An Avalanche from Heaven

Headley Verity: In A League Of His Own

Named as one of the Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1932, after just two seasons in Yorkshire Cricket, Headley Verity is regarded as one of the most effective slow left-arm bowlers to have played cricket. Not known for spinning the ball sharply, he achieved success through the accuracy of his bowling. On pitches which made batting difficult, particularly those affected by rain, he could be almost impossible to bat on.                                                                            

Hedley was quick to make his mark in Yorkshire Cricket, it was just his 26^th Birthday on 18^th May 1931, when Headley wreaked havoc on the Warwickshire batting line-up what he modestly used to call, ‘An Avalanche from Heaven’

In just his first over young Headley removed Croom who was caught at mid-off. In his 3^rd over, Bob Wyatt was caught while trying to loft him over cover. In the next few overs, Norman Kilner, Parsons and Bates were snapped reducing Warwickshire to 59 for 5.                            
Verity had all 5 of his wickets in his 15 Overs, it was half past five and the usual movements towards the exits had started. Trains and Buses had to be boarded, and then came what was called the Avalanche, Verity’s 16^th over. All movements halted as Verity struck four times. Now only thing mattered was the precious 10^th Wicket.

Unselfish cricketer as he was, he dived to catch a snick off Macaulay’s bowling. The ball had not stuck but the dive had his shin severely torn. He continued bowling though, with the arm bound to the elbow. 

With the fourth ball of his 19^th Over, George Paine hit one straight back, as Verity held on to his 10^th Scalp, claiming 10 for 36 in his 18.4 overs.

 

The following summer he captured 10 again, this time against Nottinghamshire, for just 10 runs. In 1933 he captured 17 for 91 against Essex (9-44/8-47).                                                        

In the Lord’s Test in 1934, he scalped 15 for 104 against Australia, 14 of which came in a single day. Including Don Bradman twice.

Hedley Verity dismissed Don Bradman 8 times in 16 Tests.                                                    

“I think I knew all about Clarrie (Grimmett), but with Hedley I was never sure. You see, there was no breaking point with him. His whole career exemplified all that was best about cricket.” This is how Don Bradman remembered Hedley Verity.

He continued taking wickets through the decade, in 1939 he captured 191 at 13.13. In his last game against Sussex he captured 7 for 9, taking his tally to 144 wickets at 24.37 in 140 tests, and ridiculous figures of 1956 Wickets at an average of 14.90 in First Class.

            

 

 

The Greater Game

 

            Following the footsteps of another supreme left armer, Colin Blythe, who had taken 100 wickets for England between 1901 and 1910, was killed in France during the First World War in 1917. He had perished at the age of 38.

He followed his hero’s footsteps as Verity went into war, while the planet engaged in the second planetwide mayhem.                                                                                                               

 He had considered joining earlier, in the 1938 autumn, during the Munich Crisis. Col. Arnold Shaw of the Green Howards, an acquaintance from the Indian Tour of 1933-34, suggested he read some military textbooks. Verity devoured a large number of books on Military Tactics during the 1938-39 South African Tour.                                                                               

Verity contacted Col. Shaw when the war began. He had become a captain and a company commander of the 1st Battalion of the Green Howards by 1941. He was first posted in Ranchi, then in Persia and Syria before finally arriving in Egypt in 1943. He played his last Cricket match in Egypt before leaving for Italy.

In the night of July 19, while he was involved in the Eighth Army’s first attack on the German positions at Catania in Sicily, Verity was hit in the chest.                                        

 “Keep Going” was his last Command.

Lying wounded on the ground in agonising pain, he was captured by the enemy. Th Germans took him to a nearby hospital where he was operated. He had one of his ribs removed, while he continued to fight for his life while he was transferred across Italy to Naples.                                  

In the end the long and arduous journey from hell proved too much, as one of the greatest Left-Arm Spinners of his era, passed away on July 31, 1943 in Caserta, Italy. Like his hero Blythe, he was also just 38.