11 MARCH 1955, Page 8

HUTTON'S SUCCESS in Australia must have settled the argu- ment

whether a professional should captain England. It still seems to me doubtful, however, if it is wise to make your best player captain. Particularly on tour the captain's responsi- bilities are such that they are almost bound to tell on his own play, and Hutton's batting certainly seems to have been affected by the cares of captaincy. Without consulting Wisden I should think that Hutton this tour has had his worst series with the bat since 1948. I remember a most un-Hutton-like innings he played in the Second Test Match at Lord's that year. He seemed relieved to be out. As a result he was dropped for the Manchester Test but he duly made a hundred at Leeds.