Famous Cricketers No 91 - J.C.Laker

1950/51 - Commonwealth XI in India Not selected to tour Australia in 1950/51, Laker accompanied a strong Commonwealth team on a tour of the Indian sub-continent. He played in ten matches including the second of the unofficial Tests before being forced to return home due to sinus trouble. In the ‘Test’ he took part in he bowled very well taking five for 88 in no less than 64.5 overs in the second Indian innings and helping the Commonwealth side to a ten wickets win. In other matches he took twenty-eight wickets at an average of 16.39, taking six for 23 in the innings victory over Patalia. His loss to the side, then, was a severe one. He headed the bowling averages with thirty-six wickets in all matches at 16.08. Sonny Ramadhin, who came second, had seventy-nine at 19.37. As a batsman, Laker played an innings of 61 against a Services XI and scored 171 runs in all matches at an average of 19.00. He took five catches. Own Team O M R W Opp Ct Total Total 117. Commonwealth XI v Cricket Club of India, Bombay, October 1, 2, 3 (Match drawn) c M.H.Mankad b B.K.Garudachar 26 214 26 11 37 3 M.H.Mankad c J.T.Ikin 239 R.S.Modi c R.T.Spooner M.K.Mantri c D.Shackleton did not bat - 283-4d - - - - 67-3 1 118. Commonwealth XI v Saurashtra, Rajkot, October 10, 11 (Commonwealth XI won by nine wickets) c D.Narottam b S.Nyalchand 6 199 11 3 27 1 K.S.Harpal Deo c K.J.Grieves 139 did not bat - 57-1 - - - - 116 119. Commonwealth XI v Baroda, Baroda, October 14, 15, 16 (Commonwealth XI won by nine wickets) c V.S.Hazare b Gul Mohammad 1 248 23 5 52 5 V.S.Hazare b 159 1 Gul Mohammad c and b Maharaja of Baroda lbw J.M.Ghorpade b V.K.Gaekwad b did not bat - 118-1 10 4 7 1 S.G.Powar c G.M.Emmett 204 120. Commonwealth XI v Services XI, Dehra Dun, October 22, 23, 24 (Commonwealth XI won by 223 runs) b C.V.Gadkari 0 219 15 8 32 4 G.Atma Singh c K.J.Grieves 85 H.R.Adhikari b Majipetsinhji c R.T.Spooner B.Mohan Lal c K.J.Grieves lbw b B.Mohan Lal 61 204-8d 8 6 3 0 115 121. Commonwealth XI v Uttar Pradesh Governor’s XI, Lucknow, October 28, 29, 30 (Match drawn) b V.S.Hazare 6 333 10 4 25 0 187 1 did not bat - 124-4d 3 3 0 1 Gul Mohammad lbw 36-3 122. Commonwealth XI v Patiala, Patiala, November 11, 12, 13 (Commonwealth XI won by an innings and 59 runs) not out 17 435-7d 20.4 11 23 6 Daljinder Singh c J.T.Ikin 153 1 M.Prithviraj lbw K.Rai Singh c A.Barlow P.K.Sen st A.Barlow S.N.Banerjee c J.T.Ikin C.R.Rangachari c and b 24 8 48 0 223 123. Commonwealth XI v Raja of Jath’s XI, Poona, November 17, 18, 19 (Match drawn) lbw b V.S.Hazare 14 494-8d 9 3 34 0 264 9 3 16 1 S.W.Sohoni c F.Ridgway 144-3 124. Commonwealth XI v Bombay, Bombay, November 21, 22, 23 (Match drawn) c M.S.Mantri b G.S.Ramchand 3 323 30 10 52 1 D.G.Phadkar c B.Dooland 317 did not bat - 211-4 125. Commonwealth XI v Bombay Governor’s XI, Bombay, November 25, 26, 27 (Commonwealth XI won by an innings and 173 runs) not bat - 483-5d 19.5 5 61 4 R.S.Modi c R.T.Spooner 202 V.Rajindernath c E.Paynter Raja Maharaj Singh c G.M.Emmett C.R.Rangachari c J.T.Ikin 16 6 42 1 G.V.Gadkari c L.E.G.Ames 108 21