Jack Hobbs

Sir Jack Hobbs was an English opening batsman regarded as one of the greatest ever, holding the all-time record for first-class centuries (199) and runs (61,760).

Born on 16 December 1882 in Cambridge, the eldest of twelve children of a groundsman at Fenner's cricket ground, Jack Hobbs made his first-class debut for Surrey in 1905, scoring 88 in his first match against a Gentlemen of England side captained by the legendary W.G. Grace, who reportedly remarked, 'He's goin' to be a good'un.' Hobbs went on to become the most prolific batsman in the history of first-class cricket. In 1925, at age 42, he surpassed Grace's long-standing record of 126 career centuries, and by the end of that remarkable season had scored a then-record 3,024 runs including 16 centuries at an average of 70.32. He was the first player to reach 100 first-class centuries in his lifetime and eventually finished with 197 or 199 centuries, depending on the source, the exact tally a matter of enduring statistical debate. Over 61 Test matches for England between 1908 and 1930, Hobbs scored 5,410 runs at an average of 56.94, and remains, at age 46, the oldest man to score a Test century, doing so against Australia at Melbourne in 1929. Renowned for his elegant driving and cutting, and excellent fielding at cover point, he formed a celebrated opening partnership with Herbert Sutcliffe for England. Hobbs became the first professional cricketer to be knighted, in 1953, and was named one of Wisden's five 'Cricketers of the Century' in 2000, the only Englishman on that list alongside Bradman, Sobers, Warne and Richards. He died on 21 December 1963 at age 81.

Elegant, technically complete batsman equally strong on and off the front foot

Widely regarded as one of the four greatest batsmen in cricket history

• Knighted for services to cricket 1953
• Wisden Cricketer of the Year 1909
• all-time record holder for first-class centuries (199) and runs (61,760)