A CRICKET book I borrowed from a local library gives an almost day-to-day account of the 1947 English first-class season.

The stars of that season were the Middlesex and England batsman Dennis Compton and Bill Edrich, each of whom scored more than 3,000 runs.

The Lancashire opening pair, Cyril Washbrook and Winston Place, also had memorable seasons, each scoring more than 2,000 runs.

Other batsmen who did well included Hutton, Hardstaff, Robertson, Ames and Fogg.

In the bowling department, Goddard captured 238 wickets; Wright 177; Howorth 164; Young 159 and Cook 144.

As for the South Africans, they had three outstanding batsmen -- Melville, the captain, Mitchell and Nourse.

England won the Test series 3-0. Lancashire finished third in the county championship (26 three-day games).

As for the weather, after a cold, damp start, it turned into a glorious summer.

In August, even the South Africans began to wilt in the sweltering heat and blazing sunshine.

In the final match of the season, Middlesex v The Rest, Compton and Edrich both hit centuries -- a fitting end to the vintage season of 1947.

JOHN PORTER, Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle.