86: Jim Laker

46 matches. 193 wickets @ 21.25. Strike rate: 62.32. 9x 5wi.

12 years. 1x good. 2x excellent. 6x outstanding.

The discussion

I am going to go very much by the numbers when reviewing the career of Jim Laker, for the numbers tell some remarkable stories. Of course, there is also one story that really needs to be told. But you probably already know that one.

When we talk about peaks, Jim Laker’s run of home series between 1956 and 1958 is pretty special: 81 wickets at 13 apiece. But if you take out the Australian Invincibles tour of England in 1948 (Laker’s first series at home for England), you see that his numbers at home were remarkable for much longer than a three-year window:

Source: ESPN CricInfo

126 wickets at home from 1949 to 1958, at an average of 15.63 (!) and a strike rate under 55 — figures that demonstrate the extent that Jim Laker was a dominant force in English conditions. His formidable partnership with Tony Lock was a key feature of that time, and a defining factor as England won The Ashes in 1956 — a series that wrote Laker’s name permanently into the record books.

Which segues nicely into the story you’re all waiting for. The Jim Laker Test in 1956 was remarkable for several reasons. Firstly, the series was perfectly poised at 1–1, and the preparation of a wicket that favoured spin gave both attacks a chance to bowl their side to victory and take a lead going into the final Test at The Oval. Australia had Benaud and Ian Johnson, England had Laker and Lock. As it was, England batted big in the first innings thanks to centuries from Peter Richardson and David Sheppard[1], which gave their bowlers the perfect platform from which to bowl Australia out as the wicket wore. Secondly, Laker was bowling alongside another excellent spinner in Tony Lock, who, despite bowling well, picked up only one wicket in the first innings. Laker took the other nine to finish with 9-37 alongside Lock’s 1-37 as Australia were bundled out for 84. Rain contributed to produce a surface that perfectly suited Laker’s style and, after England enforced the follow-on, Laker went one better in the second innings, taking all ten wickets. His 10-53, as Australia could only manage 205, handed England an innings victory and gave Laker match figures of 19-90, a record that stands to this day. That Laker took 10 wickets in an innings may not have come as a surprise to the Australians, though, as he had also taken 10 wickets in the first innings of a match at The Oval earlier in the tour! These are two records that I think will stand forever: 19 wickets in a Test match, and two ten-wicket hauls in an innings against an international side on the same tour.

Several books I read also confirmed the apocryphal tale that, following the game, having completed his 19-wicket haul and having spun his side to victory, Laker repaired to a pub, in which he was not recognised by any of the patrons, despite being the hero everyone was talking about.

To put that 1956 series in perspective, Laker never took more than 20 wickets in a series other than his magical run in 1956. His 46 wickets rank him second all-time on the list of most wickets in a series in Tests:

Source: ESPN CricInfo

Only seven bowlers have taken 40 wickets in a series. Laker’s effort in 1956 ranks as the best in terms of average (9.6) and places him third in strike rate (37.0). [2]

His 1956 series is so good you could almost consider it an outlier. Take that series away and his average drifts to 24, and his strike rate out to around 70. They’re still pretty good numbers, and given the fact that Laker averaged under 25 in eight out of nine series at home, I’m not discounting that series in the analysis.

The verdict

Over 46 Tests, Jim Laker compiled a career that is defined by the numbers. His average of 21.24 is 7th all-time among qualified players, and 1st among spin bowlers in the Hall of Fame. His incredible ‘Jim Laker Test’ and indeed the whole Ashes series in 1956 will stand long in cricketing memories. After all, how many players have a Test match named in their honour? Only a few. I firmly believe that no one will ever take 19 wickets in a Test match ever again. Perhaps because of this, I believe that his overall record is one that is underrated in modern times.

I never saw Jim Laker play in person, but from the footage, and from reading stories about those who played with and against him, it’s clear he was a formidable opponent. The current trend of off-break bowlers who bowl around the wicket at right-handers can be traced back to Laker, who, by the sound of it, did it better than just about anyone else.

In one word

19-90

Notes

[1] Not to be confused with the great English umpire David Shepherd

[2] Massive shout out here to Terry Alderman. He won’t appear in the Hall of Fame but an incredible effort to take 40+ wickets in a series twice, both away in England during The Ashes. A brilliant swing bowler whose career has a really interesting story. I’d love to have him on as a guest one day.

Bio

Record

Source: ESPN CricInfo

career peak

Sources: ESPN CricInfo