Simon Sweetman column – Fagg’s amazing record stands unchallenged

The editor of Cricket Statistician analyses recent events

From time to time we might sit back and consider those cricketing records that have lasted.

In the list of cricket’s more unusual and enduring moments is the accomplishment of Arthur Fagg, of Kent, in scoring two double centuries in a game against Essex at Colchester, and that in a three-day game in 1938, now 68 years ago.

In the same year, Len Hutton scored 364 against Australia. That record lasted for 20 years but has now been beaten five times.

Fagg’s record is sufficiently outstanding that lists of records include the handful of men who have played two innings of more than 150 in a match.

Essex, in those days, had no single major base, and the team toured the county taking its mobile scoreboard with it.

There have been two first-class grounds in Colchester; until 1931 the County played matches at the Garrison Ground (Colchester being primarily a military town).

From the Twenties the local council developed Castle Park, and the lower part of the park became the home of Colchester and East Essex Cricket Club, who had also previously played at the Garrison Ground.

There had long been a ground in the park – Essex had played Suffolk there in 1866 – but it is in 1931 that its history really starts.

Essex historically would play two Championship games in a week there (today it gets one four-day game and a one-day game).

In 1938, the first of the two games was against Kent and on the first day Kent were bowled out for 429 (Essex bowling 122 overs) and Essex reached 12 for no wicket.

Fagg had scored 244 in 295 minutes, reaching his hundred well before lunch in 94 minutes, and hitting 31 fours altogether.

Essex were bowled out on day two for 350 with leg-spinner Doug Wright taking 7-107, and by the close of play Kent were 142-0. Fagg was not out 104, reaching his hundred in 69 minutes.

On the third morning, Fagg and his partner PR Sunnucks took their stand to 283 (Fagg scoring 98 in 90 minutes before lunch) and Kent declared shortly after at 313-1 when Fagg reached his second double century of the match in 165 minutes, finishing unbeaten on 202.

Shortly afterwards, with Essex stumbling at 8-2, it rained and the match was drawn.

As a young man, Fagg had seemed destined for success, making his Test debut in 1936, but then was struck down by rheumatic fever after the second Test in Australia in 1936/37 and missed the whole 1937 season.

But in 1938 he was back and had already scored four hundreds before this game. He was to play one more Test – in July 1939 and though he played in a Test trial in 1948 he was not capped for England again.

He continued playing after the War (I can remember seeing him for Kent against Hampshire in 1956) and retired in 1957.

He is one of those players whose career is always footnoted with: What would he have done but for the War?

But his record still stands today.

This piece originally featured in The Cricket Paper, October 28 2016

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