GREAT FAST BOWLERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 21, 25 January 1936, Page 24

GREAT FAST BOWLERS

WHERE LARWOOD STANDS

The statement made recently by the English county committee that Harold Larwood, the Notts bowler, "is the greatest fast bowler of his generation," is queried by J. C. Davis, who writes in the Sydney "Kcferee" as follows: —

Well, what does "the greatest fast bowler of his generation" mean? The husky iNotts champion has become the hero to some who exalt, him, just as he is anathema to others who deride him, all, of course, in the fast bowling sense.

Let us strip ourselves of hero worship on the one hand and antipathy to his methods on the other, and examine the matter. If we do so, and accept the evidence of performance, the man oX Notts is far from being so ■ groat a bowler as others famed for pace in his generation.

In all Tests against Australia, Larwood has taken 64 wickets at an average cost of 30 runs a wicket. And 33 of these wickets were taken in the body-line campaign out here a few, years ago. i FIKST APPEARANCE. His first appearance against Australia was at Lord's in 1926 when, as a beginner, he secured two for 99 and one for 37. That was the match in which Warren Bardsley went through the Australian first innings for 193 and Charles Macartney carried his bat out in the second innings for 133. Larwood did not play in the next two matches, but reappeared in the Oval Test, in which he secured three for 82 and three for 34. In the 1930 series in England he api peared three times in Tests, taking one for 12 and one for 9, one for 139 and one for 132. In all Tests on English j grounds (where he did not bowl bodyline), Larwood captured 13 wickets at an average cost of 41.84 a wicket. HIGH AVERAGE COST. Moreover, in his only series in this country in which body-line was not

bowled, and in which England won the Ashes with four victories to one. he captured eighteen wickets at an average dbst of 40.44 a wicket. To further emphasise that Larwood has not been "the greatest fast .bowler of his generation," the figures of a number of English and v Australian fast bowlers, in Test matches on English grounds (only) are furnished.

We may take it that Fames, McDonald, Bowes, and J. M. Gregory bc4 long to the generation of Larwood.

Having said all this let us wish Harold Larwood a bumper benefit when Notts meets Yorkshire, and fine weather for the three days. Larwood has shown great stamina, splendid courage, and that he is a fighter with bat and in the field independently of his qualities as a bowler.

"I do not think; the rule should become permanent," said H. Verity, the English Test bowler, when referring to the new lbw rule at the recent annual dinner of Sugg Thursday Cricket League at Sheffield.

"I still think that the wickets are the root of the trouble." Verity added. "They make them too good. With a wicket on which a bowler has a fair chance, the game is lively and interesting, and the matches are generally finished."

Verity contended that, if anything was taken out of the game, the standard was reduced, states "Reynolds's News." The new rule made it easier for the bowler and that tended to lower the standard of bowling. If was also impossible to have one rule governing first-class cricket and another club cricket.

The figures furnished are:— Wkts. W. H. Lockwoort (E.) 3S T. Kichardson (E.) 31 W. Brcarly (E.) ]7 IC. Kiirncs (E.) 10 K. A. McDonald (A.) 27 W. E. Bowes (E.) 19 A. Cotter (A.) 3d E. .lones (A.) XT .1. M. Gregory (A.) 22 II. Lanvood (E.) ];) T. W. Wall (A.) J!) Avne. 14.31 17.50 20.SS 22.S0 24.74 2S.42 2(i.W as. 03 ■II.SI Otf.05