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

34 round for Broad Oak who had been something like 70 for eight in reply to Kirkburton’s 199 with that “gallant old warrior Fred Whitely, Broad Oak’s captain – who had so often been a thorn in our side – thanks to some missed catches in the gathering gloom, throwing his bat successfully at everything until they passed our total. Our hopes were dashed by one of Cricket’s miracles, and such a dramatic turn around of fortune makes the game what it is. But it does not and did not minimize our chagrin and disappointment.” The 1935 season must have come as an anti-climax. Johnny was again the club’s leading wicket-taker but it seemed that batsmen in this league were getting a little used to his bowling. The team that year were an unreliable outfit and Johnny though scoring several 25s and 30s had no form at all with the bat. Nonetheless in one match, home to Elland on August 17, when nine of his regular colleagues were away on holiday, he helped his team to make a fight of it and took all the eight Elland wickets that did fall. His tally of 37 wickets (as I make it from adding together match figures) was not enough to save Kirkburton from returning to the second division. A Professional in League Cricket from 1934 Thought to be Kirkburton, Johnny's first professional engagement; Johnny sits bottom right.