 A gutsy batsman he was "almost indifferent to his own safety.No bowler is too fast to hook; no score too large to defy challenge" and stood up to the bouncers of Lindwall and Miller.Returning to England in 1947 he became an amateur and made a record 3,539 runs (80.43) with 12 centuries, a total only exceeded by his Middlesex Twin Denis Compton who made 3,816 runs (90.85) and 18 centuries in the same season.