Cricket’s Larwood dies.
Lightning quick England bowler Harold Larwood died in Sydney, aged 90. He was the key figure in the infamous ‘Bodyline’ Test series of 1932-33, when England captain Douglas Jardine instructed him to bowl ‘leg theory’ at the Australian batsmen. Larwood spearheaded England to win a 4-1 series win, taking 33 wickets at just under 20 apiece as intimidated batsmen avoided short picthed deliveries to the body with a heavy concentration of leg-side fielders. His prime target was Don Bradman, whose average plummeted to 56, compared to 139.14 in England in the previous 1930 Ashes series. Larwood took Bradman’s wicket four times in eight innings.
This day in sport: 22 July 1995
After all the fuss about the ‘Bodyline’ bowling in 1932, now everyone seems to be at it – but at least the batsmen now have helmets and padding! The commentators talk of ‘roughing up’ the batsman, or giving him as ‘good working over’ – not quite cricket in my book. I though the bowler was supposed to bowl at the wicket!