Lives in Cricket No 52 - Schooled in Cricket (2nd edition)

118 Chapter Fourteen A star again in league cricket 1956 – A Season in the Lancashire League Johnny, returning to league cricket, went to play in the Lancashire League for Haslingden. The Lancashire League has been regarded by many to have historically been the strongest and possibly the most fiercely competitive league of all the leagues in England from the early 20th century and still was at this time; though it has not provided as many players for county cricket as the top Yorkshire leagues. Johnny must have received a relatively lucrative offer. This league was (again, relatively speaking) the financial flesh pot of league cricket. Cec Pepper had given up Australia to play in the nearby Central Lancashire League with Rochdale yet it was here in the Lancashire League that Keith Miller – Australia’s greatest ever all-rounder – had been sorely tempted to act similarly but eventually found himself reneging on a promise to play for Rawtenstall – much to that club’s chagrin. Haslingden were an illustrious team with a history of having star professionals such as George Headley, that great batsman from the West Indies; Arthur Booth, the Yorkshire left-arm spinner; and Vinoo Mankad, the Indian all-rounder; with the likes of Clive Lloyd and Dennis Lillee to come. Johnny Lawrence was to replace Mankad who had been at the club for four seasons as the professional there. In competition, every club in the league had a first- class star professional and for seven of the clubs it was a Test player. That great West Indian batsman, Everton Weekes, who played for Bacup, was still at the height of his powers for his country but close-season he was able to not only score the huge number of runs expected of him but managed to run through teams with his less famous