Those of us who saw him at the beginning and end of his career will cherish memories of the leaping young gallant, bat on high, pouncing at the sight of a ball a shade loose, driving and hooking; then, as the bowler desperately shortened his length, cutting square, the blow of the axe -- a Tower Hill stroke.

"Then we will remember the coming of the regal control, the ripeness and readiness, the twiddle of the bat before he bent slightly to face the attack, the beautifully timed push to the off to open his score -- the push was not hurried, did not send the ball too quickly to the fieldsman, so that Hobbs could walk his first run.

Wisden Obituary

The Master's Club meets annually on December 16 at the Surrey club's Oval ground. The menu for those gathered here is The Master's favourite: tomato soup, roast lamb and apple pie.

The apostrophe in "Master's" is not misplaced. "There can be only one". In scoring a total of 67, 237 first-class runs - more than anyone else - Jack Hobbs compiled 197 tons (Wisden notes: "Two further centuries made on a private tour to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) were subsequently deemed first-class by the Association of Cricket Statisticans.") These were doubled on no less than sixteen occasions.

Of the 197, the last 98 were collected after his 40th birthday - he being the oldest man to score a century at 46 (142 v. Australia, 1929). Indeed, he didn't hang up his boots until 1934, well into his fifties!

His average is 50.65. In comparison, Ocker Ricky Ponting has 35 centuries to his name and has, currently, converted 'just' four of them. He is presently waving his wand for 58.35 (The Don's 37 doubles and 99.94 average is, of course, near-legendary).

In his youth, Hobbs knew little else save near-abject poverty. The eldest of twelve born to a Jesus College, Cambridge groundsman, for him nothing came easy - except his way with a cricket bat. Match practice began at about 10 years old with a tennis ball, tennis post and gravel 'pitch'; a wicket stump became a bat in his eyes.

Given the narrowness of the wicket stump, how could young Hobbs fail to to be imbued with the importance of a straight bat? Swatting the ball cleanly and with variety, he revealed in himself a sharp eye and supple wrists.