On 21 July 1925 the 36-year-old Patsy Hendren made 277 for Middlesex against Worcestershire at New Road — at the time his career-best, in a 1925 season in which he scored 3,311 runs at 70.44 and was second in the English averages only to Jack Hobbs.
Hendren had played for Middlesex since 1907 and for England since 1920. By the mid-1920s he was the most prolific middle-order batsman in English cricket, alongside Hobbs. The 1925 season was the most prolific of his career: 3,311 runs at 70.44, 13 hundreds, and the highest individual score of his career to that point — 277 against Worcestershire at New Road in late July.
Middlesex won the toss and chose to bat. Hendren came in at 22 for 2 and proceeded to take a three-day attack apart. He was 152 not out at stumps on day 1 and 277 by the close of the morning session on day 2, when he was finally caught at slip off the offspin of Charles Brookes. The innings included 35 fours and lasted 320 minutes. Middlesex declared at 511 and won by an innings.
Hendren's 277 was passed by his own 301 against Worcestershire in 1933 (and his all-time best 366 against Worcestershire in 1933 again — at Worcester. Hendren's career figures from Worcester are unmatched by any visiting batsman in county history). His 1925 season aggregate of 3,311 runs is the third-highest by any English batsman.
Middlesex 22/2 when Hendren walks in
Stumps day 1: Hendren 152*
Day 2 morning: passes 250
Out for 277 caught off Brookes
Middlesex declare 511 and win by an innings
21 Jul 1925
Hendren begins innings
Stumps day 1
152*
Day 2 morning
Out for 277
End of season
3,311 runs at 70.44
“Patsy made the bowler smile as he was hitting him for four. He was the friendliest enemy a county pro ever had.”
Hendren finished the 1925 season with 3,311 runs — the third-highest by any English batsman in any season. He played 51 Tests for England and finished with 7 Test hundreds. His career first-class total of 170 hundreds is second only to Hobbs's 197.
Hendren's 277 of 1925 is the highlight of the most prolific season of his career and a permanent reminder that the man Wisden once called 'the cheeriest professional in English cricket' was also among its most consistent.
Hendren remained the most popular professional cricketer in England through the inter-war period. His career first-class aggregate of 57,611 runs is third in cricket history behind Hobbs and Frank Woolley.
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.