The Sport, or otherwise, of Cricket

[dotti34]

....and yes, before you point it out, Taddy, I do know there is a penalty for slow overs.

[Margaret Pilkington]

January 16 1933 at the Adelaide Oval,
Harold Larwood(who was related to my mothers family) bowled a body line ball at Bert Oldfield.
The batsman collapsed with a fractured skull and the crowd got very ‘restive’ or muderous would have been nearer the mark.
Harold Larwood said to his team mate Les Ames ‘you take the leg stump, I’ll take the middle stump if the come at us’

I don’t know if the crowd did ‘come at em’ was never told that bit of the story.

[Exile on Spencer St]

Interesting, but not surprising given that period, that it was Harold Larwood, a miner’s son from Nottinghamshire, who suffered most of the opprobrium after the ‘body-line’ controversy and never played in another test.
Larwood refused to apologise for his bowling because it was done on the instructions of his ‘gentleman’ captain. Unlike his captain, cricket was Larwood’s job so this sanction was not without cost.

Jardine, however, went onto tour India but even he soon ‘retired’ from test and county cricket because of the ballyhoo over body line bowling.

But, by then, such bowling had been picked up by others, especially the West Indies, which, a few decades later, leads the story back to the likes of the mighty Wes Hall (and the terrifying Charlie Griffith at Burnley)…

[Margaret Pilkington]

I only know this story because my Grandma used to tell it…Harold was some relative of hers
She always seemed quite proud of his cricket career in spite of the adverse publicity.
I do not know what happened to the batsman who was hit by the ball.

[Margaret Pilkington]

I have looked Bert Oldfield up on Wiki…the man died aged 81 so the fractured skull did not see him off.

[landhusweg]

I have to agree with Lost in Cornwall. Money is the root of all evil!

Since people started talking in terms of millions of pounds, whether it be wages, contracts, or just a bonus etc. I have lost all interest in sport.

Cheers

[cashman]

WATCH STANLEY. its not the same game as the moneymens. imho

[landhusweg]

Originally Posted by cashman

WATCH STANLEY. its not the same game as the moneymens. imho

Although I've been in Switzerland for the past 55 years, I still follow Stanley, and I'm also a Supporter Club member.
Cheers