“ROCKS ’EM IN.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18627, 3 December 1928, Page 8

“ROCKS ’EM IN.”

LARWOOD OF NOTT S. < So far, in the first test at Brisbane, young Larwood, of Notts, has made 70 runs for his side and taken three Australian wickets. He and Patsy Hendren are the outstanding figures of the game.

Larwood is acclaimed as one of the best fast bowlers that England has ever produced. A professional, he was a member of the team which deprived Australia of the “ Ashes ” in 1926, on the Surrey Oval, taking three wickets for 82 and three for 34. It is a coincidence that there he started

the collapse of his opponents in their second innings, when he got Woodfull caught in the slips before a run had been made. Prior to the opening of the tour, a i\oted critic said: “ I think most Australians, knowing Larwood’s reputation as a fast bowler, will be surprised when they

see him, for in height and build he is by no means what we would expect a fast bowler to be. He is a little below medium height, and appears to be slimly built, but it is said that he is well developed in the back and hips, while he has fairly long arms. He is tremendouslv strong, the result of his early life as a miner, and his comrades say that he is beyond question the best English fast bowder of the day. They say he is particularly dangerous in his first few overs, and might easily give the Englishmen a gieat start bv getting a couple of good wickets very quicklv. Larwood is a fair-haired, quiet-spoken man just approaching his twentyfourth year, and if he stands up to the hard work on Australian wickets might prove a great success.” On a wicket that helps him. Larwood makes the ball come back and at times he is almost unplayable. He is very wirv, and notwithstanding that he puts everything into his bowling, he does not seem to tire as most fast bowlers do. Last season at Home his bowling figures were:—2oo3 runs, 138 wickets, 14.51 average.