.
Quite astonishingly, Australia won the 1936–1937 Ashes, and they are the only team to ever come back to win a series after having trailed by 0-2. After that heart-breaking 2-3 loss, there were undoubtedly whispers of “revenge” when Don Bradman took his team to England in 1938. The pitch was a belter, perfect for the traditional Test. Bradman was disappointed as he lost the toss, and English skipper Wally Hammond chose to bat on the wicket.
It was hardly surprising that England amassed 347/1 on Day One given how flat the surface was. After a few harmless overs from Waite and McCabe, Bradman substituted O Reilly. A strange scene unfolded. The 38-year-old Yorkshire colleague was making a comeback after the last Ashes, which were played a year and a half ago, while the 22-year-old was seeking to build a name for himself in Test matches. The two guys, who were almost a generation apart, established one of the greatest partnerships in history using the Ashes as a platform.
Leyland considered it as a chance to leave cricket in style, while Hutton perceived it as a shot to gain his name on the international stage. Hutton was a natural absorber, the definition of focus, and may have been designed from birth to bat for extended periods of time. Leyland, despite his tendency to engage in conflict, was a competent batsman, but on that particular day, the two of them worked together to knock Australia out of the Test.
Hutton went on to surpass his personal best first-class score of 217. Before stumps on the second day, Hutton reached his triple-ton. Multiple records broke on the third day, but Hutton’s 364 (847) was the highlight of the day as he broke Bradman’s record. He also became the first player to score 350 runs in a Test. Soon after, he made history by becoming the first player to ever contribute to a 300-run partnership and a 200-run stand in the same inning. His 364 remains to be the highest individual total in the Ashes to date.
