The above photograph is of the South Africans coming on to
the pitch at Old Trafford .I assume it must have been on the
second day Monday 7 July 1947 just before I was born in
Whitkirk Leeds.
This match was Ken Cranston first Test match after just eight
weeks after his first class debut. He was amateur who went on
to captain Lancashire.On the first day there was a bitterly
cold north-west wind straight down the pitch frequently
loifted off the bails ,and one occasion reached such velocity
that it blew the down the sight screen. South Africa struggled to
278 for 6 in the first day.The English attack was Edrich, Gladwin
and Cranston, not the most treating threesome.
After heavy rain on the Sunday night South Africa got to 339.
The English opening pair was Hutton and Washbrook,above
However it on this occasion they both out for 48.
it was left to the Middlesex pair of Compton and Edrich
putting on a stand of 228. Compton scoring 115 and reaching
his third successive century against South Africa.
Rain limited play to three hours on the third day but
Edrich went on to score 191 in five hours twenty minutes
and included three sixes and twenty two fours.England total
reached 478.
On the last day it was notable for Nourse to play a excellent
innings of 115 on a difficult pitch. Some of Compton deliveries
rose above shoulder height. It was left to Edrich to york him on 115.
South Africa been bowled out for 267 with Edrich taking four wickets.
It left England to score 130 to win they did with four wickets down.
This was the first conclusion of a Test match at Old Trafford in
ten years.
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