5 England cricketers with their highest score on Test debut

#4 140 by Billy Griffith against West Indies at Port of Spain, 1948

Billy Griffith

The former England batsman played only three Test matches in his career but the innings he played on his debut is particularly praiseworthy because Billy Griffith was drafted in as a temporary opener and ended up playing an epic innings.

In the 2nd Test during England's tour of the Caribbean at Port of Spain, the visitor batted first and after Griffith had run his partner Jack Robertson out early on, he decided that he had to make up for it.

He later joked that he had to keep playing so that he did not have to go back to the dressing room and face the music from his captain. He played for six minutes short of six hours and made 140 runs to ensure that England were out of any kind of danger of losing the game.

It remains the 4th highest score among debutantes in English cricket history. Griffith only played two more Tests in his career but went on to become an administrator and cricket journalist.