WR Hammond

Walter Reginald Hammond (19 June 1903 – 1 July 1965) was an English first-class cricketer who played for Gloucestershire in a career that lasted from 1920 to 1951. Beginning as a professional, he later became an amateur and was appointed captain of England. Hammond was primarily a middle-order batsman. Wisden Cricketers' Almanack described him as one of the four best batsmen in the history of cricket. He was considered the best English batsman of the 1930s by commentators and those with whom he played; they also said that he was one of the best slip fielders ever. Hammond was an effective fast-medium pace bowler and contemporaries believed that if he had been less reluctant to bowl, he could have achieved even more with the ball than he did. In a Test career spanning 85 matches, Hammond scored 7,249 runs and took 83 wickets. He captained England in 20 of those Tests, winning four, losin