Those 721 in a day – ‘They Never Hurried’
Martin Chandler |Published: 1998
Pages: 4
Author: Rosenwater, Irving
Publisher: Private
Rating: 3 stars
In a sense it is a bit of a stretch to include this one in Rosenwater’s oeuvre as a separate item, but then there is a numbered and signed limited edition of just ten copies. This one is a true off print however, having been run off from an essay simultaneously published in The Journal of the Cricket Society in Autumn 1998.
The title immediately gives away the subject matter, the achievement of Don Bradman’s 1948 Invincibles at Southchurch Park in Southend. Rosenwater preface his piece by quoting ‘Tiger’ O’Reilly, by then in the press box; It was a full scale jollification at the expense of an attack which was completely incapable of self-defence. The wistful sub-title comes from one of the victims of the assault, Essex and England all-rounder Trevor Bailey.
The stars of that particular day are, perhaps, of greater interest now than at any time since 1948. The Aussies scored their runs at 5.59 runs per over and, from Sam Loxton, there was just a single six. In the remarkable Test match at Rawalpindi in December last year England scored at 6.75 per over on the first day. It would be fascinating to know what Rosenwater’s thoughts on Bazball might have been.
And the Bailey comment is the theme of an, as would be expected from Rosenwater, interesting reconstruction of a famous day’s cricket with, naturally, a good look at the numbers. What the essay doesn’t help with, which is a slight disappoint, is the dismissal of Keith Miller – did he surrender his wicket to Bailey because he wasn’t prepared to join in the carnage, or was he beaten by a decent delivery? In fact Miller isn’t mentioned at all, so we don’t have the benefit of Rosenwater’s view on that old chestnut.
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