Herbert Sutcliffe

HERBERT SUTCLIFFE was born at Pudsey on November 25th, 1894, and is thus a fellow-townsman of John Tunnicliffe. His father played for many years for one of the Pudsey clubs, and an inherited talent for the game developed so early that young Sutcliffe played for the Yorkshire second eleven at the age of sixteen. He was quite new to first-class cricket last season, but it was only the war that kept him back. Under happier circumstances he would have had a trial for Yorkshire long before, no doubt being felt as to his ability and high promise. He enlisted in October, 1915, in the Sherwood Foresters, and later earned a commission in the Yorkshire Regiment, with which body he saw service until he was demobilised. An idea prevailed in some quarters that Sutcliffe was a discovery for Yorkshire last summer, but this was very far from the truth. As a matter of fact he had an average of 35 for the Yorkshire second eleven in 1914, and playing at one period of the war in the West of Scotland, where he was stationed, he had an average of 80. At practice at Headingley before the season began last year he showed exceptional form and his success in the Yorkshire eleven was confidently expected. Like Holmes he had profited before the war by the coaching of Stephen Doughty. He came off at once, again like Holmes, went on from strength to strength. His record for a first-season man in big cricket must be almost without parallel. This being so the highest honours of the cricket field should fall to him in the near future. By reason of his fine driving he is perhaps a more attractive bat to watch than Holmes, but he may not yet be quite so strong in defence. His drive is very hard, nearly straight, and always well kept down.