1947 English cricket season
Encyclopedia
The 1947 English cricket season is remembered for the batting performances of Denis Compton and Bill Edrich who established seasonal records that, with the subsequent reduction in the number of first-class
matches, will probably never be broken. They were assisted by the fact that it was the driest and sunniest English summer for a generation.
Compton's 3816 runs and his 18 centuries are records for an English first-class cricket
season. Edrich's 3539 runs is the second highest aggregate of all time in a single season.
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
matches, will probably never be broken. They were assisted by the fact that it was the driest and sunniest English summer for a generation.
Honours
- County Championship - Middlesex
- Minor Counties Championship - Yorkshire II
- Wisden (The Wisden Cricketers of the YearWisden Cricketers of the YearThe Wisden Cricketers of the Year are cricketers selected for the honour by the annual publication Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, based primarily on their "influence on the previous English season"...
named in the 1948 edition for their deeds in 1947) – Martin DonnellyMartin Donnelly (cricketer)Martin Paterson Donnelly was a New Zealand Test cricketer and England Rugby Union player.Born in Ngaruawahia, New Zealand, Donnelly's twin brother Maurice died in the Spanish flu epidemic in 1918. His sporting talent emerged quickly and Donnelly became known for his batting and fielding skills, as...
, Alan MelvilleAlan MelvilleAlan Melville was a South African cricketer who played in 11 Tests from 1938 to 1949. He was a Wisden Cricketer of the Year ....
, Dudley NourseDudley NourseArthur Dudley Nourse was a South African Test cricketer and batsmanThe son of batsman Arthur Nourse, Nourse played 34 Test matches in a long career of sixteen years...
, Jack RobertsonJack RobertsonJack Robertson was an English cricketer, who played county cricket for Middlesex, and in eleven Tests for England....
, Norman YardleyNorman YardleyNorman Walter Dransfield Yardley was an English cricketer who played for Cambridge University, Yorkshire County Cricket Club and England, as a right-handed batsman and occasional bowler. An amateur, he captained Yorkshire from 1948 to 1955 and England on fourteen occasions between 1947 and 1950,...
County Championship
| Position | Team | Played | Won | Lost | Drawn | Tied | No Dec | 1st inn lead match L |
1st inn lead match D |
Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pts | – | – | 12 | – | – | 6 | – | 4 | 4 | – |
| 1 | Middlesex Middlesex County Cricket Club Middlesex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Middlesex. It was announced in February 2009 that Middlesex changed their limited overs name from the Middlesex Crusaders, to the... |
26 | 19 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 236 |
| 2 | Gloucestershire Gloucestershire County Cricket Club Gloucestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Gloucestershire. Its limited overs team is called the Gloucestershire Gladiators.... |
26 | 17 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 216 |
| 3 | Lancashire Lancashire County Cricket Club Lancashire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Lancashire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1864 as a successor to Manchester Cricket Club and has played at Old Trafford since then... |
26 | 13 | 1 | 10 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 186 |
| 4 | Kent Kent County Cricket Club Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent... |
26 | 12 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 172 |
| 5 | Derbyshire Derbyshire County Cricket Club Derbyshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the England and Wales domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Derbyshire... |
26 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 160 |
| 6 | Surrey Surrey County Cricket Club Surrey County Cricket Club is one of the 18 professional county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Surrey. Its limited overs team is called the Surrey Lions... |
26 | 10 | 7 | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 140 |
| =7 | Worcestershire Worcestershire County Cricket Club Worcestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Worcestershire... |
26 | 7 | 11 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 5 | 120 |
| =7 | Yorkshire Yorkshire County Cricket Club Yorkshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Yorkshire as one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure.... |
26 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 120 |
| =9 | Glamorgan Glamorgan County Cricket Club Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County... |
26 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 116 |
| =9 | Sussex Sussex County Cricket Club Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a... |
26 | 9 | 12 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 116 |
| =11 | Essex Essex County Cricket Club Essex County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Essex. Its limited overs team is called the Essex Eagles, their team colours this season are blue.The club plays most of its home games... |
26 | 6 | 9 | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 100 |
| =11 | Nottinghamshire Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws... |
26 | 6 | 6 | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 100 |
| =11 | Somerset Somerset County Cricket Club Somerset County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Somerset... |
26 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 100 |
| 14 | Leicestershire Leicestershire County Cricket Club Leicestershire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Leicestershire. It has also been representative of the county of Rutland.... |
26 | 6 | 14 | 5 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 92 |
| 15 | Warwickshire Warwickshire County Cricket Club Warwickshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Warwickshire. Its limited overs team is called the Warwickshire Bears. Their kit colours are black and gold and the shirt sponsor... |
26 | 6 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 84 |
| 16 | Hampshire Hampshire County Cricket Club Hampshire County Cricket Club represents the historic county of Hampshire in cricket's County Championship. The club was founded in 1863 as a successor to the Hampshire county cricket teams and has played at the Antelope Ground from then until 1885, before moving to the County Ground where it... |
26 | 4 | 11 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 78 |
| 17 | Northamptonshire Northamptonshire County Cricket Club Northamptonshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Northamptonshire. Its limited overs team is called the Northants Steelbacks. The traditional club colour is Maroon. During the... |
26 | 2 | 16 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 54 |
Test series
England defeated South Africa 3-0 with two matches drawn. Four of Denis Compton's record 18 centuries in a season were scored in the Test series alone.Leading batsmen
| 1947 English cricket season – leading batsmen by average | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Innings | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | |
| Denis Compton Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... |
50 | 3816 | 246 | 90.85 | 18 | |
| Bill Edrich Bill Edrich William John "Bill" Edrich DFC was a distinguished cricketer who played for Middlesex, MCC, Norfolk and England.Edrich's three brothers, Brian, Eric and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket... |
52 | 3539 | 267* | 80.43 | 12 | |
| Ted Lester Ted Lester Edward Ibson Lester is an English first-class cricketer, who played for Yorkshire County Cricket Club.... |
11 | 657 | 142 | 73.00 | 3 | |
| Cyril Washbrook Cyril Washbrook Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592... |
47 | 2662 | 251* | 68.25 | 11 | |
| Leslie Ames | 42 | 2272 | 212* | 64.91 | 7 | |
| 1947 English cricket season – leading batsmen by aggregate | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Innings | Runs | Highest | Average | 100s | |
| Denis Compton Denis Compton Denis Charles Scott Compton CBE was an English cricketer who played in 78 Test matches, and a footballer... |
50 | 3816 | 246 | 90.85 | 18 | |
| Bill Edrich Bill Edrich William John "Bill" Edrich DFC was a distinguished cricketer who played for Middlesex, MCC, Norfolk and England.Edrich's three brothers, Brian, Eric and Geoff, and also his cousin, John, all played first-class cricket... |
52 | 3539 | 267* | 80.43 | 12 | |
| Jack Robertson Jack Robertson Jack Robertson was an English cricketer, who played county cricket for Middlesex, and in eleven Tests for England.... |
57 | 2760 | 229 | 52.07 | 12 | |
| Cyril Washbrook Cyril Washbrook Cyril Washbrook was an English cricketer, who played for Lancashire and England. He had a long career, split by World War II, and ending when he was aged 44. Washbrook, who is most famous for opening the batting for England with Len Hutton, which he did fifty one times, played a total of 592... |
47 | 2662 | 251* | 68.25 | 11 | |
| Leonard Hutton | 44 | 2585 | 270* | 64.62 | 11 | |
Compton's 3816 runs and his 18 centuries are records for an English first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
season. Edrich's 3539 runs is the second highest aggregate of all time in a single season.
Leading bowlers
| 1947 English cricket season – leading bowlers by average | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Average | |
| Johnnie Clay Johnnie Clay John Charles Clay was a cricketer who played for Glamorgan County Cricket Club. Clay also played one Test match for England.... |
2973 | 126 | 1069 | 65 | 16.44 | |
| Tom Goddard Tom Goddard Tom Goddard was the fifth highest wicket taker in first-class cricket.... |
8708 | 344 | 4119 | 238 | 17.30 | |
| Jack Young Jack Young (cricketer) John Albert "Jack" Young was an English cricketer, who played for Middlesex and England. His first-class cricket career lasted from 1933 to 1956.... |
7747 | 416 | 2765 | 159 | 17.38 | |
| Bill Bowes Bill Bowes Bill Bowes was one of the best bowlers of the interwar period and, for a time, the most important force behind Yorkshire's dominance of the County Championship... |
4794 | 275 | 1277 | 73 | 17.49 | |
| Dick Howorth Dick Howorth Dick Howorth was an English all-rounder for Worcestershire between 1933 and 1951. Chiefly remembered as a left-arm spin bowler, Howorth also occasionally bowled medium pace and was a capable hard-hitting left-handed batsman... |
7524 | 375 | 2929 | 164 | 17.85 | |
| 1947 English cricket season – leading bowlers by aggregate | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name | Balls | Maidens | Runs | Wickets | Average | |
| Tom Goddard Tom Goddard Tom Goddard was the fifth highest wicket taker in first-class cricket.... |
8708 | 344 | 4119 | 238 | 17.30 | |
| Doug Wright Doug Wright (cricketer) Douglas Vivian Parson Wright, better known as Doug Wright was an English cricketer. A leg-spinner for Kent and England from 1932 to 1957 he took a record seven hat-tricks in first class cricket. He played for Kent for 25 years and was their first professional captain from late 1953 to 1956... |
7055 | 252 | 3739 | 177 | 21.12 | |
| Peter Smith Peter Smith (cricketer) Peter Smith, was an English cricketer, who played for Essex and England. Smith was one of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1947. An all-rounder, Smith played for Essex from 1929 to 1951.-Life and career:... |
9636 | 287 | 4667 | 172 | 27.13 | |
| Dick Howorth Dick Howorth Dick Howorth was an English all-rounder for Worcestershire between 1933 and 1951. Chiefly remembered as a left-arm spin bowler, Howorth also occasionally bowled medium pace and was a capable hard-hitting left-handed batsman... |
7524 | 375 | 2929 | 164 | 17.85 | |
| Jack Young Jack Young (cricketer) John Albert "Jack" Young was an English cricketer, who played for Middlesex and England. His first-class cricket career lasted from 1933 to 1956.... |
7747 | 416 | 2765 | 159 | 17.38 | |
External sources
Annual reviews
- Playfair Cricket AnnualPlayfair Cricket AnnualPlayfair Cricket Annual is a compact annual about cricket that is published in the United Kingdom each April, just before the English cricket season is due to begin. Its main purposes are to review the previous English season and to provide detailed career records and potted biographies of current...
1948 - Wisden Cricketers Almanack 1948