John Thomas Tyldesley — known throughout Lancashire as 'J.T.' to distinguish him from his younger brother Ernest — was the leading professional batter of Edwardian England. Between 1900 and 1909 he scored over 19,000 first-class runs at an average above 40 and represented England in 31 Tests. He combined a back-foot strength against fast bowling with a hooking technique that contemporaries — including Trumper — singled out for praise.
Lancashire had been one of the strong counties of the 1890s but the retirement of A.N. Hornby and the gradual decline of A.C. MacLaren's run-getting left them dependent on the professional core, of which Tyldesley was the central figure.
Tyldesley made his Lancashire debut in 1895 and was first selected for England against South Africa in 1898-99. He is among the small group of professional batters to have scored over 1,000 first-class runs in every English summer between 1900 and 1909. His most prolific season was 1901, when he scored over 3,000 runs at over 50; he repeated the 3,000-run mark in 1907. Although he never made a Test triple-century, he was the senior professional batter of his generation, the foundation of the Lancashire batting that won the 1904 county championship and the man on whom the rebuilding of England's batting after Stoddart and MacLaren depended.
1898-99: Test debut for England in South Africa
1901: Over 3,000 first-class runs in a season
1904: Lancashire win county championship; Tyldesley scores 2,000+ runs
1907: Second 3,000-run season
1895
Lancashire first-class debut
1898-99
Test debut for England
1901
Over 3,000 first-class runs in a season
1904
Lancashire county championship
The leading professional batter of the Edwardian decade and the principal architect of Lancashire's 1904 county championship.
Tyldesley's career bridged the late-Victorian professional batters and the Hobbs-Sutcliffe generation. His brother Ernest played Tests for England between the wars; their joint statue stands at Old Trafford.
Yorkshire v Essex
1932-06-16
On 15-16 June 1932 Herbert Sutcliffe (313) and Percy Holmes (224*) put on 555 for the first wicket against Essex at Leyton, breaking the world first-class record for any wicket and adding a layer of folklore — including a scoreboard that read 554 for several minutes and a hastily reversed declaration — that has clung to the partnership ever since.
Australia v England
1933-02-14
With the fate of the Bodyline series in the balance and England 216 for 6 chasing 340, Eddie Paynter checked himself out of a Brisbane hospital where he was being treated for acute tonsillitis, taxied to the Gabba in pyjamas and a dressing gown, and batted for nearly four hours to score 83. England drew level on first innings, won the Test by six wickets and the series 4-1.
Australia
1934-09-25
Days after the 1934 Oval Test, Bradman fell seriously ill with appendicitis that progressed to peritonitis. With antibiotics not yet available, he was given little chance of survival; his wife Jessie left Adelaide on a sea voyage to England prepared for the worst. He recovered after weeks of intensive nursing in a London nursing home and returned to first-class cricket the following Australian summer.