Kenneth Hutchings

Kenneth Hutchings

"A Century Maker" Hutchings as caricatured by Spy (Leslie Ward) in Vanity Fair, August 1907
Personal information
Full name	Kenneth Lotherington Hutchings
Born	(1882-12-07)7 December 1882 Southborough, Kent, England
Died	3 September 1916(1916-09-03) (aged 33) Ginchy, France
Batting style	Right-handed
Bowling style	Right arm fast
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 155)	13 December 1907 v Australia
Last Test	11 August 1909 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1902 – 1912	Kent
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 7 207 Runs scored 341 10,054 Batting average 28.41 33.62 100s/50s 1/1 22/56 Top score 126 176 Balls bowled 90 1,439 Wickets 1 24 Bowling average 81.00 39.08 5 wickets in innings – 0 10 wickets in match – 0 Best bowling 1/5 4/15 Catches/stumpings 9/– 179/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 29 December 2008

Kenneth Lotherington Hutchings (7 December 1882 – 3 September 1916) was an English amateur cricketer who played for Kent County Cricket Club and the England cricket team between 1902 and 1912. He was primarily a batsman who played a major role in three of Kent's County Championship wins in the years before World War I and who played seven Test matches for England. He was chosen as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1907. Hutchings was killed in action during the Battle of the Somme whilst serving with the King's Liverpool Regiment in 1916.

Hutchings was born in Southborough near Tunbridge Wells, the fourth son of Dr Edward Hutchings. He was educated at Tonbridge School where he played in the First XI for five years between 1898 and 1902, captaining the school in his last two years there and also playing racquets for the school. In 1902 he averaged 63 including a score of 205.

Hutchings made his first-class debut in 1902, playing once for Kent in the 1902 County Championship. He played fluently in 11 Championship matches in 1903 and toured America with Kent, playing against the Gentlemen of Philadelphia, but only made three appearances in total for the County in 1904 and 1905, scoring two half centuries.

His first full season for Kent in 1906 was the most productive of his career. His "ultra-attacking batting" saw him score 1,454 runs for the County at an average of 60.58, a major role in Kent winning their first County Championship title. He led the county in runs scored despite only playing in 18 games out of a possible 25 during the season. He scored four centuries and played, according to Wisden with "amazing brilliancy" whilst The Guardian described him as "the most brilliant" of Kent's batsmen in a team with very strong batting. He was picked for the Gentlemen v Players match and was chosen as one of Wisden's Cricketers of the Year in 1907.