Harold Larwood, the pit-pony boy who became cricket's most feared fast bowler
At 18 Harold Larwood stood just 5 feet 4 inches tall, and a veteran Test batsman thought he looked like a jockey. Years of shifts at a Nottinghamshire colliery had given him shoulders and stamina, though, and he bowled so fast that many still rank him among the quickest ever.
Born on 14 November 1904 in Nuncargate, a village near the mining town of Kirkby-in-Ashfield, Larwood was the fourth of five sons of Robert, a strict teetotal miner who captained the village cricket team. Harold left Kirkby Woodhouse school in 1917, aged 13, worked briefly at the miners' cooperative store and then took charge of pit ponies at Annesley Colliery. That little school also produced Bill Voce, Joe Hardstaff junior and several other future county players.
Joe Hardstaff senior, who had worked alongside Robert underground, urged the lad to try out at Trent Bridge. Father and son went in April 1923. Larwood bowled poorly at first, improved as nerves eased, and walked away with a contract worth 32 shillings a week, exactly his pit wage, plus ground staff chores. Robert was furious he had not bargained harder. Under coach James Iremonger, a regime of diet, exercise and endless practice added weight, a few inches and the arts of swing and length.
His first county appearance, on 20 August 1924 against Northamptonshire, left him convinced he was not ready. Captain Arthur Carr disagreed and treated him, in his own words, like a son. From 1925 Larwood was a fixture, and within two seasons Jack Hobbs was lobbying selectors for him. He debuted for England at Lord's in 1926, was recalled at Hobbs's urging for the decisive Oval Test, topped the national averages in 1927 and was named a Wisden Cricketer of the Year.
Don Bradman's arrival ended English dominance in 1930, and captain Douglas Jardine answered with fast leg theory, soon called bodyline. Larwood was its chief weapon on the 1932–33 tour of Australia, and the uproar cut short his Test career. In 1950, prompted by old opponent Jack Fingleton, he emigrated to Australia and was warmly received, working for a soft drinks firm. An MBE arrived in 1993, when he was 88; he died on 22 July 1995.
Source: Harold Larwood
