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

85 at Johnny’s first-class career in year-by-year detail. 1946 Johnny joined the Somerset post war side whose professionals included the legendary big hitter and swing bowler Arthur Wellard, orthodox left-arm spin from Horace Hazell which may have strangely been complemented by Johnny’s leg spin even though they were both spinning the ball in the same direction, and the batting talents of opener Harold Gimblett and Frank Lee, and the all-round talents of Bill Andrews, a prodigious swing bowler; Bertie Buse a medium pace bowler/all-rounder; and wicketkeeper Wally Luckes giving Somerset a relatively strong side. Skipper E.F. (Bunty) Longrigg, and future skippers R.J.O (Jack) Meyer and N.S Mitchell-Innes completed the line- up for the first match. Bill Andrews reflected: “It looked a strong side on paper but we were all strangely nervous; it was like starting one’s career over again.” Though the season started badly as Bill Andrews relates, it picked up remarkably and Somerset finished a strong fourth of the then 17 first-class counties. This was their best position since 1923 and only the fourth time they’d ever been in the top four. Somerset were not to achieve this again until 1958. Johnny’s debut came on Saturday May 11 versus Essex at Taunton. He failed with the bat – made nine and four – but must have been pleased with six wickets in the match. He did not however manage to dislodge Tom (T.N) Pearce whose 166 not out narrowly won the match for Essex. Johnny was to comment in his notes of first class cricket being more taxing than expected. Against Surrey at the Oval, Johnny accompanied Gimblett who helped rescue Somerset with a century, in a dire situation against the accurate bowling of Alec Bedser and Eddie Watts. Johnny dug in and curbed his attacking instincts. “Lawrence took three and a quarter hours over his 51,” wrote the Manchester Guardian. A first class career with Somerset