George Hirst: Difference between revisions

| death_place = [[Lindley, West Yorkshire|Lindley]], [[Yorkshire]], England

| bowling = Left-arm [[Fast bowling#Categorisation of fast bowling|medium-fast]]

'''George Herbert Hirst''' (7 September 1871 – 10 May 1954) was a professional English [[cricket]]er who played [[first-class cricket]] for [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club]] between 1891 and 1921, with a further appearance in 1929. He played in 24 [[Test cricket|Test matches]] for [[England cricket team|England]] between 1897 and 1909, touring Australia twice. One of the best [[all-rounder]]s of his time, Hirst was a left arm [[Fast bowling#Categorisation of fast bowling|medium-fast]] bowler and right-handed batsman. He played in 24 [[Test cricket|Test matches]] for [[England cricket team|England]] between 1897 and 1909, touring Australia twice. He completed the [[Double (cricket)|double]] of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets in an English cricket season 14 times, the second most of any cricketer after his contemporary and team-mate [[Wilfred Rhodes]]. One of the [[Wisden Cricketers of the Year|''Wisden'' Cricketers of the Year]] for 1901, Hirst scored 36,356 runs and took 2,742 wickets in first-class cricket. In Tests, he made 790 runs and captured 59 wickets.

Born in [[Kirkheaton]], Hirst first achieved success for Yorkshire as a bowler who could bat a little. Over his first few seasons, his batting developedimproved at the expense of his bowling until he was regarded mainly as a specialist batsman. Around 1900, his bowling re-emerged when he discovered a method to make the ball [[Swing bowling|swing]] in the air after he released it. He was one of the first bowlers to control the swing of the ball;, which batsmen found it very difficult to counter, this method andmaking Hirst's bowling was subsequently far more successful. From 1903 he achieved 11 consecutive doubles. He set records in 1905, when he scored 341 runs in an innings against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]]—still the highest total for Yorkshire as of 2015—and in 1906, when he completed an unprecedented and unrepeated double of 2,000 runs and 200 wickets. In many seasons, he battled injury which reduced his effectiveness, but his bowling remained successful until shortly before the First World War. Hirst played in all England's home Test series between 1899 and 1909, but his record for England was less impressive than his record for Yorkshire and he may have suffered from playing in Australia where playing conditions did not suitthen himon.

Hirst was born on 7 September 1871 in the Brown Cow Inn, [[Kirkheaton]], a village close to [[Huddersfield]]. He was the last of 10 children born to James Hirst and his wife Sarah Maria Woolhouse. When his father died in 1880, Hirst lived with his sister Mary Elizabeth Woolhouse and her husband John Berry in Kirkheaton.{{refn|Research by J. R. Ellam shows that Hirst was registered under the name of George Herbert Woolhouse, the son of Mary Elizabeth Woolhouse; his sister was baptised as Woolhouse, not Hirst, because her parents were unmarried at the time of her birth. Furthermore, the 1881 census names him as the son of Mary Elizabeth and John Berry.<ref>Ellam, pp. 87–88.</ref>|group=note}}<ref name=E76>Ellam, p. 76.</ref> After leaving school at 10 years of age, Hirst first worked for a hand-loom weaver in a local cottage, and then at a dyeing firm.<ref name=T27>Thomson, p. 27.</ref> He played [[rugby football]] as a [[Fullback (rugby union)|full back]] during winter,<ref name=T27/> and cricket with his friends and brothers in summer.<ref name=E76/> By the age of 15, Hirst was playing regularly for the Kirkheaton cricket team and his batting and bowling performances regularly won prizes from a local newspaper.<ref>Thomson, p. 26.</ref> His reputation grew; when he was 18 he was a key player in the Kirkheaton team which won the Lumb Challenge Cup of 1889. In the final, watched by players from [[Yorkshire County Cricket Club]], he took five wickets for 23 runs.<ref name=E76/><ref name=coy>{{Cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154863.html| title = George Hirst (Cricketer of the Year) | work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year = 1901 | publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 4 December 2010}}</ref> Days later, invited to take part along with another local player, he appeared for Yorkshire against Cheshire in a non-[[First-class cricket|first-class]] match in Huddersfield. He scored six runs in his only innings, and took three wickets in the match.<ref>Ellam, pp. 76–77.</ref>

Hirst played only intermittently for Yorkshire over the next couple of seasons,<ref name=figures>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/cgi-bin/player_oracle_reveals_results2.cgi?playernumber=216&testing=0&opponentmatch=exact&playername=George%20Hirst&resulttype=All&matchtype=All&teammatch=exact&startwicket=&homeawaytype=All&opponent=&endwicket=&wicketkeeper=&searchtype=InningsList&howout=All&endscore=&playermatch=contains&branding=cricketarchive&captain=&endseason=&startscore=&team=&startseason=| title = Player Oracle GH Hirst| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdateaccess-date = 4 December 2010}}</ref> but continued to develop as a cricketer, signing as a professional for [[Elland]] Cricket Club for the 1890 season before joining [[Mirfield]] in 1891.<ref name="Ellam, p. 77">Ellam, p. 77.</ref> During that season, he made his first-class debut for Yorkshire against [[Somerset County Cricket Club|Somerset]] in the [[County Championship]]; he scored 15 runs and took two wickets in the game.<ref name=figures/>

For the 1892 season, Hirst joined Huddersfield, which played a higher standard of cricket.<ref name=coy/> Yorkshire also gave him a longer run in the first team. Early in the season, Hirst appeared for Yorkshire against the [[Marylebone Cricket Club]] (MCC). Not considered a good batsman at this stage, he batted at [[Batting order (cricket)#Lower order or tail|number 11]] in the first innings, scored 20 and 43 [[not out]] and, as a bowler, took four wickets for 29 runs (four for 29) and two for 58. His bowling performance particularly impressed [[Sydney Pardon]], the editor of ''[[Wisden Cricketers' Almanack]]''.<ref name=coy/><ref name=timesobit>{{Cite news | title = Mr George Hirst| newspaper = The Times | location = London | page = 10 | date = 11 May 1954}}</ref> Yorkshire, needing to fill a vacant place in the team, played Hirst 13 times in first-class matches in 1892.<ref name=figures/><ref name=H55>Hodgson, p. 55.</ref> He did not pass 30 runs in an innings again and [[Batting average (cricket)|averaged]] 16.15 with the bat.<ref name=fcbatting>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/216/f_Batting_by_Season.html| title = First-class Batting and Fielding in Each Season by George Hirst| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdateaccess-date = 5 December 2010}}</ref> With the ball, he took 30 wickets at an [[Bowling average|average]] of 20.56 with a best performance of six for 16 against [[Sussex County Cricket Club|Sussex]].<ref name=figures/><ref name=fcbowling>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/216/f_Bowling_by_Season.html| title = First-class Bowling in Each Season by George Hirst| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdateaccess-date = 5 December 2010}}</ref> ''Wisden'' later noted that Hirst, until he tired later in the season and was dropped from the team, "bowled up to a certain point with excellent results".<ref name=coy/>

Over the next few seasons, Hirst became a regular member of the Yorkshire side, but although his performances were good enough to keep him in the team, he had few outstanding successes. ''Wisden'' noted: "For some time after his first season Hirst's career was one of steady progress rather than of brilliant achievement."<ref name=coy/> Hirst's batting remained undeveloped in 1893; he batted at number 10 and did not pass fifty in any one innings, though he managed some useful scores.<ref name=T28>Thomson, p. 28.</ref> He averaged only 15.04 with the bat,<ref name=fcbatting/> but his bowling continued to make a good impression on critics.<ref name=T28/> He took 99 wickets at an average of 14.39, placing him third in the Yorkshire averages for the season;<ref name=fcbowling/><ref name=T28/> that year, the county won the official [[County Championship]], which had begun in 1890, for the first time.<ref name=ccposn>{{Cite book| title = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 2010| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London | chapter = LV County Championship: County Championship Final Positions 1890–2010| isbn = 978-1-4081-2466-6| pages = 574–575}}</ref> In 1894, Hirst scored his maiden first-class century against [[Gloucestershire County Cricket Club|Gloucestershire]], hitting an unbeaten 115 out of a partnership of 176 for the ninth [[Wicket#Partnership|wicket]].<ref>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/4/4219.html| title = Gloucestershire v Yorkshire in 1894| publisher = CricketArchive| accessdateaccess-date = 5 December 2010}}</ref> Although this was his only score over fifty, ''Wisden'' recorded how his batting often helped his team out of difficult situations.<ref>Thomson, p. 29.</ref> In total, he hit 564 runs at an average of 16.58.<ref name=fcbatting/> With the ball, his record was similar to the previous season. He took 98 wickets at an average of 15.98,<ref name=fcbowling/> and his best figures came in a match against [[Lancashire County Cricket Club|Lancashire]], a feat appreciated by Yorkshire supporters as the fixture{{refn|In cricket, "fixture" means a scheduled match; in this context, it means a match between two teams which takes place each season.|group=note}} was always highly competitive.<ref name="Ellam, p. 77"/><ref name="Thomson, p. 30">Thomson, p. 30.</ref> Then in the 1895 season, Hirst passed 100 wickets in the season for the first time, securing 150 wickets at an average of 17.06.<ref name=fcbowling/> He established himself as an opening bowler for Yorkshire, assuming the role from [[Ted Wainwright]] and developing a good partnership with [[Bobby Peel]].<ref>Thomson, p. 22.</ref> Against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]], he took a [[Hat-trick#Cricket|hat-trick]].<ref name=E78/> Although primarily regarded as a bowler, and while ''Wisden'' later described his batting as being in "temporary decline" in 1895,<ref name=coy/> Hirst also scored 710 runs at an average of 19.18, with three fifties.<ref name=fcbatting/>

In 1896, Yorkshire won their second County Championship. Hirst hit a century against [[Leicestershire County Cricket Club|Leicestershire]] and nine other scores over fifty; this improvement in his batting took him past 1,000 runs for the first time, and his average of 28.05 was substantially higher than he had achieved previously.<ref name=figures/><ref name=fcbatting/> With the ball he took 104 wickets, at the more expensive average of 21.61, to complete [[Double (cricket)|the double]] of 1,000 runs and 100 wickets for the first time.<ref name=fcbowling/> However, some critics in Yorkshire were unhappy that his batting had improved, believing that the extra effort involved would diminish his effectiveness as a bowler. They considered a powerful bowling attack to be vital to the team's success, more so than a strong batting line-up, and expressed the opinion that Hirst should concentrate on one discipline rather than dividing his energy.<ref name="Thomson, p. 30"/> Over the next few seasons, these fears were proven to some extent, ''Wisden'' noting in 1901 that he was a less effective bowler than previously.<ref name=coy/> In 1897, Hirst completed the double again. He scored 1,535 runs at an average of 35.69, with a century and 11 fifties, and took 101 wickets at an average of 23.22.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/> These performances were good enough to earn him selection for [[Gentlemen v Players|the Players against the Gentlemen]] in the prestigious matches at [[The Oval]] and [[Lord's]], in both of which he scored half-centuries.<ref name=figures/>

For the winter of 1897–98, Hirst was selected as part of [[Andrew Stoddart]]'s team to tour Australia.<ref name=T33>Thomson, p. 33.</ref> The team was outplayed and lost the Test matches 4–1, hampered by the poor form of the bowlers and ill health among the team, not least from Stoddart himself who missed several matches following the death of his mother.<ref name=stod>{{Cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154329.html| title = England v Australia, 1897–98 | work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year = 1899 | publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 18 December 2010}}</ref> Hirst, suffering from a strained leg for some of the tour,<ref name="T33"/> was ineffective as a bowler.<ref name=stod/> The hard Australian pitches favoured batsmen and did not suit Hirst's style of bowling.<ref name=coy/><ref name=E78>Ellam, p. 78.</ref> In all the first-class matches on the tour, he took only nine wickets at the very expensive average of 75.77.<ref name=fcbowling/> His batting was inconsistent and he scored 338 runs at an average of 21.12.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=T33/> His best scores came in minor matches.<ref name=figures/> Nevertheless, he was selected for England in four of the five Test matches. His debut came in the first match, England's only victory, when he scored 62 batting at number six in the [[Batting order (cricket)|batting order]]. Despite bowling 41 [[Over (cricket)|overs]] in the game, he failed to take a wicket;<ref>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/4/4915.html | title = Australia v England, 1897–98 | publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 18 December 2010}}</ref> his maiden Test match wicket came in the following Test, but he took only two wickets in the series.<ref name=figures/> In the third Test, Hirst scored 85, which remained the highest Test score of his career, but in this series he reached double figures only once more. When the series ended, Hirst had scored 207 runs at an average of 29.57.<ref name=tbat>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/216/t_Batting_by_Season.html| title = Test Batting and Fielding in Each Season by George Hirst | publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 18 December 2010}}</ref>

Hirst's poor form continued when he returned to England for the 1898 season. Fatigue from continuous cricket and ongoing problems with his leg added to his difficulties and he had a poor season.<ref name=T34>Thomson, p. 34.</ref> His only score over fifty was an innings of 130 against Surrey, and he scored 567 runs at an average of 17.71.<ref name=figures/><ref name=fcbatting/> Statistically, he had one of his worst bowling seasons, taking 36 wickets at 25.61 and never taking more than four wickets in an innings.<ref name=fcbowling/> For Yorkshire, Hirst's loss of form was offset by the debut of [[Wilfred Rhodes]], also from Kirkheaton, who took 154 wickets in his first season.<ref name=T34/> In 1899, Hirst showed a big improvement in his batting form, scoring 1,630 runs—his best tally to date—at an average of 35.43.<ref name=coy/><ref name=fcbatting/> He increased his number of wickets to 82 at 24.75,<ref name=fcbowling/> and his form was good enough to earn selection for his first home Test match, against Australia. However, it was only injuries to three other candidates that secured his place as a fast bowler, and he was not selected in the rest of the series. ''Wisden'' noted: "It cannot be said that the experiment was in any way a success. Hirst worked hard for his side, his fielding indeed being perfection, but as a bowler he did not cause the Australians any trouble."<ref>{{Cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150162.html| title = England v Australia, 1899| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year = 1900 | publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 20 December 2010}}</ref> When he played the tourists in their game against Yorkshire soon after the Test, Hirst took 13 wickets.<ref name=figures/> Later in the season, he played for the Players against the Gentlemen, though without any great success.<ref name=figures/>

In the 1901 season, Hirst's improvement in bowling brought him the highest total of wickets in his career to date. In a summer of sunny weather which brought a succession of good batting pitches,<ref>Thomson, p. 109.</ref> he took 183 wickets, the first time since 1897 he had passed 100 wickets, at an average of 16.38.<ref name=fcbowling/> This placed him second in the national averages behind Rhodes.<ref name=T36/> He recorded a series of impressive bowling performances, winning extravagant praise from ''Wisden''; he took [[five wickets in an innings]] on 15 occasions and [[10 wickets in a match]] five times, including once against traditional rivals Lancashire.<ref name=figures/><ref>Thomson, pp. 37–38.</ref> His batting continued to be successful, and he completed his second double with 1,950 runs at 42.39,<ref name=fcbatting/> including his first double-century: 214 against [[Worcestershire County Cricket Club|Worcestershire]].<ref name=E80/> He was selected for the Gentlemen and Players match at Lord's,<ref>{{Cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/5/5725.html| title = Gentlemen v Players in 1901 | publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 22 December 2010}}</ref> and appeared in the equivalent fixture in an end-of-season festival match.<ref name=figures/>

Although both were invited, neither Hirst nor Rhodes toured Australia in the winter of 1901–02 with [[Archie MacLaren]]'s team, as the Yorkshire committee wanted both players to be well rested before the new season.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153658.html| title = England in Australia, 1901–02| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1903| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 31 December 2010}}</ref> Hirst was statistically less successful in 1902, but he nevertheless returned to the Test team. The summer was very wet, resulting in many rain-affected pitches, known as [[sticky wicket]]s, which favoured slower bowlers and made batting difficult.<ref>Thomson, p. 111.</ref> Hirst scored 1,413 runs in the season, at an average of 31.11 with two centuries.<ref name=fcbowling/> He took fewer wickets than the previous year, partly as he was often used for a few overs early in an innings by Yorkshire before giving way to slow bowlers Rhodes and [[Schofield Haigh]], who topped the national first-class bowling averages for the season.<ref name=T39>Thomson, p. 39.</ref> In total, Hirst took 83 wickets at an average of 20.33.<ref name=fcbowling/>

During the summer of 1902, Australia toured England, playing five Test matches; Hirst made an impact on the series.<ref name=T39/> Around the time of the first Test, the tourists endured a dispiriting spell of poor form and illness.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/151848.html| title = The Australians in England 1902| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1903| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 31 December 2010}}</ref> In the first Test, England scored 376 for nine wickets. Hirst scored 48 and ''Wisden'' described his partnership with [[Johnny Tyldesley]] of 94 in 80 minutes as the turning point of the innings.<ref name=figures/><ref name=Egbaston02>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150168.html| title = England v Australia 1902 (First Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1903| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 31 December 2010}}</ref> In reply, Hirst and Rhodes bowled out Australia for 36 in conditions that the umpires considered reasonable to bat in. ''Wisden'' described the two Yorkshiremen as bowling very well.<ref name=Egbaston02/> Hirst had figures of three for 15 and Rhodes returned seven for 17. However [[C. B. Fry]], who played for England in the match, believed Hirst to be the more difficult to play and that while Rhodes bowled well, the Australian batsmen got themselves out as they "hurried to the other end and tried to hit Rhodes, without success. Well as Rhodes bowled, it was Hirst who was responsible for the debacle. This is the best instance I know of the bowler at the other end getting wickets for his colleague."<ref>{{cite book|last = Fry|first = C.B.|title = Life Worth Living. Some Phases of an Englishman|publisher = The Pavilion Library|year = 1986|location= London|isbn = 1-85145-026-2 | page= 231}}</ref> The England side for this match was later described by some critics as the greatest England team in history.<ref>Thomson, p. 40.</ref> Rain prevented the match from being completed and saved Australia from almost certain defeat.<ref name=Egbaston02/> The Australian team's next game was against Yorkshire. Hirst took four for 35 in the tourist's first innings, but in a low-scoring game, Yorkshire were behind after the first innings. After Australia had reached 20 for three wickets in their second innings, Hirst bowled [[Victor Trumper]] with what Hirst believed was the best delivery of his life and the tourists last wickets fell quickly. The team were bowled out for 23, of which Hirst took five wickets for nine runs as he made the ball swing. Yorkshire lost five wickets in scoring the 48 runs they required to win.<ref name="E80"/><ref>Thomson, pp. 41–42.</ref>

The second Test was badly affected by weather and Hirst did not bat or bowl, and in the third Test in Sheffield, lost by England, he scored eight runs and did not take any wickets.<ref name=figures/> Although he failed at Sheffield, Hirst was the leading all-rounder in England and thus unlikely to be left out of the team.<ref name=Gibson>{{Cite book |last = Gibson |first = Alan |title = The Cricket Captains of England |publisher = Cassell |year = 1979 |location= London |isbn = 0-304-29779-8 | pages = 86–87}}</ref> However, the England captain, Archie MacLaren, was engaged in a dispute with the team selectors over the composition of his side. He was given only 12 players to choose from for the fourth Test. [[Fred Tate]] was one of the twelve and the selectors probably included him as they believed MacLaren could not possibly choose him in the final eleven over another player and so would be forced to field the side they wanted. MacLaren responded by dropping Hirst to play Tate, out of anger towards the selectors.<ref name=Gibson/> The pitch was soft, which would have favoured the bowling of Tate, but ''Wisden'' reported that while this offered some justification for dropping Hirst, "it meant playing a bowler pure and simple in preference to a first-rate all-round man, and the result proved anything but happy."<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150171.html| title = England v Australia 1902 (Fourth Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1903| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 31 December 2010}}</ref> Tate bowled just 16 overs in the game, dropped a vital catch and was the last man out as Australia won the match by three runs, giving them an unassailable lead in the series; later writers claimed that Tate's performance was responsible for losing the match.<ref name=Gibson/><ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/6/6024.html | title = England v Australia in 1902 | publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 31 December 2010}}</ref>

Hirst was recalled for the final Test and played a vital role. ''Wisden'' said that he bowled as well as he had in 1901 as he brought about an early batting collapse. Although Australia recovered, he had figures of five for 77.<ref name=figures/><ref name=Oval02>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150172.html| title = England v Australia 1902 (Fifth Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1903| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 1 January 2011}}</ref> With [[Len Braund]], Hirst then helped England to avoid the [[follow-on]], scoring 43 and according to ''Wisden'' "hitting with the utmost freedom".<ref name=figures/><ref name=Oval02/> Hirst took a further wicket as Australia were dismissed for 121.<ref name=figures/> England, needing 263 to win, were 48 for five at one point but an innings of 104 from [[Gilbert Jessop]] gave England a chance. Hirst scored 58 not out, making an aggressive start but slowing down to score mainly from singles in the later stages of the innings as wickets were lost.<ref name=figures/><ref name=Oval02/> The ninth wicket fell with 15 needed when Rhodes joined Hirst. It has been claimed that Hirst said to Rhodes, "We'll get 'em in singles",<ref>{{cite book |last = Cardus |first = Neville |title = Autobiography |publisher = Collins |year = 1949 |location= London |oclc= 645040728 |page= 147}}</ref> but neither batsman could remember those words being said and not all the runs came in singles.<ref>{{cite web| last = Thomson| first = A.A| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/152357.html| title = My favourite summer| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year = 1967 | publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 1 January 2011}}</ref> The two Yorkshiremen held their nerve to take England to a one-wicket victory. ''Wisden'' described Hirst as playing "a great game", noted the coolness of his play under pressure and said that "Hirst's innings was in its way almost as remarkable as Jessop's".<ref name=Oval02/>

In four Tests, Hirst scored 157 runs at an average of 39.25 and took nine wickets at an average of 23.11.<ref name=tbat/><ref name=tbowl>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/216/t_Bowling_by_Season.html| title = Test Bowling in Each Season by George Hirst| publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 1 January 2011}}</ref> Apart from his Test appearances, Hirst also played twice for the Players against the Gentlemen and played for the same side against the Australians.<ref name=figures/>

Early in the 1903 season, Hirst suffered a leg injury. This, coupled with other players' absences, was partly responsible for a poor start to the season by Yorkshire, and although the team recovered, it could only achieve only third place in the County Championship. When Hirst returned his bowling speed was reduced, but during the season he rediscovered his swing bowling.<ref>Thomson, p. 45.</ref> In completing the first of 10 consecutive doubles, he took 128 wickets at an average of 14.94 and scored 1,844 runs at an average of 47.28.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/> For Yorkshire, he topped both the batting and bowling averages and had the third highest batting average in the country.<ref>Thomson, p. 46.</ref> Hirst played in two end-of-season games for the Players against the Gentlemen; his 124 not out in the second match was his only century in the Players versus Gentlemen series.<ref name=figures/>

In 1903, [[Pelham Warner]], who played for [[Middlesex County Cricket Club|Middlesex]], was chosen to captain the first tour of Australia to be sponsored by MCC, in the winter of 1903–04. According to Warner, Hirst and Rhodes were the first two players to be selected, as "the two best bowlers of the present day in this country".<ref name=W7>Warner, p. 7.</ref> Before the tour, critics claimed Hirst would be unsuccessful, citing his failure during his previous tour. However, Warner later wrote: "Hirst, to say nothing of his batting, bowled excellently throughout the tour, and was of much more value as a bowler than his average would suggest".<ref name=W7/> He further described him as the best all-rounder in England and noted that "the tighter the match, the better he plays".<ref>Warner, pp. 11–12.</ref> ''Wisden'' was less convinced, and the report on the tour said that, as a bowler, "Hirst, though by no means the failure he had been with Mr Stoddart's team six years before, fell far below his English form."<ref name=03-04>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150175.html| title = The M.C.C.'s team in Australia, 1903–04| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1905| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 3 January 2011}}</ref> While commenting on his batting record, the ''Wisden'' report noted: "The Australian wickets [i.e. pitches] in fine weather are rather too fast to suit the pulling and hook strokes of which he is such a master in England."<ref name=03-04/> As he could not make the ball swing in Australia in the same way it did in England,<ref name=W55>Warner, p. 55.</ref> Hirst used [[leg theory]], bowling at [[Stump (cricket)#Part of the wicket|leg stump]] with fielders close by on the [[leg side]].<ref>Frith, p. 20.</ref>

| title = Australia v England 1903–04| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1905| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 8 January 2011}}</ref> Although this performance was not statistically impressive, Warner thought he bowled very well.<ref>Warner, p. 160.</ref> During the third Test, Hirst took three wickets and, with innings of 58 and 44,<ref name=figures/> was one of the few successful England batsmen in a poor performance which enabled Australia to win the match.<ref>Warner, p. 198.</ref> England won the crucial fourth match to ensure the series victory. Hirst took two wickets and contributed scores of 25 and 18.<ref name=figures/> Australia achieved a win in the final match in which Hirst scored 0 and 1, but after taking no wickets in the first innings he achieved his best Test figures of the tour in the second, with five for 48.<ref name=figures/>

Yorkshire finished second to Lancashire in the County Championship in 1904 but regained the title in 1905.<ref name=ccposn/> Hirst's leg-strain continued to cause him pain throughout the season and again hampered his bowling.<ref name=T52>Thomson, p. 52.</ref> Even so, he took 110 wickets at 19.94 and passed 2,000 runs for the second time, scoring 2,226 runs at an average of 53.95.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/> Early in the season, Hirst scored 341 against Leicestershire, the highest score of his career and, as of 2015, the record individual innings by a Yorkshire batsman.<ref name=figures/><ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Records/England/Firstclass/Yorkshire/Batting_Records/Highest_Innings_For.html | title = Most Runs in an Innings for Yorkshire | publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 11 January 2011}}</ref> On a good pitch for batting,<ref name=T52/> he began his innings when Yorkshire had scored 22 for three wickets, in reply to Leicestershire's score of 419, batted just under seven hours and hit 53 fours and a six.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Scorecards/6/6687.html| title = Leicestershire v Yorkshire in 1905 | publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 11 January 2011}}</ref> Later that season, he scored another double century, hitting 232 not out against Surrey; only two other players reached double figures in the Yorkshire innings. In the same game, Hirst took five wickets for 43 runs.<ref>Thomson, pp. 52–53.</ref>

Hirst's leg injury kept him out of the England side for the first two Test matches against Australia, although he would have been a certain selection had he been fit.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150182.html| title = England v Australia 1905 (Third Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1906| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 11 January 2011}}</ref> He was chosen in the squad for the second match but was left out on fitness grounds.<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150181.html| title = England v Australia 1905 (Second Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1906| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 11 January 2011}}</ref> However, Hirst was not particularly successful in the three Tests he played that season, hitting a highest score of 40 not out; as a bowler he never took more than three wickets in an innings. In the series he scored 105 runs at an average of 35.00 and took 6 wickets at 35.33.<ref name=tbat/><ref name=tbowl/> England won the series 2–0, mainly due to the all-round efforts of Hirst's Yorkshire teammate [[Stanley Jackson (cricketer)|Stanley Jackson]], who headed the batting and bowling averages for the series.<ref name="T51"/>

In 1906, Hirst completed an unprecedented double of 2,000 runs and 200 wickets.<ref name="Beard">{{cite book |title=Ask Bearders |last=Frindall |first=Bill |authorlinkauthor-link=Bill Frindall |year=2009 |publisher=[[BBC Books]]|location= London|isbn=978-1-84607-880-4 |page=154|url= |accessdate=}}</ref> Cricket writer [[A. A. Thomson]] noted that both milestones were unusual individually, and that such all-round achievements had only been matched in scope by those of W. G. Grace in the 1870s.<ref>Thomson, p. 54.</ref> No other cricketer has come close to matching this particular double.<ref name=E82>Ellam, p. 82.</ref> Hirst reached the 1,000 run–100 wicket double by the end of June, two weeks faster than anyone else in the history of first-class cricket.<ref name=Chalke>{{cite web| last = Chalke | first = Stephen | url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdencricketer/content/story/258600.html| title = A summer without equal| date = September 2006| publisher = ESPNCricinfoESPNcricinfo |accessdateaccess-date = 15 January 2011}}</ref> In total he scored 2,385 first-class runs at an average of 45.86 and took 208 wickets at 16.50.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/> Hirst's contributions were particularly important in a close race for the County Championship. [[Kent County Cricket Club|Kent]] were eventual champions after Yorkshire lost a close game to Gloucestershire, but Hirst performed well in the two matches against Kent. He scored a century and took 11 wickets as Yorkshire won the first, and took eight wickets and scored a match-saving 93 in the drawn second encounter. Against the other title contenders, Lancashire and Surrey, he was likewise successful with both bat and ball, earning praise from ''[[The Times]]'' and ''Wisden'' for his batting under difficult circumstances in these matches.<ref name=Chalke/> His captain, [[Martin Hawke, 7th Baron Hawke|Lord Hawke]], said "It was not only what Georgie Hirst did but how he did it, coming off [i. e. "succeeding"] when an effort seemed most necessary and playing his best against the more formidable sides."<ref name=Chalke/> He scored six centuries, two of which came in a record-equalling performance against Somerset. He scored 111 and 117 not out when batting and took six for 70 and five for 45 with the ball.<ref name=figures/> He became only the second man after [[Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)|Bernard Bosanquet]] to score two centuries and take 10 wickets in the same first-class match; as of 2015, only one other man, [[Franklyn Stephenson]] in 1988, has achieved the feat.<ref>{{Cite book| title = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 2010| publisher = John Wisden & Co| location = London | chapter = Records and Registers: All-round Records| page = 146| isbn = 978-1-4081-2466-6}}</ref> Battling a knee injury and exhaustion towards the end of the season, it became increasingly difficult for Hirst to perform.<ref name=E82/><ref name=Chalke/> Hirst took his 200th wicket at the end of August and commented that, were his feat to be duplicated in future, "whoever does will be very tired".<ref name=Chalke/><ref>Thomson, p. 55.</ref> He also commented that his injuries only troubled him once the season was over and it "was a triumph of spirit over matter".<ref name=E82/>

The weather was poor during the 1907 season, resulting in a succession of pitches which suited spin bowling and were difficult to bat on. In these circumstances, Hirst scored fewer runs than in the previous season. He did not score a century, making 1,321 runs at 28.71,<ref name=fcbatting/> and the prevalent type of pitches did not suit his bowling pace so that he took fewer wickets.<ref name=T58>Thomson, p. 58.</ref> Even so, he was the second highest wicket-taker in the season and came fifth in the bowling averages,<ref name=T58/> with 183 wickets at 15.29.<ref name=fcbowling/> Hirst remained a first-choice member of the Test team, playing all three matches against [[South African cricket team in England in 1907|South Africa]] that summer in a series which England won 1–0, with the other two games drawn. Although unsuccessful with the bat, achieving 46 runs in five innings with a top-score of 17,<ref name=tbat/> in a low-scoring second Test, Hirst was one of the few batsmen to handle the [[Googly|googlies]] of [[Aubrey Faulkner]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/153751.html| title = England v South Africa 1907 (Second Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1908| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 17 January 2011}}</ref> As a bowler he took 10 wickets at 18.50;<ref name=tbowl/> of these wickets, six were in the final match of the series.<ref name=figures/> Yorkshire won the County Championship again during the 1908 season.<ref name=ccposn/> Hirst completed another double, scoring 1,598 runs at 38.97 and taking 174 wickets at 14.05,<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/> but was not selected for any other representative games until the end of the season.<ref name=figures/> However, he declined an invitation to tour Australia with the [[English cricket team in Australia in 1907–08|MCC team in 1907–08]].<ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150192.html| title = The MCC's team in Australia, 1907–08| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1909| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 24 October 2013}}</ref>

In the 1909 season, Hirst was less successful. Possibly affected by his heavy workload with bat and ball in previous seasons, his batting disappointed critics. He scored 1,256 runs at 27.30, his lowest batting average since 1898.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=T61>Thomson, pp. 61–62.</ref> With the ball, he took 115 wickets at 20.05; his best performances came in the more important matches such as those against Lancashire and Surrey.<ref name=fcbowling/><ref name=T61/> He was selected for the Players against the Gentlemen, taking seven wickets in the game.<ref name=figures/> In the Test series against Australia, which England lost 2–1, Hirst played in the first four matches. England won the first game, in which Hirst took nine wickets. On the first day, bowling throughout the Australian innings with [[Colin Blythe]], Hirst took four for 28.<ref name=figures/> The Australians were never comfortable; ''Wisden'' noted that Hirst "[made] the ball swerve in his most puzzling fashion".<ref name=1T1909>{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/154047.html| title = England v Australia 1909 (First Test)| work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1910| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 21 January 2011}}</ref> After England established a first innings lead, Australia were bowled out for 151 in their second innings, with Hirst taking five for 58. The English [[Batting order (cricket)#Opening batsmen|opening batsmen]] scored the 105 runs required for victory without being separated.<ref name=figures/> Hirst and Blythe took all the wickets which fell to England in the match, a rare accomplishment, and apart from a brief period, bowled throughout the match without resting.<ref name=1T1909/> However, Hirst was ineffective in the rest of the series, and was left out of the side for the fifth and final Test.<ref name=E83>Ellam, p. 83.</ref> In the series he scored 52 runs at an average of 8.66, with a top-score of 31,<ref name=tbat/> and took 16 wickets at 21.75.<ref name=tbowl/> This ended his Test career;<ref name=E83/> his final Test record in 24 matches was 790 runs, with three scores over fifty, at an average of 22.57, and 59 wickets at an average of 30.00.<ref name=Cricinfo"profile">{{cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/content/player/14220.html| title = George Hirst (ESPNCricinfo profile)| publisher = ESPNCricinfoESPNcricinfo| accessdateaccess-date = 22 January 2011}}</ref>

During the war Hirst, along with Rhodes and their team-mate [[Schofield Haigh]], worked in a munitions factory in Huddersfield. Hirst and Rhodes were paid by Yorkshire to play in war-time cricket matches on a certain number of Saturdays.<ref>{{cite book |last = Rogerson |first = Sidney |title = Wilfred Rhodes |publisher = Hollis and Carter |year = 1960 |location= London |pages = 115–116}}</ref> Hirst played in the [[Bradford Cricket League|Bradford League]], and became known among cricketers for accepting minimal fees from financially struggling clubs.<ref name=H56/><ref>Thomson, p. 75.</ref> When first-class cricket restarted in 1919, Hirst resumed playing for Yorkshire. In the first match of the season he hit an aggressive unbeaten 180 against MCC, to secure a draw for the county; he followed this with two more centuries in the first two weeks of the season.<ref>Thomson, p. 77.</ref> Although his form later faltered, he played some substantial innings in difficult circumstances and ended the season with 1,441 runs at an average of 38.94.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=T78>Thomson, p. 78.</ref> He bowled infrequently, taking 18 wickets at 29.27.<ref name=fcbowling/> During this season, Hirst accepted the position of coach at [[Eton College]]. In the last match of the season, at Scarborough, he was given a warm reception by the crowd, who did not expect to see him playing for Yorkshire again.<ref name=T78/> However, he appeared on occasions during the school holidays in the next two seasons, although he did not score any centuries, did not average more than 24 with the bat and took only 21 wickets in total.<ref name=fcbatting/><ref name=fcbowling/><ref name=T78/> At the end of the 1921 season Hirst retired as a Yorkshire player, and made what was expected to be his final first-class appearance in a [[Scarborough Festival]] match, in which he captained the Players against the Gentlemen. On the last day of the match, Hirst's 50th birthday, he took the final two wickets to secure victory for his side. The crowd gathered outside the pavilion and demanded to see him; he gave a farewell speech, and was moved by the reception given to him.<ref>Thomson, p. 79.</ref><ref name=ODNB>{{cite webODNB | last1 = Reese | first1 = M. M.| last2 = Howat | first2 = Gerald M. D. | author2linkeditor1-first = Gerald M. D| editor1-last = Howat| author2-link = Gerald Howat| title = Hirst, George Herbert (1871–1954) | work = [[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography]] |edition = online | publisher = Oxford University Press | year = 2004 | url = http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/33892 | accessdateaccess-date = 30 January 2011| doi = 10.1093/ref:odnb/33892}} {{ODNBsub}}</ref>

Hirst played three more first-class games; in 1921–22 he played two games for the [[Europeans cricket team]] in India, and in 1929, aged 58, he made a final appearance for Yorkshire in a Scarborough Festival match against the MCC.<ref name=figures/><ref name=T80>Thomson, p. 80.</ref> He scored just one run before [[Bill Bowes]] bowled him; Hirst reportedly commented: "A grand ball that, lad. I couldn't have played that one when I was good."<ref name=T80/> In all first-class cricket, Hirst played 826 games, scored 36,356 runs at an average of 34.13 with 60 hundreds and took 2,742 wickets at 18.73.<ref name=Cricinfo"profile"/>

Following his retirement as a player, Hirst occasionally umpired first-class matches, taking charge of at least one match at every Scarborough Festival between 1922 and 1938. He also umpired two matches on Yorkshire's tour of Jamaica in 1936,<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/216/Umpire_in_First-Class_Matches.html| title = George Hirst as Umpire in First-Class Matches| publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 29 January 2011}}</ref> and a Minor Counties match between Yorkshire and Lancashire second teams.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Players/0/216/Umpire_in_Minor_Counties_Championship_Matches.html| title = George Hirst as Umpire in Minor Counties Championship Matches| publisher = CricketArchive | accessdateaccess-date = 29 January 2011}}</ref>

From 1920 to 1938, Hirst was the cricket coach at Eton.<ref name=W133>Woodhouse, p. 133.</ref> The college's most important match was the [[Eton v Harrow|annual match against Harrow at Lord's]], and during Hirst's tenure, the team were unbeaten in the fixture, winning the six matches that produced a definite result and drawing the remainder. Following Hirst's retirement, Eton lost to Harrow in 1939 for the first time since the First World War.<ref>{{Cite book| title = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack| year = 1947| publisher = John Wisden & Co |location = London | chapter = Other matches at Lord's, 1946| page = 214}}</ref> In the period of Hirst's coaching, Eton only lost once—in 1920—to Winchester.<ref>{{Cite book |last = Swanton |first = E. W. |title = Gubby Allen: Man of Cricket |publisher = Hutchinson/Stanley Paul |year = 1985 |location = London |isbn = 0-09-159780-3 |page = [https://archive.org/details/gubbyallenmanofc0000swan/page/38 38] |url = https://archive.org/details/gubbyallenmanofc0000swan/page/38 }}</ref> A combination of Hirst's technical knowledge, playing experience and empathy with young people made him a very successful coach. He taught technical proficiency, but encouraged his pupils to play their natural game.<ref>Thomson, p. 81.</ref> His ''Times'' obituary noted "his professional capacity earned him the respect of the boys and his natural good humour and good manners gained him the love of all."<ref name=timesobit/> When he retired, a dinner was held in his honour at Eton.<ref>Thomson, p. 85.</ref>

While serving as the Eton coach, Hirst also worked with young Yorkshire players during the school holidays, and maintained his coaching connection with the county until shortly before his death.<ref name=timesobit/><ref name=ODNB/> Despite the differences in the backgrounds of the players, Hirst was equally respected at Eton and when he acted as a coach to the Yorkshire team.<ref>Thomson, p. 84.</ref> At Yorkshire Hirst worked with young players in the cricket nets at [[Headingley Cricket Ground|Headingley]],<ref>Bowes, p. 19.</ref> took charge of indoor trials during the winter,<ref>Hutton, p. 20.</ref> and travelled with the team as coach on a tour to Jamaica in 1936.<ref>Ellam, p. 86.</ref> Many Yorkshire players, with vastly differing temperaments, came under his influence and improved as players.<ref>Thomson, p. 82.</ref> One of Hirst's most notable achievements as a coach was improving the bowling of [[George Macaulay]] to the point where he became a key member of the Yorkshire team.<ref name=H56/><ref>Hodgson, p. 109.</ref> The short terms at Eton allowed him to play matches for [[Scarborough Cricket Club (England)|Scarborough]] from 1923 onwards, in July and August for seven seasons. During this period he scored 2,682 runs at an average of 58.3. His highest batting average was 117.2, attained in 1926 and his highest individual innings score was 124 in 1928, scored when he was 58 years old. He took 182 wickets in this time at a strike rate of 13.1. He also coached at the club in the summer months, alongside [[David Hunter (English cricketer)|David Hunter]].

Bill Bowes, who received coaching by Hirst and went on to play for England, described him as "the finest coach in the world".<ref name=B147>Bowes, p. 147.</ref> [[Len Hutton]], another who was coached by Hirst, wrote "I shall always think of George Hirst as the ideal coach. He was a 'natural' one, the guide, the philosopher, and friend of every young fellow who has had a trial under him".<ref>Hutton, p. 21.</ref> Part of Hirst's success at Eton came from his personality and ability to extract the best from people.<ref name=Gents>{{cite book |last = Marshall |first = Michael |title = Gentlemen and Players: Conversations with Cricketers |publisher = Grafton Books |year = 1987 |location = London |isbn = 0-246-11874-1 |page = [https://archive.org/details/gentlemenplayers0000unse/page/40 40] |url = https://archive.org/details/gentlemenplayers0000unse/page/40 }}</ref> Bowes noted how his enthusiasm inspired young players,<ref name=Gents/> and his humour and kindness led boys to worship him. He could pass on technical knowledge in a way that was easy to comprehend, backed up with anecdotes to illustrate his point. Bowes described how "he had a rare skill in noting and demonstrating your faults and no less skill in illustrating the remedies".<ref name=B147/>

Although Hirst was a right-handed batsman, he bowled with his left arm at [[Fast bowling#Categorisation of fast bowling|medium-fast]] pace.<ref name=Cricinfo"profile"/> He was one of the first bowlers to make the ball swerve through the air in a controlled fashion.<ref name=timesobit/> According to A. A. Thomson, Hirst's development of swing bowling was almost as revolutionary as [[Bernard Bosanquet (cricketer)|Bernard Bosanquet's]] invention of the [[googly]].<ref name=T37/> His bowling partnership with Rhodes was particularly effective, and established a formidable reputation.<ref name=obit/> Hirst could not make the ball swing in every match, nor could he maintain it through a long innings. However, when he could achieve swerve, even the best batsmen found it almost impossible to bat against him. His success was dependent on atmospheric conditions; for example, he could not swing the ball much in Australia.<ref name=W55/> He was particularly effective when bowling into the wind.<ref name=T37/> [[Sammy Woods]] described facing Hirst when the ball was moving in the air: "How the devil can you play a ball that comes in at you like a hard throw-in from cover-point?"<ref name=T37/>

Hirst was not an especially quick bowler, a little faster than [[Fast bowling#Categorisation of fast bowling|medium pace]], with a long run-up and a relaxed action.<ref name=obit/> He usually bowled [[Cricket terminology#O|over the wicket]], meaning he bowled from the right hand side of the wickets and therefore angled the ball across the pitch. After delivery, the ball swung through the air at the last minute and hurried through after pitching, appearing to get faster. A very accurate bowler, he was difficult to score against unless a batsman was prepared to hit him in the air over [[Fielding (cricket)#Fielding position names and locations|mid on]].<ref name=timesobit/><ref name=obit>{{Cite web| url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/155506.html| title = George Hirst (Obituary) | work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year = 1955| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 22 December 2010}}</ref> The main dangers to the batsmen were the risk of being bowled or hitting the ball with a defensive shot and being caught by specially-placed fielders on the leg side. His ability to make the ball swing made him effective on a variety of pitches.<ref name=H55/> Before Hirst developed his technique, bowlers often rubbed the ball in the dirt to remove the shiny layer of the ball, unaware that this layer helped the ball to swing. Hirst's ''Wisden'' obituary records: "Hirst, in fact, has been described as the father of all modern seam and swing bowling."<ref name=obit/>

Hirst completed the double 14 times, more than any other cricketer except Rhodes.<ref name=obit/> Unusually for an all-rounder, for much of his career he was equally successful as a batsman and as a bowler.<ref name=W133/> Consequently, he was a key member of the Yorkshire team.<ref name="Sw12"/> His Yorkshire captain Lord Hawke described Hirst as "the greatest county cricketer of all time",<ref name=obit/> and journalist [[Jim Kilburn]] noted that no cricketer could "capture the heart and the imagination and the affections more firmly than George Herbert Hirst".<ref name=Kilburn>{{Cite web| last= Kilburn | first = J. M. | url = http://www.espncricinfo.com/wisdenalmanack/content/story/150217.html| title = The story of Yorkshire | work = Wisden Cricketers' Almanack | year = 1955| publisher = John Wisden & Co | location = London |accessdateaccess-date = 5 February 2011}}</ref> [[E. W. Swanton]] described his typical style of play as "grafting for victory without heroics".<ref name=Sw12>Swanton, p. 12.</ref> His record as a Test cricketer was less impressive than his figures in county cricket, owing to some extent to playing conditions during his two tours of Australia which reduced the effectiveness of his bowling and batting.<ref name=ODNB/>

| authorlinkauthor-link = Bill Bowes

|publisher = Athena Press

| authorlinkauthor-link = David Frith

|publisher = Aurum Press

|publisher = The Crowood Press

| authorlinkauthor-link = Len Hutton

|publisher = Hutchinson & Co

| authorlinkauthor-link = E. W. Swanton

|publisher = André Deutsch

| authorlinkauthor-link = A. A. Thomson

|publisher = The Sportsmans Book Club

| authorlinkauthor-link = Plum Warner

|publisher = Methuen

|origyearorig-year=1904

|publisher = Christopher Helm