10 for 10-Hedley Verity and the Story of Cricket’s Greatest Bowling Feat

10 for 10-Hedley Verity and the Story of Cricket’s Greatest Bowling Feat

By

Chris waters

It was not a devilish pitch. Yorkshire’s Hedley Verity claimed 10 for 10 in the third innings of a county match versus the Notts at the Headingley.In the fourth innings,the Yorks scored none for 139 to romp home.Sure,there was ‘avalanche from heaven’on day 3 as Verity himself said later on.In those days ,wickets were not covered.The next day’s sun dried the pitch and helped the left-armer get more lift off the pitch.From none for 44 ,the Notts succumbed to 67 all out.In a match that figured great players like Larwood,Voce,Arthur Carr,Sutcliffe,Holmes,it cant even be said that the field was barren.In the remaining part of the day,Herbert Sutcliffe and Holmes had a 139 runs opening partnership to win the match for Yorkshire.There was another spinner in the Yorks’side.He could not get any wicket.Verity ,in any case ,was not a great turner of the ball.He bowled just enough length to make the batsmen play forward,and turned just enough to get an edge.That was the secret  of his bowling.That somehow led him  on that july day in 1932 to claim 10 wickets for 10 runs  which remain the best first class bowling figures ever.

It was not just that he got lucky.Hedley Verity had claimed 10/36 vesus  Warwickshire in his debut 1931 season as well.He later claimed 9 for 12 and other 9fers,8fers and 7fers too.There  was something special about this cricketer.

When I came across the book,I was not much aware of who Verity was.I wanted to see how could a book be written around just one bowling haul/spell,or if u stretch the logic too far,about a single county match.But Waters has not only covered the match and the zeitgeist perfectly,but also goes on to traverse Hedley Verity’s career and life.

And what a career it turned out to be.Between 1931-39,he claimed 1956 wickets at an average of 15 in the county matches.He earned his English flannels shortly after 10/10.He played a key role in the Bodyline series with his bat and ball.In the six test series which the English won 4/1,HV claimed Don Bradman’s wicket thrice.In the sixth and final test,he claimed three wickets in the first and five in the second innings.HV went on to play 40 tests for England,and claimed 144 wickets at an average of 24.7.He played 17 tests versus Australia and the Don and no one got him out more often (8 times).But for Verity,Don’s average wud have been 150 is a fair guess.His best performance came against the Ozzies at Lords in 1934 where he took 15 wickets in a test for 104 runs.He won two Ashes out of the four he was a part of.Don bradman conceded he had sorted out Grimmett completely ,but that with Verity he could never be sure.Len Hutton considered him a mentor,a steady friend and a calm influence.Douglas Jardine considered him his favourite player and a close friend ,someone who either had a plan,or would fully back you if u had one.He was that kind of a player.

In 1939,he  got himself enlisted .He got hit by a sharpenel in his chest during the Sicliy invasion in 1943,and passed away eleven days later.

When I think about it,Hedley verity lived such a busy decade 1931-43,saw such action,performed glorious deeds,sparred with remarkable men on the field and Nazis on the battlefield,and then departed without a fuss.He might have played again after the War,or joined cricket management.He wanted to be a politician to bring about change.The War cut short many promises,Hedley Verity one of them.

Chris waters has written the book with the passion of a cricket fan,precision of a historian and has not compromised with the literary aspect of his writing.The book is laced with classic British wit and humour.Its a pleasure read,and for me,who was not quite aware of Hedley Verity’s stature,had left me with a  Hero to look upto.