Name:

Larwood, Harold

Nickname:

Lol

Date of Birth:

14 Nov 1904

Gender:

Male

Place of Birth:

Nuncargate, Notts

Date Died:

22 Jul 1995

Career:

Test: 1926 - 1933
First Class: 1924 - 1948

Teams:

Nottinghamshire (Regional)
England (Country)

Bodyline Controversy (1932/33)

Harold Larwood: Executor of the Bodyline attack

Born : 14 November 1904 at Nuncargate, Nottinghamshire
Died : 22 July 1995 at Randwick, Sydney

Harold Larwood was the son of a coal miner. He was one of the fastest bowlers of all-time, despite being of average height.

Larwood began his working life as a miner at the Langton Colliery in his native Nottinghamshire. This enabled him to develop powerful back and shoulder muscles. For a man of his small size, he had big hands and strong fingers. This helped him cut the ball off the pitch into the batsman.

He was best known for his role in implementing the 'Bodyline' approach adopted by his England captain Douglas Jardine in an attempt to combat Sir Don Bradman on the 1932/33 tour of Australia.

One of Larwood's deliveries in the Fourth Test hit Australian batsman Bert Oldfield on the head, fracturing his skull and causing a huge outcry. Australian spectators threatened Larwood and he needed police protection when he left his hotel.

He had his finest Test series on that tour, taking 33 wickets at 19.51 but never played in another Test. He was a capable hard-hitting lower-order batsman who scored 98 as night-watchman at Sydney in 1933.

Ironically, considering the animosity that the 'Bodyline' series generated, he migrated to Australia in 1950 after being encouraged by his former adversary Jack Fingleton.

In 1993, Larwood was awarded the MBE. After being cast as the villain for Bodyline, this honour restored his reputation and assured him of a place in English cricket history.

He died in 1995 at the age of 90 in Sydney after suffering complications from pneumonia. Larwood's former rival Sir Don Bradman said "Although we were arch-enemies on the field, this was because of Jardine's tactics. There was no personal animosity between Larwood and me and we always remained good friends."

Source: CricketCrowd Staff Reporter