All Ten: The Ultimate Bowling Feat

197 Jim Laker his great surprise, Wilson was adjudged caught behind to give Swetman his third victim, and the tiring Laker his all-ten. Starting at twenty past 12 and relieved only by lunch and tea he had bowled unchanged from the Pavilion End for four hours and 20 minutes. A few minutes later, in front of a cheering crowd, the ball with which he had achieved the feat was presented to him on the field by Surrey president Lord Tedder. The Club also gave him a cheque for £50. Laker had scarcely bowled a loose ball. The pitch had been dry and dusty, but not unduly helpful, and five of his victims had fallen to the arm-ball. At the other end Lock had bristled ineffectively whilst conceding 100 runs. Laker’s feat might never have happened. Having had a sleepless night after helping to nurse a sick daughter he only played after persuasion from his captain. Led by Bernard Constable who made a steady 109, Surrey batted consistently to reach 347 just before the close of the second day. Laker did his bit with 43, including hitting Johnson for 16 in one over. After Laker’s success Johnson was convinced that spin would do the same for the Australians. However, good bowler as he was, his slow flighty style was not best suited to English conditions, as evidenced by his figures: 60.3 overs six for 168. At the other end he was supported by 44 overs of left-arm spin from Alan Davidson who was on the way to becoming a great quick bowler, but as a spinner was no more than useful, and 19 overs from Wilson. Neither could match the turn extracted by Lock and Laker. The great Lindwall was given just two overs! The Australians began well on the last morning in front of a large crowd hopeful of witnessing more history, but just before half past 12 with the score 56 Burke played too early at Lock and gave him a return catch which was jubilantly taken. McDonald had again batted well but half an hour later he went for 45, caught at second slip by Laker and an Australian collapse gathered momentum against a rampant Lock, supported by a cluster of close fielders. Lunch was taken with the score 89 for six and the innings was over 18 runs later at 2.40 pm leaving Surrey the formality of scoring twenty to win and become the first county to beat the Australians since 1912. This time Laker (two for 42) had played the supporting role to the fizzing left-arm spin of Lock who had been accorded the advantage of the, now apparently more helpful, Pavilion End. Lock had taken the first six wickets and so for a while an extraordinary double had seemed possible, until Laker broke the spell by dismissing Mackay leg-before offering no shot. (In 1939, 14-year-old Mackay, playing for Virginia State School against Sherwood State School, had taken all ten opposition wickets, and then scored 367 not out!) There was little rest for cricketers in those days: the Australians were playing Cambridge University next day, whilst Surrey travelled to Trent Bridge and lost heavily, off-spinner Ken Smales and Australian leg-spinner Bruce Dooland sharing 19 wickets!