 He was absent for the rest of the match and was flown back to England for a throat operation immediately afterwards.Even so, he topped the England and MCC batting averages on the tour despite bearing the brunt of the Australian fast bowlers and he and Washbrook added 138, 137 and 100 for the first wicket in successive innings, matching the record of Hobbs and Sutcliffe in 1924–25.In 1948–49 they put on 359 against South Africa, still the highest opening stand for England in Test cricket.