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

19 “The only other time I faced him, I did manage to stay in a good while longer but he eventually had me with a caught and bowled and the sheer joyful glee that he expressed was something to behold.” An umpire – who after a succession of appeals for leg before wicket – was asked by Johnny “what’s wrong with that one then?” and was moved to reply that the ball was going so slowly that it wouldn’t reach the stumps. This has to be regarded as a humorous reply – as a ball which travels 21 yards and passes the bat will not normally stop dead before hitting the stumps – though if it reaches the stumps – of course it may not remove the bails and that would then be not out. Johnny’s deliveries would not normally be that slow – despite appearances – and he achieved a fair proportion of victims out bowled amongst his wickets! An exceedingly slow bowler Sam Lawrence, always of assistance to his brother in his coaching, here demonstrates the bowling action.