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

219 side which included the future Yorkshire and England batsman 17-year-old John Hampshire visited Headingley. Hampshire was to defy the Leeds bowlers for over two hours with 47 not out but Rotherham yet mustered only 90 with Johnny taking three for 40 and D Duncan taking three for 19. Brian Bolus, 40 not out and Arthur Clues 37 not out knocked off the runs after the loss of an early wicket. A reversal came at the hands of Castleford the following week though Johnny managed three wickets and Peter Brayshay bagged three for 12 and the match was drawn. At Halifax on Whit Tuesday the home side were dismissed for 65. Now at Headingley on the Saturday, May 31, Johnny took five for five in seven overs with two for seven from Brian Bolus as Halifax tumbled to all out for 42. Bolus and Billy Sutcliffe then knocked off the runs without loss. This was, incredibly, more wins by the end of May than the pre- Lawrence ‘56 and ‘57 sides had achieved in the whole of two seasons combined, reported the Yorkshire Post . The same pair enabled a ten wicket win the following week at Harrogate after Hallas had done most of the damage but Johnny was back in the limelight the week after in a close encounter. This was a three wicket win over Hull at Headingley with Johnny taking six for 35 and top scoring with 33 not out, which on June 14 marked a fourth consecutive win for Leeds. After rain on June 21, it was on June 28 that Leeds went to the top of the table when they completed the double over Harrogate at Headingley. Johnny took three for 39 (while Hallas took three for nine) and Johnny also provided some patient batting being top scorer with 54 as Leeds overhauled Harrogate’s 103 for the loss of seven wickets. After two more weeks of rain which pushed Leeds down the table, on July 18 Johnny took three for 33 at home to Castleford with M Mylan five for 48. Castleford made 110 and Leeds won by eight wickets with the runs coming from Clues and Sutcliffe. Leeds had the better of Scarborough on July 26 with Johnny equal top scorer with 39 and taking six for 34. The Yorkshire Post of 18 August stated: “Unbeaten Leeds had 69 runs to spare at Rotherham where W.H. Sutcliffe, the former Yorkshire captain was the top scorer for them with 42. J. Lawrence also figured prominently with an innings of 23 and four for 19.” Appendix Two: Some of Johnny Lawrence’s league career in more detail