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

97 1955. He was also a fine slip fielder.” In 1951, he scored 1,000 runs in a season for the first time, reaching 1067 at an average of less than 21. In 1951 Somerset finished 14th yet this lowly position was eclipsed in the following four seasons. Despite a full enough fixture list of county cricket and his refusal to play on Sundays, Johnny would yet squeeze in Somerset Club and Ground matches and benefit matches for his colleagues. He found time to help his younger colleagues and was jocular in the dressing room. It was at this time that the class system was still something of an affliction that players endured. At the start of this 1951 season in one of these extra matches a rather snooty member of the opposition, I am told, managed to play Johnny’s bowling for quite a few overs before announcing: “I’ve got the measure of you now, Lawrence.” The very next ball Johnny bowled him a googly for the first time. The gentleman shouldered arms assuming the leg break but had to watch as the ball came in and took his middle stump. Johnny could only look the other way as the batsman trudged off the field. The following winter, England (under the aegis of the MCC as all tours were at that time) were to visit India. Early in the tour Dusty (A.E.) Rhodes got injured and had to withdraw. Rhodes was an all-rounder for Derbyshire who bowled leg spin and a replacement leg spin bowler was thought necessary – especially for playing on the slow Indian wickets. We learn from the telegram sent to England skipper Nigel Howard from headquarters at Lord’s that Lawrence was one of four leg spinners who was asked to go but were all in the end unavailable. If he had chosen to go he would no doubt have played in the two Test matches which in the end went to the uncapped Yorkshire player Eddie Leadbeater. The telegram reads according to Douglas Miller: “Jenkins, Wright, Hollies, Lawrence not available STOP Appleyard available. Would you like him or any other STOP Cable or A first class career with Somerset