Born 1903, Buckland, Dover. Kent

Died 1965, Durban. South Africa Played for Gloucestershire and England

Walter Hammond, can be mentioned in the same breath as Sir Donald Bradman, and if it weren't for the fact that 'The Don' was around at the same time, who knows what history would have written. Nevertheless, Walter or Wally was a tremendous asset to English cricket.

Born in Kent at the turn of the century, he went to Cirencester Grammar School where he learnt to feed his natural ability. He played for Gloucestershire, albeit without residential or birth qualifications before moving on to the MCC (via a tour to the Caribbean) and then England. Unfortunately due to a severe illness in the Caribbean, he struggled, but fortunately his promise was evident for all to see.

Walter was a courageous right-handed batsman who loved to use his muscular build to attack the bowling at every opportunity, never more so than when he ripped through the Lancastrian bowling attack in 1927. Playing at Old Trafford against the champions, he scored a majestic 187 in only 3 hours - setting the scene for the rest of his career.

That same season, he reached 1,000 runs in May, a feat up until that point had only been achieved by one other batsman - WG Grace (1895). On the Australasian tour of 1932/3, England called in to New Zealand and Hammond scored his highest Test score passing Sir Donald Bradman's record total by 2 runs, scoring 336 not out at Auckland.

During the Bodyline Series, Hammond was moderately successful by his standards, scoring 440 runs in total at an average of 55. He also took 9 wickets and 6 catches in the season, but it was evident that we had seen the best of him during the first part of the tour in New Zealand.

Hammond passed the magical 1,000 in a season a mere 22 times in his career (5 times on tour). He occasionally bowled medium paced balls and preferred fielding in the slips. He retired from English cricket and settled in South Africa, emigratting with his second wife Sybil in Durban, working as a cricket advisor for Natal University. He was a devoted father of three.

Walter Hammond died in 1965 at the age of 62 from a heart attack.