5 highlights from Walter Hammond's career

#2 Smashing monthly records

After a brief window of being banned by his county Gloucestershire due to eligibility issues caused by his birth in Kent, he returned to the stage in the cricketing summer of 1927. He was a rejuvenated cricketer, spurred by the hard work he had gone through during the suspension, and made an immediate impact.

He became only the second cricketer, the first being WG Grace, to score 1,000 runs in the month of May, the month traditionally the first of the cricket season in England. This marvelous run included a notable performance against Lancashire, regarded by the spectators and critics as one of the greatest innings ever played owing to the chanceless series of strokeplay and his trademark fluency. He scored 99 in the first innings and 187 in the second to ensure the match was drawn. At one point in the game, he mastered the hook stroke and launched an array of shots to hit five boundaries in a row.

Coming close to scoring 1,000 runs in June as well, he finished the season with 2,969 runs, including 12 centuries. His average of 69.04 was the fifth highest in all first-class cricket and an international beckoning lay awaited.