England's Len Hutton out- Obstructing the Field

By A.C. De Silva

Obstructing the field: The first Test batsman to be dismissed for "Obstructing the Field in a Test Match is Len Hutton in the Test match for England against South Africa at the Oval, Kennington, Surrey, England on Saturday - 18th August 1951.

England were chasing target of 163 runs to beat South Africa in the Fifth Test and Hutton had scored 27 when he top-edged a ball from off-spinner Athel Rowan and, to stop it from hitting the stumps, he played at it a second time but in doing so, he stopped debutant wicketkeeper Russell Endean from taking a catch. It didn't matter too much in the end - England won by four wickets.

One of the greatest post-war II batsmen, with Hitler's rampage robbing him of a few cricketing years, Sir Len Hutton, the second Willow player ever to be knighted after Hobbs, was a thoroughly gifted artist. Uncoached and without fills, or fuss, the essence of his batting was meticulously impressive and the overall execution of its strokes, at once, exciting. Of slender build and average height, Hutton, like his illustrious senior Hobbs, was also an instinctive sensitive batsman.

Hutton - a princely batsman

Every inch a princely batsman, Hutton was also a good student of the game. He never compromised on his stroke-play.

Hutton was a technically perfect batsman. He had as many strokes as Bradman. He did not fail the public that often expected for too much of him, although Len had the dubious distinction of starting both his first-class and Test careers with ducks. At age 21, Hutton scored his first Test century and, in the following year, he made his historic 364 at the Oval against Australia, in 13 hours and 17 minutes - a record, which was eclipsed by another cricketing giant, Sir Garfield Sobers, two decades later.

(Sobers' achievement (365) stands third - next to Brian Lara's 375, with the highest ever (380) being now being held by the Aussie opening dynamo, Mathew Hayden)

Hutton has left his emprint on the passage of time: a brilliant performer, who was only bogged down by exhaustion, thanks to his own uncharacteristic fragility frequent surgical operations, injuries and illnesses - a 'balcanee' the gods, perforce, dictated to reveal his human side.

Hutton 40,140 runs

Yet, Hutton, in 21 years of active cricket, totalled 40,140 runs, with 129 centuries in first-class cricket, at an impressive average of 55.92. His Test record was as redoubtable: 79 Tests; 6,971 runs; 19 hundreds; 56.68 average - an out standing percentage.

A useful leg-spinner, with 173 first-class wickets under his felt, Hutton was also a sound fielder. He made a fine captain, too-the first professional to lead England in that capacity.

A man with a quiet tenacity, Hutton brought both dignity and success to the post.

Under him, English cricket began its revival, winning the Test series against India, in 1952, and the Ashes, in Australia, the following season - England's first rubber, against traditional river, since bodyline.

Hutton- real gentleman

Hutton was too human a gentleman. He was more than responsible for the 'flowering' of two ignoble trends in the modern game. First, his deliberate effort in taking recourse to slow overrate so as to stall the opponent's run-siriy paltern; attributed to his delicate left-hand, the ploy-worked well, devised as it was towards attaining the sounder defensive device.

It was not a model for others, of course, unless one mastered the technique with devout fondness. It brought out the real nature of Hutton, the man, if not the cricketer who, though wedded to the spint of the game, was not averse to gambling with investment.

Interestly, their drive for novelty, also extended to Hutton's personal life. It made him a successful business executive, and newspaper commentator, long after he had hang his fools.