Catalogue for the auction of
Cricket, Football, Golf & Sporting Memorabilia

Held on Friday, Saturday & Sunday
29th, 30th November & 1st December 2024

Lot 159
Estimate: £200/300
Hammer: £180
‘England v Australia 1972’. Original four page typed manuscript by Hutton for an article previewing the impending ‘Ashes’ series. Hutton opens with his pleasure at that Winter is over ‘and we can get back to sanity and sunshine with our summer games’, and remembers supporting Leeds United ‘in the days of Edwards, Hart and Copping, also the Milburn brothers, I shivered more times than I care to remember watching the stars of those days’. Hutton then continues with an assessment of the forthcoming series between the young Australians against the more experienced England team and how Australia will need to adapt to the conditions, commenting on their good fielding, catching, and how ‘their keeness [sic] is always to be admired, and does much to overcome technical deficiencies [sic] which all cricketers have’. Hutton’s opinion is that ‘overseas cricketers develop at an earlier age than English cricketers... Maurice Tate advised Don Bradman to play with a straighter bat before coming to England in 1930’. He believes that England will be the stronger side ‘provided of course that we do not suffer serious injuries to players like Edrich, and Boycott, also Snow if he is trying this year’, and discusses the potential of upcoming bowlers, Alan Ward of Derbyshire and Chris Old of Yorkshire. Hutton compares Ernie McCormack on the 1938 tour, also Lindwall, Johnston and Miller, with Lillee, Massie and Hammond ‘who are Australia’s shock opening bowlers’. He comments on how in Australia ‘there are no good players you are either a champ or a no hoper’ and how, during a run of poor batting form when on tour in Australia cricketers, he was fielding on the boundary in front of the Hill at Sydney Cricket Ground when a ‘shirt sleeved Aussie with his handkerchief knotted at each corner, and placed on his head... called to me “Don’t worry Hutton you’ll come good’. Hutton describes England wicket-keeper, Alan Knott, as a “Wick” (a lively, small insect), and the weakness of both teams’ spin attacks, including the Australians, Mallett and Gleeson, the latter potentially being a danger ‘if by now he has learned to give the ball a little more air... So I anticipate a good dosage of seam bowling’. Some annotations and corrections apparently in Hutton’s own hand. Attached is a single page hand written letter to “Cliff”, dated 6th April 1972, offering ‘some views on the tour’. Nicely signed ‘Len’. Ex Len Hutton collection, previously sold by Knights. Good/ very good condition.

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