Herbert Sutcliffe

Herbert Sutcliffe

Herbert Sutcliffe in 1933
Personal information
Full name	Herbert Sutcliffe
Born	(1894-11-24)24 November 1894 Summerbridge, Nidderdale, West Riding of Yorkshire, England
Died	22 January 1978(1978-01-22) (aged 83) Cross Hills, North Yorkshire, England
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Batsman
Relations	Billy Sutcliffe (son)
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 215)	14 June 1924 v South Africa
Last Test	29 June 1935 v South Africa
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1919–1945	Yorkshire
1924–1933	MCC
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 54 754[a] Runs scored 4,555 50,670 Batting average 60.73 52.02 100s/50s 16/23 151/229 Top score 194 313 Balls bowled – 993 Wickets – 14 Bowling average – 40.21 5 wickets in innings – 0 10 wickets in match – 0 Best bowling – 3/15 Catches/stumpings 23/– 474/–
Source: CricketArchive, 17 September 2009

Herbert Sutcliffe (24 November 1894 – 22 January 1978) was an English professional cricketer who represented Yorkshire and England as an opening batsman. Apart from one match in 1945, his first-class career spanned the period between the two world wars. His first-class debut was delayed by the First World War until 1919 and his career was effectively terminated in August 1939 when he was called up for military service in the imminent Second World War. He was the first cricketer to score 16 centuries in Test match cricket. He is most famous for being the partner of Jack Hobbs and the partnership between the two, Hobbs and Sutcliffe, is widely regarded as the greatest partnership of all time.

A right-handed batsman, Sutcliffe was noted for his concentration and determination, qualities which made him invaluable to his teams in adverse batting conditions; and he is remembered as one of the game's finest "bad wicket batsmen". His fame rests mainly in the great opening partnership he formed with Jack Hobbs for England between 1924 and 1930. He also formed notable opening partnerships at Yorkshire with Percy Holmes and, in his last few seasons, the young Len Hutton. During Sutcliffe's career, Yorkshire won the County Championship 12 times. Sutcliffe played in 54 Test matches for England and on three occasions he toured Australia, where he enjoyed outstanding success. His last tour in 1932–33 included the controversial "bodyline" series, in which Sutcliffe is perceived to have been one of Douglas Jardine's main supporters. Although close friends have stated that Sutcliffe did not approve of bodyline, he always acted out of fierce loyalty to his team captain and was committed to his team's cause. In statistical terms, Sutcliffe was one of the most successful Test batsmen ever; his completed career batting average was 60.73 which is the highest by any English batsman and the fifth-highest worldwide (of Test batsmen with 20 completed innings) behind only Don Bradman, Adam Voges, Graeme Pollock and George Headley.

Sutcliffe became a successful businessman early in his first-class career by using the money he earned as a player to establish a sportswear shop in Leeds. When his playing career ended, he served on the club committee at Yorkshire for 21 years and for three years was an England Test selector. Among the honours accorded him have been the commemoration of a special set of gates in his name at Headingley, home of Yorkshire County Cricket Club, and his induction into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame.