Harold Larwood

Harold Larwood

MBE

Larwood on a 1932 cigarette card
Personal information
Full name	Harold Larwood
Born	(1904-11-14)14 November 1904 Nuncargate, Nottinghamshire, England
Died	22 July 1995(1995-07-22) (aged 90) Randwick, New South Wales, Australia
Nickname	The Wrecker
Height	5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right arm fast
International information
National side	England
Test debut (cap 225)	26 June 1926 v Australia
Last Test	28 February 1933 v Australia
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1924–1938	Nottinghamshire
1936/37	Europeans (India)
Career statistics
Competition Test First-class Matches 21 361 Runs scored 485 7,290 Batting average 19.40 19.91 100s/50s 0/2 3/25 Top score 98 102* Balls bowled 4,969 58,027 Wickets 78 1,427 Bowling average 28.35 17.51 5 wickets in innings 4 98 10 wickets in match 1 20 Best bowling 6/32 9/41 Catches/stumpings 15/– 234/–
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 8 January 2009

Harold Larwood MBE (14 November 1904 – 22 July 1995) was a professional cricketer for Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and the England cricket team between 1924 and 1938. A right-arm fast bowler who combined extreme speeds with great accuracy, he was considered by many players and commentators to be the finest and the fastest fast bowler of his generation and one of the fastest bowlers of all time. He was the main exponent of the bowling style known as "bodyline", the use of which during the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) tour of Australia in 1932–33 caused a furore that brought about a premature and acrimonious end to his international career.

A coal miner's son who began working in the mines at the age of 14, Larwood was recommended to Nottinghamshire on the basis of his performances in club cricket, and rapidly acquired a place among the country's leading bowlers. He made his Test debut in 1926, in only his second season in first-class cricket, and was a member of the 1928–29 touring side that retained the Ashes in Australia. The advent of the Australian batsman Don Bradman ended a period of English cricket supremacy; Larwood and other bowlers were completely dominated by Bradman during Australia's victorious tour of 1930. Thereafter, under the guidance of England's combative captain Douglas Jardine, the fast leg theory or bodyline bowling attack was developed. With Larwood as its spearhead the tactic was used with considerable success in the 1932–33 Test series in Australia. The Australians' description of the method as "unsportsmanlike" soured cricketing and political relations between the two countries; during subsequent efforts to heal the breach, Larwood refused to apologise for his bowling, since he was carrying out his captain's instructions. He never played for England after the 1932–33 tour, but continued his county career with considerable success for several more seasons.

In 1949, after years out of the limelight, Larwood was elected to honorary membership of the MCC. The following year he and his family were encouraged by former opponent Jack Fingleton to emigrate and settle in Australia, where he was warmly welcomed, in contrast to the reception accorded him in his cricketing days. He worked for a soft drinks firm, and as an occasional reporter and commentator on Tests against visiting England sides. He paid several visits to England, and was honoured at his old county ground, Trent Bridge, where a stand was named after him. In 1993, at the age of 88, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in belated recognition of his services to cricket. He died two years later.