by Arunabha Sengupta
12 July 1932
Britain had been lashed with heavy rains the previous evening and through most of the night. Perversely, the only ground spared had been Old Trafford where the visiting Indians struggled against Lancashire.
At Headingley, as the start was delayed by an hour, Yorkshire skipper Brian Sellers squatted down beside the pitch with the batting stars Percy Holmes, Herbert Sutcliffe, Maurice Leyland and wicketkeeper Arthur Wood. As if they were reading a map. In the end, he decided to declare at 163 for 9, as many as 71 behind Nottinghamshire.
Only a few spectators had braved the grey and gloomy skies. The nearby Great Yorkshire Show at Temple Newsam also saw only four and a half thousand turning up to see the 569 pigeons, 157 pigs, 103 goats and 38 dairy cows.
At Headingley, Hedley Verity was put on with the score at 23 for no loss. Nottinghamshire lunched at 38 for nought. The left-arm spinner’s first seven overs had been maidens. He had got the ball to turn, as had the great off-spinner George Macaulay. But not quickly enough to trouble the batsmen.
Never a picturesque ground, Headingley that day was further hampered by the spectacle of workmen engaged in reconstructing the Leeds Rugby Football Club stand, recently destroyed by fire. Sitting in the crowd was Verity’s father, watching with a group of friends from Rawdon.
“You need not bother until Hedley brings up his second slip,” he told his buddies.
And suddenly after lunch one ball spun sharply, and Percy Holmes was summoned to the cordon. Hazy sunshine was breaking through and the drying surface was starting to become treacherous.
The first runs off his bowling came in the 10th over, when Frank Shipton edged over the slips for two. And then, two overs later, the ball turned quickly from the off-stump line, Walter Keeton pushed forward and was caught at first slip by Macaulay. 44 for 1. Verity 11.1-10-2-1.
Willis Walker, twice managing to survive with the ball almost kissing the stumps, stole a single. Shipston fell at the start of the 14th Verity over, caught behind off another off-stump ball that turned. The Notts scorebook says it was the first ball, the home record says second. 47 for 2. Verity 13.1/13.2-11-3-2
Skipper Arthur Carr launched into him, aiming for the news stand. He was caught by Wilf Barber in front of the sight screen. Later Carr blamed the unlucky green gloves he chose to wear that day. 51 for 3. Verity 14.1-12-3-3.
His 17th over was the most expensive. Arthur Staples hit a full toss to leg for three, Willis Walker took a single off the fourth ball. It was 17-4-7-3 at that stage.
And then there was the avalanche. The second ball of his 18th over turned sharply, and Walker’s edge was brilliantly held one handed by Macaulay at first slip. The third had Charlie Harris prodding forward and veteran Holmes grabbing the sharp chance at second slip. The field was set a trifle deeper, suggesting to George Vernon Gunn that the hattrick ball would be quicker. It was a looping straight one that caught the batsman caught on the backfoot and plumb. 64 for 6. Verity with his hattrick had figures of 17.4-14-7-6.
The following over, his wickets caught up with the runs and went ahead. Arthur Staples was once again caught by Macaulay. And off the next ball, Harold Larwood sliced his attempted straight loft and was superbly held by Sutcliffe running back from cover point. Verity 19-15-7-8. Nottinghamshire 64 for 8.
However, the next over saw Ben Lilley save the hat-trick by chance. His hopeful prod took the inside edge, missed the leg-stump and ran away to fine leg for three. Bill Voce blocked the second ball, and then edged to Holmes at second slip off the third.
The next ball to Sam Staples was flighted. The No 11 overbalanced in trying to reach it, and Wood broke the wicket. Nottinghamshire 67 all out. Verity had all ten. 19.4-16-10-10. The second time he had taken all 10. The greatest bowling feat of all time, bettering George Geary’s 10 for 18 by eight runs.
The small miracle was that Macaulay bowled brilliantly for 23 overs at the other end and did not pick up a wicket. Much like Lock was to do while Laker ran away with all 10 Australians at Old Trafford in 1956.
Verit’s first 103 balls had seen 3 for 7. His next 15 saw him claim 7 for 3. It still stands as the greatest bowling feat in first-class cricket.
Holmes and Sutcliffe rattled off the 139 needed to win without being separated.
How did Verity celebrate his feat? There is no record of that. He was not much of a drinker. Once his father had won a bottle of sherry in a church raffle and his mother had poured it down the sink. No alcohol in the house.
Verity’s son ventured that it would most probably have been with a nice cup of tea.
The Post commemorated the feat by describing Verity’s pace as 10 Notts.
Years later, Chris Waters wrote an entire book on the feat … simply titled 10 for 10.