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

224 Bridge side came to College Grove and only reached 21 slender runs. Johnny took six for 13 as Wakefield won by ten wickets. Then Wakefield proved against Heckmondwike that they could win without the maestro. After the Heavy Woollen Cup Final on August 1 described in the main text, Mirfield on August 8 – with Ron Wood’s younger brother Barry (the future England player) at one end – neutralised Johnny’s bowling and left him wicketless for the first time in the season but Wakefield still won due to some great batting by Wilson (75 not out). Rain must have prevented whatever league fixtures Wakefield did have in September and a league match re-scheduled for October as there are no press reports, but Wakefield did finish as league champions. 1965 After their great start to the season and the defeat to Heckmondwike described there were holiday wins over Mirfield (Johnny 22 and six for 42) and Gomersal (Johnny two for 41) on the Whit Monday and Tuesday respectively and these maintained Wakefield’s overall position at the top of the table. A sparkling 85 from Wakefield’s Alan Boothroyd was the main feature of the return match at King Cross on June 12 whilst Johnny kept him company with 39 and then took six for 44. Dewsbury then became the second team to thwart Wakefield and achieve a draw on a good batting track. Johnny had a quiet week with 39 and just two wickets! Another good all-round performance (25 and three for 64) helped Wakefield gain a little revenge over Heckmondwike in a league match and two days later a mere five for 23 in an evening cup-tie against Hunslet Nelson (with the in-form Wright grabbing the other five wickets) enabled a comfortable nine wicket win in one evening of the two allotted at a fairly full College Grove. The Wakefield Express commented that though these were not his best ever returns, never had Johnny bowled better. Wakefield’s performance lacked any ‘compassion’ on the field of play and Mal Colley’s 36 not out contained eight fours. Johnny had the same figures – five for 23 – the following Saturday at home to King Cross and with Wilson’s 74 already helping to get Wakefield to a large total, the victory was by a margin of 112 runs. After being rained off at Gomersall it was yet Heckmondwike who were again Wakefield’s nemesis and Johnny found himself Appendix Two: Some of Johnny Lawrence’s league career in more detail