Long documentary tracing the history of
British cricket. Another copy is on *PM2839* (film id 2839.03).
"
The Lord's Taverners present '
Cricket Highlights' Commentary written by
Michael Melford and spoken by
E.W. Swanton."
L/S of
Lord's Cricket Ground - a match in progress.
C/U of batsman "
England's young and very successful captain" (not named but probably
Peter May). 1899 footage of the "
Lord's Taverners and their ladies" - a panning shot of spectators in the stand. The film's narrator describes how this documentary will show 60 years of cricketing history "From
W.G. Grace to Peter May,
Boer War to
Cold War,
Penny Farthing to
Sputnik...the highlights of yesterday, of the rich period between the wars."
W.G. Grace is seen practising in the nets. We then see
Ranji in the crease. C/U of
Jacks Hobbs, he smiles and laughs at the camera. Ranji "47 and rather plump" walks out onto the pitch (
Kumar Shri Ranjitsinhji). We see him walking off again: "in this hurried new world, even he didn't stay too long."
Various shots of cricketers in action:
Jack Hobbs,
Frank Woolley and
Percy George Fender.
C/Us of members of the
1921 Australian team:
Warwick Armstrong,
Herbie Collins, (
Horseshoe Collins), Arthur Mailey and
Jack Gregory.
Leeds -
M/S of two men in suits smoking pipes standing on the pitch.
Lionel Tennyson loses the toss. The teams walk onto the pitch. M/S of Bardsley and
Tommy Andrews (Australian team) walking out onto the pitch. Top shots of the large crowds watching the match.
Shot of a game in progress - the
South African team at
Lord's in 1924.
Herbie Taylor's team are presented by their captain to
King George V - good shot of them shaking hands.
M/S of the
King speaking to Herbie Taylor on the pitch. Jack Hobbs and
Herbert Sutcliffe are described as a "formidable new partnership" over footage of their play. M/S of the pair walking onto the pitch in
Australia. Large crowds welcome the British team home after their victory.
Lord's - various footage of new grandstands being built (1926?) to meet the enormous demand for seats. The board of control met to appoint test selectors - panning shot of the men seated around a table in the board room.
Lord Harris was present.
High angle shots of crowds at the
Oval - everyone dressed in their
Sunday best.
Australian team's visit in
1930. M/S of
Percy Chapman and
Bill Woodfull walking out onto the pitch to toss. Crowds applaud. Woodfull leads the Australian team out onto the pitch. The commentator relates the story of the match over footage of Hobbs and Woolley walking out onto the pitch. Various shots of the match in progress.
Kumar Shri Duleepsinhji ("
Duleep") is featured, as is Woolley. C/U of
Don Bradman. High angle shots of
Bradman playing at
Leeds Cricket Ground -
Headingley.
Narrator lists names of all the bowlers including
Harold Larwood,
Richard Tyldesley,
Maurice Tate.
Australia 1933 - various footage of
Adelaide match. Woodfull gets hit by a fast bowl then loses his bat. Bradman ducks to miss a fast ball. High angle shots of the match "probably the most unpleasant ever played." (Presumably this is the bodyline series).
1938 - the Oval,
Len Hutton reaches an historic
364.
John Fingleton hobbles off with a strained muscle.
Bill O'Reilly bowls. High angle of crowds applauding.
Funny shot of a large man trying to squeeze through the "
Ladies Gate" to see the climax of the innings. He tries to climb over the turnstile to get in.
Hutton "goes on and on and on" to pass Bradman's score of 8 years before. M/S of crowd applauding. Bradman shakes
Hutton's hand in congratulation. The players stop for refreshments. "They pause for drinks inside, no such good fortune outside." M/S of the large man seen earlier trying to get into a pub ("
The Cricketers") - the door is locked. Bradman bowls and twists an ankle - he is carried off. Australia lose the match. C/U of the scoreboard. Footage of
Bill Edrich and
Denis Compton batting. Crowds invade the pitch as match ends. High angle shot of the large crowds.
"
The End."
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- published: 13 Apr 2014
- views: 5537