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

127 Cudworth, saying: “Kidology is an oversimplification of the slow bowler’s art. Psychology comes into the business, especially with the batsman who has decided from the pavilion steps or on the strength of well-intended advice what to do with my bowling. I suppose I command more attention because no batsman can ‘read’ my deliveries and there are so few of my type.” Harry Atkinson comments that there were certain regular league opponents who played Johnny’s bowling incredibly better than the vast majority. He cites Barry Wood, Johnny’s son, Miles and Rodney Smith, both of Heckmondwike and John Crowhurst of Hanging Heaton. Defeat at Hanging Heaton in the return league match again left Johnny wicketless but he (five for ten) and Alan Wright (five for 14) snuffed out Drighlington, 24 all out, to bring a 110 run win. Wakefield were still chasing a triple crown and a Yorkshire Council play-off quarter final at Rockingham on August 29 saw a comfortable win with Johnny taking six for 56. On the day – or days of the semi-final of the Yorkshire Council play-offs – as the match continued into the Monday evening – Wakefield were outplayed and one factor was the Hanging Heaton relative mastery of Johnny’s bowling though he did take two for 66. Nonetheless Wakefield had celebrated a massively successful season in 1964. There was a great start to the 1965 season. Johnny’s son Stephen once told me that Johnny was able to find his mark early in a match and early in a season because of his incessant practice throughout the close season. Never was this more clearly displayed than on April 24, 1965 at College Grove when the champions faced Liversedge in their opening fixture. Liversedge, with two county players (an all-rounder and a batsman) in their ranks, Jack Birkenshaw and Stephen Greensword, found themselves 29 all out in just under an hour. Johnny trapped Greensword for one in taking six for 12 in eight overs. Birkenshaw fell to Alan Wright for a duck, Wright taking four for 11. A star again in league cricket