On this day in Yorkshire 1938

England 903 for 7 declared. Australia 117 for 3

Australia are hopelessly placed in the final Test match at The Oval.

With three men out they are 786 runs behind England’s mammoth total of 903 for seven wickets, declared and Bradman, their captain, and batting mainstay, will take further part in the match.

Fingleton, too, may not bat. he was unable to field yesterday.

This “play-to-a-finish“ Test will go down in history as Hutton’s match. The 22 year-old Yorkshire batsman broke all Test records scoring 364 — the result of 13 hours 20 minutes batting.

Sixth out at 770, he batted from half-past eleven Saturday until half-past two on Tuesday. He never wavered from his determination to staying as long as possible, and his 364 comprised of 35 4’s, 15 3’s, 18 2’s and as many as 143 singles.

Only A. C. MacLaren, who hit 424 for Lancashire against Somerset at Taunton in 1895, has played a bigger innings in this country.

Hardstaff remained unbeaten for 169, but it was the Yorkshiremen who took the honours, for between them Hutton, Leyland, Wood - who hit a vigorous 53 and Verity contributed 612.

The Australian bowlers, Waite, O’Reilly and Fleetwood-Smith after three gruelling days in the field were completely tired out, and O’Reilly wore the skin off one of his fingers spinning the ball.

Facing the record Test total, the Australians made a disastrous start, Bowes having Badcock — scorer of 23 runs in seven Test innings, caught without a run scored.

McCabe left at 19, and then followed the brightest batting of the match, Hassett and Brown adding 51 in 35 minutes before Hassett was caught by Compton.

Over 80,000 people have already seen the Test, yesterday’s figures being 30,000, of whom 26,428 paid.

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