Famous Cricketers No 56 - Laurence Barnard Fishlock

order and made 19 not out when England were looking for quick runs towards a declaration. He gained selection for The Players at Lord’s, where he made an undefeated 47 in two innings. It was no surprise when he was included on G.O.B.Allen’s M.C.C. touring team that was to visit Australia and New Zealand in the forthcoming winter, gaining a place at the expense of Eddie Paynter who had been the hero of the previous tour. Sadly, this initial overseas tour proved a disappointment to the Surrey left-hander, as he failed to strike any sort of consistent form. A good innings of 91 in the second match of the tour against a Combined XI at Perth proved to be the only score of over 50 that he made on the tour. He could not complain of lack of opportunities as, through injury problems to other tourists, he played in the first seven consecutive first-class games up to the first Test at Brisbane. After this he only appeared in the two matches in Tasmania and then broke a finger in the return match against South Australia. The English tourists flattered to deceive as, after they had won the first two Test Matches by very convincing margins, the Australian side completely turned the tables and won the remaining three equally as impressively. The side went on to New Zealand, but Fishlock had a very poor run of scores there, only making 45 runs in five innings. Laurie began the 1937 summer with a disappointing run of scores. However, after being tried as an opening batsman against Oxford University at Kennington Oval in late June, he enjoyed a splendid second half of the season, making seven centuries in all, the highlights of which were two excellent innings of 113 and 105 in the home fixture with the full might of Yorkshire, a very rare feat. Thereafter, he became a fully fledged opening batsman. 1938 saw the visit of the Australians, who were captained for the first time by Donald Bradman. Fishlock made a very impressive 93 out of 104 for one wicket in Surrey’s first match against the tourists. This gained him a place in the Test Trial at Lord’s in early June, where he made a dogged not-out century for the Rest of England. This was not enough to gain him a place in the Test side that year, when England had a wealth of batting talent available, all of whom made excellent scores in the series. He did, however, reach his 2000 runs for the second time in his career, with four centuries and thirteen scores of fifty or more. 1939, the last season before the Second World War put a stop to all serious cricket for some years, saw Laurie Fishlock continue his good form. He narrowly missed his 2000 runs, falling fifty runs short. This was the first season in which he had not played League football the previous winter and he managed to score four centuries and twelve fifties. On the outbreak of war in the September, Fishlock volunteered immediately for the Police Reserve, along with a number of other first-class cricketers. His former engineering skills were, however, much in demand so he resumed his former occupation and worked in London making temperature gauges for the RAF. He also became a physical training instructor in the Home Guard. He was able to play a good deal of cricket in the London area and appeared for various well-known wartime sides, including London Counties and the British Empire XI. In 1940 and 1941 he played for The Buccaneers. Later in the war he appeared in a number of representative matches, including England v The Dominions at Lord’s in 1944, when he made 108, and also for the Civil Defence v the Royal Australian Air Force. In 1945, after the cessation of European hostilities, a series of “Victory Test Matches” was arranged against the Australian Services stationed in this country. Fishlock was selected for the final two games of this five-match series and made an immediate impact in the game at Lord’s, where his fast scoring 69 attracted favourable comment. The author has an early teenage memory of hearing the 5