823 and all that

Cricket is a numbers game. The ones that were embedded in my head as a kid were 903 (England’s highest Test score), 364 (England’s highest individual score made by Len Hutton in the same match) and 411 (England’s highest partnership between Colin Cowdrey – my first hero) and Peter May. All those records were threatened in England’s extraordinary Test match victory in Multan.  

In the end only the last one was broken with that epic partnership of 454 between Joe Root and Harry Brook.  These runs were compiled in 86.4 overs – less than a day’s play (theoretically, though rarely are 90 overs completed in a day of Test cricket.) It was a remarkable exhibition of stamina, skill, concentration and insatiability from both men, and as their wagonwheels demonstrate, they eased, caressed, flicked, drove, pulled and (occasionally) flogged the poor, unassuming ball across every last blade of that Multan outfield, rendering it the definition of scorched earth.

A measure of the scale of England’s ultimate total of 823-7 is that its easily their highest total since before the Second World War and a span of 844 Test matches. The achievement was all the more remarkable because it came in searing, unrelenting heat, after England had spent almost two days in the field conceding 556, and, further, having only been in the country five days having come straight off the back of a white-ball series against Australia in very autumnal England. There were precisely 8 days between the odi in (13 degree C) Bristol – in. which Brook, Ben Duckett, Jamie Smith and Brydon Carse all played – and the start of the Test in (36 degree C) Multan. England’s S and C department, take a hearty bow.

But…this was all nothing compared to the momentous time England first passed 800 in a Test match, 94 years ago – as we report in the Analyst podcast. In the winter of 1930 England, then travelling under the banner of MCC, had committed to play two test series in different parts of the world at the same time. Seeking to spread the gospel of cricket, England played a four Test series in New Zealand and one in West Indies. The first Test in Christchurch, NZ was played between January 10-13, and the first Test in Bridgetown was staged January 11-16. It is the only time any country has played two Test matches simultaneously in different parts of the world.

This placed obvious pressure on England/MCC to cobble together two competitive squads. As a result the team in the Caribbean was a sort of Dad’s Army – with two players over 50 (George Gunn and Wilfred Rhodes) and a number over 40, augmented by a few youngsters. So the effort to bat for 258 overs in the first innings of the fourth Test in Jamaica to score 849 was all the more admirable.

Andy Sandham (second left) with the 1930 England team in the West Indies

There’s more.  Andrew Sandham, approaching 40, had last played a Test five years before, and by the fourth Test of this series had sold all his kit. He had to borrow various broken bats which were long handled (he was only 5ft 6in) and also Patsy Hendren’s boots which kept slipping off as he ran between the wickets. And he batted for four hours with the 20 year old Kent keeper Les Ames who he had to keep reminding to slow down between the wickets (They put on 250.) . Sandham batted for 10 hours and made 325 – the first triple hundred ever made in Test cricket.  

Alas his efforts were in vain. The captains had agreed to play a timeless Test as it was the last one of the series, which was tied at 1-1, and after West indies were bowled out for 286, England’s captain Freddie Calthorpe decided to bat again instead of enforcing the follow on. He set West indies 836 to win. Remarkably they were on course to chase this at 397-3 thanks to the brilliant George Headley’s 223 but after he was out it rained for 36 hours. On the scheduled ninth day the captains shook hands and declared the match a draw. But this was not due to the weather. It was because England’s boat was scheduled to leave for the UK.

So that is the story of England’s first journey to 800. Given that this time in Multan they rattled it up in 150 overs - another sign of the powerful influence of T20 on Test cricket - there may be more. And as Harry Brook recorded his 317 at a run a ball, perhaps Brian Lara’s record breaking numbers of 400 (Test) and 501 (first class) are in danger in due course. Pity the poor bowlers….