Story of Harold larwood

[Music] [Music] [Music] cap ball finish the other half don't you can't wrong you can do anything if you want it badly enough the crowd want to see you broken don't give them that pleasure finish it Harold [Music] [Music] [Applause] there are two teams out there one is playing cricket the other is making no attempt to do so this normally gentle crowd of Adelaide seemed to be on the verge of revolt Cynthia England players later said that they they were sort of working out ways of grabbing a stump to defend themselves when the crowd came swarming over the over the pickets the whole matter of Dali line was whether the Imperial masters were cheeps or not that Australians at that time always expected the Englishman to behave like gentlemen and he suddenly turned out that Englishmen did not behave like gentlemen now what is faster today than ever and this slow motion study reveals his excellent very Kelly and Falls to a lake Bradman knew very well that everything that was being organized by MCC by Jardine and the the pace battery was aimed at him it was indeed herself on our Don Bradman he was the most cherished all of the stress and that just heightened the shock factor the bottom line is the most emotive word in the whole world of cricket which is saying something it's so long ago but it was so devastating to anglo-australian relations [Music] [Applause] [Music] born to a coal miner in Nottinghamshire young Harold loud word less school of 13 to 12 down the mines eventually working his way up to being in charge of the pit ponies he'd shown an early talent for cricket despite his short stature why would it acquired after body strength or stamina from his last shifts down the mine good already ball and discus certainly fast and dangerous speed but no one seems to know how fast he actually bowled I mean was he as fast as the modern generation of bowlers like Brett Lee for instance with two days to play they'll pressed on to his third century over the series to have a greater appreciation of how fast love was bowling and what it was like the facing in 32 33 I'm gonna have to learn as much about fast bowling as I can and the Australian Institute of Sport is probably a good place to start so I'm heading to Canberra to see what this sort of fast bowling looks like up close it just how hard it is to do [Music] it's sad when you realize you have the piper astray I got one nine you realize I will never play Australia I'll never wear the baggy brain effect that a buyer mechanist who works here called Wayne's Bradford he analyzes the technique of bowlers by building computer generated 3d replicas of bodies and joints as well really it's here where Wayne analyzes high-performance athletes are becoming fast bowler Ross Porton is being put to reach places the human body is not built for the workload of fast bowling it puts extreme pressure on the feet bagging and the shoulder hundred thirteen I wouldn't Scott like that no worries so Wayne is using this equipment the first capture and then analyze Ross's bowling action checking things like stride length and how high he releases the ball the higher the release the higher the bounce that bounce was something lower would used a great effect in body line and load was surprisingly short for a fast bowler and I'm not exactly tall so perhaps there's hope wait [Music] on the West bola if it be in this arena [Music] wideout rubbish okay so now it's been scientifically proven that I'm no fast bowler the signs are positive unfortunately I want to show Wayne some archive footage of Larwood to see if he can help me work out his actual speed so I know what I'm gonna face look fast hits the crease hard as most short guys would yep fast runner even though it's doesn't actually look that long there recently big stride length he looks like he has long arms right in here - yeah how we gonna find out how fast is actually bowling I think from from the image if each frames the same we can work at a time and also a distance measure and again the big issue is if you had those we're not perpendicular to the flight of the ball so there will be some error as is out of plane so we're trying to measure a 3d an angle from a 2d image so the time a distance and maybe more of a sight on angle is something that we really need so it's only a few issues really good luck I wonder if there's someone who can pull apart and manipulate the footage of Larwood to help me determine his actual bowling speed things we can do from this is using the different angles you've got start to build up a 3d kind of space right so there's two great landmarks still at the Adelaide Oval some Peter's Cathedral oh yeah background yeah yeah as well as the scoreboard which has been retained so I could go to satellite imagery of the current day Adelaide Oval some Peters is just over here so I've just kind of matched this into place so we're in exactly the same spot as that camera was on the fields so if we do that across several cameras we'll really be able to get an idea of the whole field and move around it top-down and from the back wherever you want really amazing I'm actually I'm extremely optimistic thirty when I was captain when the very lively off some rain Don Bradman showed signs of disliking the short ball intensely and tended to keep away from larvae was very very fast one got the general impression that the burning could be a bit too quick for problem well the first thing I knew about her would was we went to the same school at danke gate and of course it was the famous recreation grand ánotá game where we all started my father saw him playing on the wreck raging and brought him down here and of course it became history and I remember my father saying when he came down that held in those day was very slim and very pale through working down the mines and the committee said to my father what have you got us Joe he said a fastball there they left but they didn't laughlin because he was really fast it's quick and I was a coal miner in the Monday I went and Liberty on the tours and I was a professional cricket on the Wednesday at 32 shines a week and that was in 1925 my first match for notes and halfway through the season in 1926 I'm playing against Australia people don't realize today how fast Larwood was I was filled out that manner and there were times when I couldn't see the ball so gives you some idea his tremendous pace he had the most beautiful run-up and a most lovely action and timing I never seen anything better hold on why wouldn't you know the full patch it over don't blow nothing you can't do it again egg I don't and again double or nothing we're playing tomorrow it's all bull how much should we be getting seven is six thirteen by bison i right [Music] that's a fast tie what do you know I didn't see it [Music] and taking a moment to settle in that's what fender said [Music] [Applause] [Music] Bingen founders of a new fast owner congratulations on us see you said you'd win two pounds you said I'd be out two times thank you and for every Larwood wicket five yeah well dan haren fastest bowler in England in the world what do I owe you Harold seven and six skipper yeah have a pound thank you very much congratulations very brisk thanks mr. Johnny not much past the truck today though but you can build faster [Music] [Applause] well I would in the middle voxel wind I would pre body line but already perhaps the world's leading fast bowler complaining forever about the lvw law which didn't do much for the pace parlors in those 1930s against people like would fall is playing him now 232 and there's 100 flip down the third man or flogged Reggie Jackson applauds that very same year on the cricket fields of England a diminutive 21 year old country boy from the New South Wales town of bowel was hitting his way into the record books during the 1930 tour of England young Don Bradman scored 2960 runs at an average of 98.6 seven in the Test matches he scored 974 runs at a phenomenal average of 130 9.14 [Applause] at the spiritual home of cricket Lords bradman scored a chanceless 254 at leeds he scored three hundred and nine in a single day's play on his way to have them record 334 in the final test at the oval bradman scored 200 ether Harold you've build a lot of balls to bed I get most of them too you know I scored more runs off me than anyone in 1930 series he's fair and with the batter all right what about the Oval the last hist I'd rather forget that he scored 232 after Enid stop play you were brought back home I've got a bit of lift and thought for a moment to my captain yes he went through for a suicide run to get off strike do you remember uh with the end of a long day we'd all had enough it's concentration and gone well I thought that he was nervous well I am fast mr. Joffe yes I know Harold could you just think try to remember each ball well there was one thing though I didn't play it much mine sad are you coming to bog threatening there's one thing you always notice set him apart from other batsmen they don't move he stands perfectly still well fourth or fifth ball last although as I came in to deliver our I noticed some sort of moving sort of edging away I don't know I thought I saw his feet move but no one else noticed him did he do it again no after that he went straight through for the run sorry mr. Jardine it's not much but it's the only time I sense to Adam in trouble Thank You Harold there was a famous dinner wasn't that they followed up to her at the Piccadilly hotel that would between your knots captain half a car your England captain Douglas Jardine yourself and Bill those Jardine he was asking my old skipper mr. Carr and Manuel was and what had to get the best out there wasn't one thing another and I think you all about attacking this likes dumpin could idea because they asked me if I could if I was accurate enough to give us some persist in it so I said well give it a go [Music] told me 50 shitty water for you that's a bunch you've got me [Music] No [Music] [Applause] [Music] that'll be twenty four five [Music] [Music] those first whistle is just gone we've had a wonderful send-off Pancras but all the way down the line when we get to Australia we don't forget the good wishes of those who've been kind enough to come and see us all we hope that they will do as they hope we will do Redmond told us England was going to use four fastballs during the tour and they were going to use the strong theory in other words they were going to aim high I don't mean in an ambitious way I mean in the physical way high at the shoulders and the strong there were six men Klaus him on the legs hard the short silly shortly could almost have pilfered something from your hip pocket is shaped up to the bowler and they went right round to send right beside the keeper who was less Iams and if he tried to if it tried to fly the ball defensively the fellow at silly leg had tremendous chance of catching years had dropped off the bat and if you tried to glance it it was like having six suck wheels and ran for a leg slip catch then if you said oh well this is now good to me I'll never work at it I'll hit it yep now score at the fence there were two men one just behind square leg and one just in front of deep fine League and if you hit the ball hooked you had to hit it clean over the fence for six and not too many men that I know have ever been absolutely certain when they hooked that they're gonna put it right over the fence in lieu of the champion Don Bradman well immediately allow it seemed to increase his pace and I've never seen faster bowling esteemed though it upset Don they're so quick on his feet he could play yeah Billy could play Bill Bowes you could make it they go be Alan alright with the ordinary set field but I left me offside field open for him but only two men outside and I used to watch his feet and if he banked back I used to follow him a little bit so sunk down the Peter running to the wicket might have been that much down the leg side but it was only to stop him but we thought we'd carry on with it we've got wood got him on the on the run and their room it was perfectly obvious it's a brevin didn't make it and I understand that he complained to the Board of Control about that field setting after that match and I think from now on the setting of the field and the the short pitched attack evolves [Music] [Applause] Badman added some sort of own Rao with the Australians later so it didn't play in the first desperation Sydney Cricket Ground we're all Australia seems to have forget to watch the first stage of the struggle for the ashes England come out to field having lost the truss and would fill in France furred open the innings for Australia those bows his leg theories to the disapproval of pavilion critics if not of the whole subcontinent Larwood sends down his expresses faster than ever and none of the Australians were a way to deal with them until Stan the cave comes in for fourth wicket when three wickets have fallen for 82 my best friend Stan McCabe was then about a hundred and twenty seven not else he came out to point to meet me on my very slow walked the wicked he said stand right up to and targa he won't bounce one at you because he'll only be wasting energy and that that sounded pretty good to me I thought that's exactly the way I'd have looked at it - I wouldn't about won at number ten or eleven so I stood up for the first one I saw the little Philip we used to refer to him now it is the little fella we also referred to Don Bradman as the little fella he came from the gray/blue distance by the time he got up to me other bodies he must be going on his holidays and when he let fly I I felt the ball hit the middle of the bat before I was absolutely certain as lifts his hand so I just looked down the wicket at Stan Stan McCabe and shook my head and he nodded and said right our mate ESCA the Guardian leads his team onto the field we're reminded of what great names are include where's captain wire has been an even skipper Herbert's a cliff and Wally Hammond will undoubtedly go down the history of sport as cricket immortals australian-born Gavi Allen is now a top ammeter and of course there's the fierce and awesome talent of that great bowler Harold Laird the Nottingham professional and for those of you who are not familiar with Laird he's not very tall only 5 feet 9 in height but in the world of cricket he's right on top and fast : we seen now approaching jardian who examines the pitch before commencing his field places and the applause from the huge crowd as the Australian opening here would fill in Ponce would make their way down to the gap [Applause] [Music] good luck brother [Applause] your mom's made your favorite chocolate cake he said you're ready to get a place you can still in at lunch if llamado it certainly has I'll be there good luck mate I'll take Larwood Gabby I'll be de friend yeah they won Lake thanks George that's fine I want that is sander and leg goddamn overbuilt [Music] [Music] [Music] yes [Applause] administering frustrated the symbol for two bills the great opening here would fill and Punishment out there in the middle with all Australian right behind me [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] yes [Applause] [Music] [Applause] it's a good solid start for us parity with Hunsford on 10 and would full-on for there's a firm strike against a couple more with Ja Dane racing run up and about me they're not scoring all that quickly but the crowd doesn't mind that in both batsmen are starting to look quite confident [Music] [Applause] at negative 216 Netherlands would fall and consignee looking solid against the fast attack of Barwon and face [Music] [Applause] constant has not stopped and jivin once again chased the ball all the way to the boundary and he hasn't moved back even though it's the end of the / England's captain looks deep in thought by some lengthy nice short forward square leg please get me a bird neck slip [Music] wali gali built second leg zip I think now it's on piano so Jardine has decided to use this unusual placement and this is my first opportunity to speak about the pectin side field which we saw for the first time in Melbourne last week there are wide open spaces on the off side and the criticism of his leg theory is that the fast bowlers were I would embrace a pedo aimed directly at the batsman rather than the stumps and my question for JD he's not trying to bowler that how does he expect to dismiss experienced batsman bike would fall constant and McCabe Woodville has the strike and lowered ready to start this first ever with the new packed field on the on side and the short who's been hitting their with attempt to get away from that war and it's struck him on the shoulder on the left shoulder [Music] following on their victory at Sydney England take the field for the second test of Melbourne law would opens the building to Finland but he soon has trouble with his boots and consults Jardine [Music] Bradburn makes his first appearance in this series of tests but the great dawn is out first of all clean bowled by those always run out [Music] Larwood bozo Riley Ingrid shot boner is causing havoc ironmonger also forced a Larwood and Australia's first enemies closes for the small total of 228 runs sir cliff and white opened aliens first innings performer taking the first ball from wall so cliff reached his 50 after a shaky start wickets fall quickly and with LA woods dismissal by O'Reilly the even innings closes only for 169 57 runs behind Australia Australia's second innings started sensationally Finkle still being caught with only one run on the board the Bryan followed but was out to a fast run from lowered [Music] [Applause] in England fast runners a flag of utilities picture captain daddy must have regrets they're not having the services the quality Springboro such as Sydney Verity but we watching now as lowered comes in again 12 left in their brand well it bells are banned [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Music] a chance for Dawn Brancheau [Applause] international welcome prospectors greatness cream the magnificent dog breath [Applause] [Music] [Music] he's off the path they come back to the second and done breath and has caught his first man to the match his first of the zero [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] see that His Highness the conscientious objector [Music] [Applause] [Music] yes [Applause] [Music] right now [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] Jim booth it's split Berlin area right all right now I thought the grounds are this concrete you in the second innings he played probably one of the great innings that we've ever seen against the body line take that all the grandeur raves about who has won a very highest now is it Amy Johnson Paul little Mickey Mouse no it's just e countryman who's bringing down the house and pizza now [Music] when he goes into that Enoch anything we can [Music] every all TTIP his name [Music] [Applause] [Music] it was the taiked attack ground saw England take the field for Australia's first innings at a today's after having put 341 runs on the board themselves Pingleton poplars would fall to the wicked who open I remember that day very very clearly it's only a young lad that's 12 I buy you a very keen cricketer Holloway we knew there was a great fast bowler from the previous matches the first impression and the humane impression was that you just could not see the ball those those fast bowlers like that you would normally be able to follow the the ball down the pitch with loud it was just so far to you you couldn't see it there is an early shock for Australia when Woodville was unfortunately stepped on the heart by a ball from Larwood which got up I hit Billy would flow to the heart and he was crouching like we just stood erect he could went to him in Turin Italy probably top of a star but it was crouched the mass I lower the second devil that he's bound to the ordinary feel then loud came back with the new ball again and immediately Gardein before though it was bow before the first world Baldy switched the field over to the leg side well that's when the American commencing you know in earnest the objection was he was balling Orthodox field at the time and soon as he hit would police went to the lakeside field and that would riled the crowd the batsman's got a batteries have pads he's got gloves on you've got a ball he hits it before everybody claps and cheers and said what a mug your view hit even there babe I mean it's part of a fast palace tried to give them a few in the ribs occasionally keep them honest no I've seen people get it worse than that and just just give it a slight Robin carried on it made such a fuss about it being the captain and we would pull out after pluckily continuing his innings four wickets are down for 51 and I went into the room to see hair bill was near report said that he's laying on the table waiting for the doctor arrival that's all hogwash actually because when I walked in bill had just walked out from under the shower and I said you know I said leo he said that's a dreadful thing I don't know he said what's come out of the game and just then in walk mr. Warner the cow manager the English side and mr. Warner said we just called in mr. Woodford to see how you are and said mr. Warren he said there's two teams out on that field and he said one is playing cricket and the other is not he said that's all I have to say they just turned on here and walk out and on top of that bird on field was strike one me very press when Oldfield had struck on the head Norwood again being the unlucky better the ball was slow off the wickedness te arc anticipated and he told the wrong side of the head they talk too early now but you know my friends always love being friends now I run down there we kids and I said I'm sorry that this is not your fault Arnold and then he collapsed unconscious the wood floor went out to the ground hey come back with Bertie and I passed him on the way then the how lovely the Adelaide ground was in an uproar the ones got to bear in mind that the two batsmen who were badly hit were not hit one body line was being bow toward me factor that but is a fact bill was hit by one that lifted a bit the uneven bounce again and bill would foot and video field when talking he actually got a top edge and knocked it up onto his head but the the back leg side field was not in being employed our visual effects expert has apparently had a bit of luck and analyzing the Larwood footage so that much closer to finding out how fast the great net involved so he's lowered his bowling action from here we pull out see the rest of the stadium yeah yeah so now we're taking a camera back down to the side view and what would rewinding because of that so this is just basically the dimensions of the pitch we've got crease decrease seventeen point six eight meters and we could to wick it this is the release plan and that's basically the overall trajectory so from that you should be able to get a pretty good measurement and determine the speed of the ball we thought it'd be fun to sort of take that if I would got and put it from the batsman's perspective so you could experience a sort of all from would you know right from that perspective so now it's quite quick because of these Bowl so you can see as well of the bounce how it's pretty aggressive and the way it comes up at the shoulder line and aid so he gets it to move off the wicket yeah it looks like lava doesn't Haydon for a while but the best part about that is seeing how fast the balls coming towards you and the movement he gets off the wicked so yeah that's great [Applause] if your eye on the ball keep your eye on the ball that's what Bradman would say but how do I learn to do that I mean hey guy sports scientist Damien furrow has a laboratory in which he can analyze what a blacksmith sees in the heat of battle on the beauties that I get hurt in all sorts of trouble alright so if you can just hold your focus on now on the stamps maybe might be good but before I get to embarrass myself too much a professional cricketer Victorian state player Michael Hill has volunteered to go for more accurate than that it's close but he's be wired up with an eye tracker then I record exactly where he's looking facing up to this projective bowler Michael has to try and pick what sort of ball will be bowled by reading the bowlers body language or tells he then has to determine what sort of shot to play Damien monitors yeah Michael responds when does he move his feet what is his reaction time and what part of the bowler is he focusing on hmm you got 13 out of 16 correct so you read it pretty well yeah yeah okay my - okay so now I'm gonna get to look at the screen to be honest I do have a bit of an advantage the seen the footage ballsy haha [Music] oh god I can't tell it in history as fairies with while I was [Music] that should be you die think good so you got 12 out of 16 but I don't see I said a few si yeah work it out so we'll go and look at the search pattern that you've got and you'll find that it's quite different Michaels so Michaels was quite systematic he was looking at the grip typically at the start I and any work his way up the bowling arm and then to release looking at the wrist angle at release which is quite a common search pattern for a elite player you did what most unskilled players do yeah you focused a lot on the bowlers head running in it's quite clear that skilled batsman read the ball just as well as they read the cues that the bowler gives them you've got to develop both skills this will help you develop your ability to read the bowler not you then have to put the ball in so hence facing real bowlers is pretty important things I got scared too yeah the only way to get over that is to get in there and that's not all what's really cool is I can use the 3d version of Larwood Luke made I could be the first person to face Larwood in 80 years and it won't even hurt [Music] he follows you if I hear he got better so what's gonna be like that yeah it's better to go on this hoax eat it all feels like he's he's coming for you she got on the earth I can't may I'd have to stop praying that before even yeah balls the ball yeah there's only one real way to play it on this thing I'm getting ready for my shot while he's back foot comes in is it's good mmm burger that's the guy still anybody cyclist yeah a beginning to seal our differently I've got a new respect for his skill and how dangerous he was and Damien's visual perception simulation has given me an insight into how d his a body line delivery rapid success as a batsman was helped by his ability to see what sort of delivery would be bowled at him even before the baller left the ball his hand and that gave rep him more time to play a shot the issue of whether loud words bowling was cheating is about how his talent was cynically employed Jardine was the captain Jardine gave the orders and Jardine led England with a haughty manner wearing his elite Oxford University Harlequin cap there's no love lost between Jardine and his frail Ian crowds JT preached a policy of competitive hate he dismissed brandman as the little bastard Jardine fired up the body light controversy during the second day of the third Test in Adelaide why would struck Australian captain bill would full with the fierce delivery would fall goes down he's been struck on the heart and jardine instead of going up and company the Australian captain simply says well bold Harold he then claps his hands and orders his team to move to body line positions tension and feeling amongst the spectators runs high they view this as hitting a man when he's down was that fair play or totally unsportsmanlike what happened the next day got the crowds even more angry this time we could keep a Bert Oldfield receive the full brunt of one of Lord's deliveries if fractured his unprotected skull professor this is the defining moment of the day at the bodyline series harold lowe would the fastest poll in the world at the time it's coming in to ball to third Oldfield strikes him on the head I feel goes down I'll just show you the point of impact sound frame by frame it's hit him at that point he seems to kneel down he doesn't drop to the ground he doesn't go immediately unconscious he seems to be kneeling there cradling his head now whether he has lost consciousness at that point I don't know do they carry him off on a stretcher he walks off he walks on amazed he didn't totally black out you know a cricket ball could do a hell of a lot of damage if it hits you at full pelt in the front of the head and this is the risk these guys are taking in back in 1932-33 we're not home absolutely he is lucky because a crack in the skull around this area it could have damaged an artery which can tear very easily and they cause acute arterial bleeding on the surface of the brain called an extra dural hemorrhage and that's a threat to life now the person can be initially reasonably alert we call it a lucid interval where they initially a dazed or blackout then they wake up and they're fine and then over the next few hours they they rapidly go downhill and become deeply unconscious because this clot of blood gets gets progressively bigger squashes the brain and and threatens their life so that could have happened to him but fortunately it didn't I like he was a I am very lucky very lucky but this injury could have killed him but there's a question mark strictly speaking the Bulls that did the damage were not bodyline deliveries in fact while our woods ball was a bouncer Oldfield said it hit him because of an unlucky ricochet off his bat and there was no actual bodyline field in place for either delivery that begs the question why these events in Adelaide became so controversial so I catch up with Wayne from the Australian Institute of Sport so Wayne did you get a chance to have a look at the 3d treatment of lar woods bowling ball speed so all the numbers seem plausible so the ball speed was 137 to 147 in that range I be the Arab why 140 he's a fast ball out also being a short guy because it was release height you would have had the picture pretty sure to get it up there so I think you were something pretty special on a good day he could have got up there you never know you've got a touch 115 if it was 147 it's plausible when he could about it with 150 s which is quick as anyone anyone Falls or has ball really that's great thanks mate and it had only changed around to a leg trap with the Oval it that was what made Adelaide so terribly important that Jardine switched to a leg trap even when there was shine still on the ball the huge Saturday crown voiced his disapproval continually booing and hooting our glowered as he ran into bowl grad one was dismissed for only eight caught in the leg trap a flower would fall soon followed out for 22 the manager of the MCC team sir Pelham plum Warner visited bill would fall in the Australian dressing room plum Warner and his assistant dick pal array decided to make a courtesy visit to the Australian dressing room to sympathize for those two injuries with bill woofle who had either just come out of the shower or was still on the massage table being treated with his huge bruise over his heart and plum Warner offered his sympathy and was astonished and shocked when bill would fell'd just gave vent to his emotions and dad said I don't wish to discuss it why was the question and then count dad's well-known quote there are two teams out there one is playing cricket the other is making no attempt to do so then he added the game is too good to be spoilt and it's time that some people got out of it good afternoon in other words you're dismissed there's no doubt that dad felt just exactly what he said would fall was hard hit by the approach of the England team he genuinely felt it to be unethical to tell an England team that they are not playing cricket in the 1930s was a pretty deep and damaging comment but it was a pointer to would Falls High principals himself and how deeply he was hurt more sensations were to follow when bill wood falls dressing-room comments were leaked to the press for the first time the general public were made aware in no uncertain terms that Australia's captain bill would fall strongly disapproved of bodyline it would have been better probably if it hadn't been broadcast around the world and dad was very very upset that it was leaked out from the dressing room but once it was out there was nothing that could be done now the strengthen team bar those two out in the middle though I think were pons Ferdinand Richardson some of them from the balcony watching the game could just just about hear what was going on so you could say that who leaked it to the press it could have been any one of them Jack Fingal Tinley was a professional journalist was a member of the Australian team and there were hints that he was the man who was involved and of course he denied it strongly but there is much feeling that it was leaked to Claude Corbett of the Sydney Sun and it so happened that Donald Bradman was a columnist for the same group many people have put two and two together of those two points and made four-fingered and accused Brabham bradman implied that it had to be Jack Finland and it was a very unfortunate business in the two estimable men didn't speak for years Jack Fingal Dan's book the cricket crisis is a well worth a good read for anything could get their hands on it that gets into it pretty thoroughly the story has told me by Claude Corbett then writing for the son and a colleague of mine was this I got a ring on the phone that night at our hotel it was from Don Bradman who told me he wanted to tell me something Don was also working in a third sense for the son being associated with a broadcasting firm and a sports store we arranged a rendezvous on North Terrace and while we sat in his car he told me all about the Warner would fall incident it was too hot a story to run on my own and I gave it to all the breath I was bequeathed a document by Gilbert meant it was the last surviving reporter on the body line series he wrote for Reuters the document that he left me was an article he wrote shortly before he died and he said that I was not to divulge the contents until after he and Sir Donald Bradman had passed on a Gilbert man died in 1997 in his 90s and this is the document that he left me it's a long article on the Adelaide dressing-room leaked but it concludes for some reason the story continued to intrigued men in 1996 I delved further into it I telephoned called Corbett's son Mac Corot performer Sun Herald journalist in Sydney he told me that cord had never mentioned the dressing-room incident to his family but I was in for a shock when I questioned his sister Helen Carney she told me that after Cordes death her mother confided in her that Claude had told her that Bradman had been the culprit confirming the secret of the after that meeting as alleged by Finland in 1978 now where does that leave us so I believe implicitly in Brad man's denial and have no reason to doubt mrs. Carney story food Corbett was a down-to-earth hard-drinking convivial character fond of a practical joke perhaps he'd perpetrated a gigantic leg pull and Fingal him but it was scarcely conceivable that he'd do the same thing to his wife so were left wondering and I think the whole 11 Australian well except him would fall the 10 players are under suspicion but the thing is whoever put this story to the press is really a hero because at last at long last Australian knew that bill would fall resented what was happening he was angry about it and that gave every in the land cup lunch now to stand up and say this is wrong and we all including bill would fall think so and something's got to be done about it body line became an international incident when Australian wicketkeeper Bert old food had his skull fractured after being struck in the head while attempting to hook a short ball from Harold lowered lowered was bowling to a conventional field at the time but as Australian captain bill would fall strode onto the ground to assist the injured Oldfield from the field the anger of the large crowd was reaching boiling point this normally gentle proud of that way seemed to be on the verge of revolt the authorities of anyway by the two or four hundred mounted troopers at the back of the pavilion ready to your summit said they were harmed I think they were very afraid then that they were afraid that they that the crowd might come over and Gabi told me once the jardine had as it were issued battle orders and he said to Gabi he said if it does happen he said you take one stump and he said you all and so far as you can't defend a bill and he said I'll take now then he said I was held Adelaide authorities were rightly very very worried indeed the combination of poverty unemployment and this imperialist ungentlemanly English swine coming and knocking our heads off the combination was was lethal the Australian Board of Control hurriedly composed and dispatched a cable of protest to the MCC at Lord's body loin bowling assumes such proportions as to Menace best interests of game making protection of body by batsmen the main consideration causing intensely bitter feelings between players as well as injury in our opinion it is unsportsmanlike unless stopped at once likely to upset the friendly relations existing between Australia and England [Music] I apologize they are but we have reached a point where decisions have to be made it's not necessary for me to detail the bitterness that our tactics have caused both on and off the field mr. Warner and I hold sharply opposing views and earlier this evening this led to harsh words I would like to make it clear that I take full responsibility for the use of leg theory it is the captain's prerogative to determine technics but I believe that the situation now demands that the team should have their say for my part I'm sure the tour would be a happier one if we abandon at this approach but I don't believe that we could win the ashes if the team support the use of leg theory there remains one obstacle the word unsportsmanlike I have learned that this accusation leveled against us all remains on the record I do not intend to continue the series unless it is retracted it is a slur on our honor our prestige and our country others may not think this and if this is the case and I shall stand down as captain and withdraw from the team I shall leave the room if you wish I'm much better bowler than I am speaker by my reckoning we all skip her a debt see ya selectors sit our too old but now I'm Baldwin faster than ever and people said Bradman couldn't be stopped but bill balled him out for a duck and when we left we were like a team gone to slaughter and now we got them on the run and it was skipper that showed us out now we haven't come 12,000 miles to lose I want to keep playing tests and I want to keep bowling leg theory so I want to win speak up does anyone feel differently as vice captain I'm sure I speak for the team aquas you'll have our full support plum perhaps you could use your word officers point out to the Australian board how we feel as a team get them to withdraw the word you know I'd do anything for the team plum if they don't withdraw the word tell them that none of us will be on that train tomorrow thank you [Music] [Music] as magic in which England recaptured the edges is later for spending here in Queensland is really seni tropical country and the Sun blazes down from the cloudless sky like a monkey's olefrog on this the hottest day of the tour again Australia are lucky with the toss and the MCC take the field closely followed by the opening batsman would fall nearest the camera and Victor Richardson in the boiling heat Larwood opens his shock attack bowling first the Orthodox off theory runs however come with slow assurance and law would revert to his leg theory mr. proud Marvel resents [Music] [Applause] Australia's first wicked stand ended at 133 the Richardson's departure and Redman appears he is not very comfortable against Larwood about if he knocks up a useful 76 before being dismissed [Applause] [Music] [Music] [Music] cat bull finish the other half don't get up can't run you can do anything if you want it badly enough the crowd want to see you broken don't give them that pleasure finish it Harold [Music] Green's Oh they'd be a lot calmer and make kelly's armour when la would be record against dr. Brisbane for the fourth test we were leading to one and I could always talk to more skipper and this particular note before the test I said so what's the team to our skipper any alteration each other replied it says the might not be a test you don't wash is good you know thinking about myself so it's the nurse I've got sit here I saw don't know how long waiting for a table he gets to beat more states record so I got the first wicket down and I must have been exerting myself a bit more because I broke a bone in my foot well it worked actually broke is something it's all their gold squeezed up and I fell down and I got up and they said to me says you know you'll have to finish the over Harold assert current skipper he says you have to I said look I can't walk with an ability in Surrey when you finish the over so I said right other malasadas get pressed around I can go that now can't you he says no a struggle up he says no that's Leucippus I can't run a countdown out of wall he says won't you've got to stop she got a cover point now that does you know it's the west position on the field where he's coming you run you left you running right so I saw covering after him it's alright let somebody else run after him an offer he went so I had to go to go the point but Jardine Tommy afterwards he start couldn't let you go and he said the psychological effect on Bradley so I didn't want done to know the Syrian serve of your injury and that was last ball I were billed in Australia so tell operation I got back home who would have predicted that England would win four out of the five tests who would have given bradman an average of only 56 runs and innings but this series of tests will be remembered as love would I feel down here under rather false pretenses because in order but I should have the very proud privilege of addressing you and presenting this variable tangible mark of your honor to Harold and Bill old bands wrapped thousands of people to see them come to nothing no they were local heroes but well English here because now it embarrassed it with four they one day assume is practically other hand that I won't show you something about our strippers mr. jolly yeah when we are so delighted to have with us on this occasion but I found it very difficult to express in words what I feel he is certainly one of the finest men I have ever met and I had the privilege of meeting a magnificent captain a great sportsman and a true friend there is some serious thanks to all concerned for the carnage your show me thank you very much you'd got back to England how you were asked by a certain gentleman to apologize for your bowling in Australia was that you tell me it was Julian come on he was the president of our club mr. Lauda says I've got a letter here for you so I want you to read it and think about it as if you apologize to the MC soon to Australia probability to be in good western again next time as I'm afraid I won't what's on it sir he said will read the letter so I read the letter and I said you want me to sign this I said yes I said well sorry unguent refused it so we short you father a mother let them read it and let me know tomorrow so I said young do that but I know what they don't say sure I'd to return my father and mother now you can picture those Fred after when I was out here all the pallava that was going on with a state of mind they'd be in muncher tummy thinking about me so let's show me mother and she cooked put her all glass Adana tip of her nose and she says are you going to sign this I said well I should have said if you do you'll never see me alive again said that they'd felt it that much you see so I said no mother I'm not witness I didn't I didn't I wouldn't know said oh I wouldn't play against Australians again [Music] when the Orion recently birthed at Sydney she brought a famous English cricketer back to Australia Errol Glavine with his wife and five daughters he plans to settle in the country that once booed him whenever he bow he certainly had a wonderful action hidden here I've no regrets no Fred I think and I made the best decision of my develop and we came out here to everybody settle down we're still love England still got it always talk about England yes the heart still there but this is where my family is now and do you wish you had ever apologized no you're nothing to apologize did you used to apologize to anybody when you'd done from the leg you don't think now the MCC can't condone this sort of play I'm afraid you'll have to apologize apologize due to your failures I did what I were told you were there mr. Warner for the sake of cricket Harold as for Harold Larwood he never played cricket for England again in 1951 he and his family migrated to Australia final battle between Longwood and rattmann had a rather poignant conclusion in Sydney don't build his heart her whole talk on hard Australian wickets and something that he really wasn't used to an any fast baler will come down with a great crash on those days where hits particularly sunny bailing at Lord's pace and he broke a bone in the middle and over but Jardine say you finished over and here we had one of the dramatic cameos of the whole series when bill would full of all people was at the other end and he acknowledged that Larwood was a bruised and battered warrior and he treated him kindly all laberd could do apparently was to stand at the crease and Rowan his arm over and he said I thought to myself will his five fours and dad just patted them all gently back to lowered and refused to take advantage he lowered said that that's the sort of sportsmen that build what fool was love would asked you off Lord you are not going off until bradman is out and you're not I'm not going off but you're going to feel the colorpoint so Batman can see you every time he looked up fortunately for Herald live at Don Bradman was dismissed sort shortly afterwards and the pair of them then walked off Jardine said you can go in our Herald and they walked off of course without speaking to each other or acknowledging each other and there you had the two key characters of the body line series leaving the arena shortly before the close of this body line has served its purpose England won the series four tests to one and regained the ashes the prime motivation in employing body line tactics namely to mute the prolific scoring of Don Bradman achieved the desired results he was not quite brought to his knees but he was transformed into something unrecognizable from the previous four years that he came out of it with an average of 56 which is respectable but it was probably a quarter of what England feared he would average against some against Orthodox tactics without the fatal setting the whole thing fell down a little bit and we'd had a bouncers bar quite a few but consistent bouncing of the ball to a lakeside field it's completely negated all the attractiveness of the game of cricket all the attractive shots in the game like the cover drive and things like that would be non-existent and whoever wants to go at the ground and watch fellow stacking and diving and getting caught off their gloves or getting hit and falling down and so on I mean that that's no attraction the success of bodyline was ultimately due to the consummate skill of Harold Laird and his ability to Bowl with such sustained accuracy at such fearsome pace for such long periods of time was extraordinary wasn't it that the reception that Harold Lowood got after you think the suffering that he'd calls upon the Australian team and the Australian public the Australian nation when you think the reception that he got when he made 98 in the last Test match he came out as a was an arrow isn't it strange he went in as night watchman he didn't like that when jardian said Pat up Harold you see thought he'd done enough already he wasn't a bad bat sit lower and he said he made 98 runs and that was jolly and just being talking with that solutely tickled pink to hear them cheering as loudly as he went off the field as they had screamed at him before when he was bowling it really meant a lot to him I think it took him a while to realise it they were cheering his score not the fact that he was out deep down Australians knew that they were watching a great cricketer they probably realized he was a tool in something in a system that was larger than himself the Australians were delighted to see him do it because they recognised bravery and guts and effectiveness for the team and Jardine back in the pavilion must have been scratching his head and burying his face in his hand saying I don't understand these people far away in the comfort of their lounge rooms and in their committee rooms they had no idea what was going on it's not like today where we're seeing full-color live slow-motion coverage of games thousands of miles away they had to rely on letters and cables and they knew the lowered bolt bouncers and he both fast were the Australians squealing couldn't they take it it was only five foot seven and a half and most people think that to be a fast ball that you have to be tall and strong there is one story where a little boy and his father came along to meet dad a little boy looked up and stopped at the five foot seven and a half and said geez dad it doesn't look like a killer he was perceived as the closest thing to a mass murderer he was after Don he was after the rest of them now this had been it had been magnified to an extent that was truly frightening and the most frightening thing of all was the lack of comprehension because of the tyranny of distance and he was out here bowling his heart out for his country and his captain and he received these wonderfully congratulatory telegrams from the MCC saying well bowled nots well bowled loud they they tried to make la would apologize that was the first thing they did and Larwood was required by the nottingham show authorities the instance of the MCC to write a letter and they drafted letter for darwood to sign one minute they're congratulating him in the next minute they are asking him to apologize for doing what he did I don't think he ever got over that hurt I think he hurt inside he showed the letter his mother and his mother said Harold if you signed that letter you will never see me again in your life he didn't he never played for England again he was simply rejected which is why he ended up in Australia in 19:50 powered lowered his wife and five daughters migrated to Australia and settled in a suburb of Sydney where he lived very happily for the remainder of his life occasionally he would renew acquaintances with his old foe didn't I go to town to do some shopping I think he was gonna buy and it and I watch the high school and we're walking up Martin place to get the bus home and that's it look who's coming here wasn't look he said stop the headsman so I stopped and I shook hands and had a chat we walked away and it's his world but people around wouldn't have guessed who was talking there together well there you see the two famous cricketers of yesteryear Errol our patent bill was accompanied by the chairman of the Australian cricket board mr. Bob panitch we took according to form the great class brothers they got out onto the center with e-bill votes just taking his coat off is about the bogie overriding when he went down to the ground apparently his name was in huge gilt letters and they asked him to just step on to the ground and they said it was a deafening roar went up and he if he couldn't believe it he didn't think anybody would remember him but he certainly did get a marvelous reception when he went out there in 77 [Music] [Applause] [Music]

Channel: Z Cricket

Views: 34,225

Rating: 4.8467431 out of 5

Keywords: Harold larwood Bodyline

Id: PO38JC1Yb0Q

Length: 89min 10sec (5350 seconds)

Published: Fri Sep 22 2017