Jonathan Calder revives memories of Jim Laker's record-breaking 19 for 90 against Australia in 1956. I recall walking round Liscard, Wallasey, in the lunch break from school and hearing the Test Match Special commentators reporting another wicket going down, seemingly every time I passed an establishment with a radio set. Many of the Aussie wickets were "caught Lock [in the leg trap] bowled Laker". The twentieth wicket was "caught Laker, bowled Lock".
Yes, we boys were dismissive of Laker's being picked for the series. Lancashire's Roy Tattersall would have been preferred and, in a spirit of trans-Pennine generosity, we admitted that Bob Appleyard was good, too. Ironically, Laker was Yorkshire-born and -bred, but did not make it as a batsman/medium-pacer with his native county.
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