Johnny Lawrence (cricketer) facts for kids

John Lawrence (born March 29, 1911 – died December 10, 1988) was an amazing English cricketer. He was an all-rounder, meaning he was great at both batting and bowling. His right-handed batting and special bowling style, called leg-break and googly, were super important for Somerset for ten seasons right after World War II.

Early Cricket Days and Unique Style

John Lawrence was born in Carlton, Leeds, on March 29, 1911. He first became well-known playing in the Bradford Cricket League during the 1930s. Even though he was talented, he couldn't get a spot on the very strong Yorkshire team. He did play for their Second Eleven, which is a team for developing players.

He moved to Somerset and, after living there for a certain time, he became eligible to play for their county team. However, he had to wait until after World War II ended to make his official debut. By then, he was 35 years old.

Lawrence was described as short and full of energy. He was a determined batsman who could sometimes bat with incredible focus. As a bowler, he was known for being one of the slowest ever. He could bowl so slowly that it looked like he could almost run after the ball if he didn't like how it was going!

Becoming a First-Class Cricketer

John Lawrence was an instant hit when he joined Somerset in 1946. In his very first season, he earned his county cap, which is a special award for playing well. He scored 968 first-class runs and took 66 wickets.

In 1947, he didn't take as many wickets, but he achieved his first "five-wicket haul." This means he took five wickets in one innings (a part of a cricket match). He got six wickets for 53 runs against Hampshire at Weston-super-Mare. At the end of that season, even though he played for Somerset, he was chosen to play for the North team in a special match against the South team.

Best Bowling Years Begin

The 1948 season was the start of Lawrence's best years as a bowler. His number of wickets jumped from 45 in 1947 to 82. His bowling average also improved a lot, meaning he gave away fewer runs for each wicket he took. His two best bowling performances that year were against Yorkshire, where he took six wickets for 29 runs and then six wickets for 35 runs.

At the end of 1948, he played for an England XI team in a special match. This was to celebrate Glamorgan winning their first County Championship. Lawrence was the only player in that England team who hadn't played Test cricket (the highest level of international cricket). However, this and the North v South match were the only times he played for special representative teams.

In 1949, he took 100 wickets in a season for the first time, ending with 107 wickets. His batting wasn't as strong that year, and he didn't score any "fifties" (50 runs or more) in an innings. He achieved his best bowling figures yet, taking eight wickets for 63 runs against Hampshire.

Career Highs in 1950

The 1950 season was even better for John Lawrence. Against Worcestershire, he took eight wickets for only 41 runs on a pitch affected by rain. These remained the best bowling figures of his entire career! He took a total of 115 wickets that season, which was his highest ever. His bowling average was also the best of his career.

What's more, his batting improved greatly in 1950, and he scored 981 runs. This was the closest he ever came to achieving the "all-rounder's double," which means scoring 1,000 runs and taking 100 wickets in an English cricket season.

A big reason for his bowling success was his great teamwork with Somerset's wicketkeeper, Harold Stephenson. It was said that Lawrence would bowl a big leg-break that would miss the bat, and Stephenson would quickly flick off the bails (the small pieces of wood on top of the wickets). Lawrence would then have a huge smile on his face as the batsman looked frustrated!

A Key Player for Somerset

John Lawrence turned 40 in March 1951. Over the next five years of his first-class career, his role in the Somerset team changed a bit. He consistently took 70 or more wickets each season, but he never reached 100 wickets again, though he came close with 93 in 1954.

However, his batting continued to get better and became more important for a Somerset team that struggled. They finished at the bottom of the County Championship for four years in a row from 1952 to 1955. Lawrence was also a great fielder, especially in the "slip" position.

Scoring Centuries

In 1951, he scored over 1,000 runs in a season for the first time, reaching 1,067 runs. The next year, 1952, he scored the first two centuries (100 runs or more) of his career. His first century was an unbeaten 103 runs against the Indians at Taunton. He batted at number 9 and shared a huge partnership of 133 runs with another player, William Dean.

Two months later, still batting at number 9, he scored another century, 111 runs, against Essex at Taunton. He was also Somerset's top wicket-taker in 1952.

In 1953, his bowling was similar, but because Somerset's batting was weak, he was sometimes asked to bat higher up the order, even opening the innings (starting the batting) for a while alongside Harold Gimblett. He scored over 1,000 runs again that season.

Benefit Match and Final Season

Somerset gave Lawrence a benefit match in 1954. This is a special game to help a long-serving player earn some extra money. Even though the match was affected by rain, his benefit fund eventually reached £3,000. This was impressive because, as a strict Methodist, Lawrence didn't allow any Sunday matches or raffles for his benefit.

In the 1954 season, Lawrence played wonderfully, scoring 929 runs and taking 93 wickets. This was very close to achieving the all-rounder's double again. For the third year in a row, he was Somerset's leading wicket-taker.

The 1955 season marked a change for the Somerset team, and they relied less on Lawrence. He still took over 70 wickets with his leg-spin, and his batting total of 1,128 runs was his highest for a season. He scored the highest score of his entire first-class career, 122 runs, in a match against Worcestershire. This helped Somerset save the match. However, within a month, he asked to leave his contract and left Somerset at the end of the season.

Life After County Cricket

After leaving Somerset in 1955, John Lawrence took a contract to play as a professional for Haslingden Cricket Club in the Lancashire League in 1956. Haslingden finished last that season, and Lawrence didn't return for 1957.

In 1958, he started playing Minor Counties cricket for Lincolnshire. He stayed with them for ten years, playing his last match for the team in 1967 when he was 56 years old. In 1966, Lincolnshire qualified for the Gillette Cup, which is a List A competition (a shorter form of the game). They played Hampshire, and Lawrence bowled seven overs and scored 2 runs not out, but his team lost.

While playing for Lincolnshire, Lawrence also went back to playing in the Bradford Cricket League. He also ran indoor cricket schools in Yorkshire, where he coached many cricketers, including the famous Geoffrey Boycott.

John Lawrence passed away in Toulston, near Tadcaster, on December 10, 1988, at the age of 77.

Family Life

John Lawrence was married to Mary (whose maiden name was Clarkson). Mary played a very important role in his cricket school, supporting his career, and raising their family. John and Mary had six children: Miles, Pauline, Susan, Robin, Dinah, and Stephen. They also had 11 grandchildren.

Lawrence's son, Miles Lawrence, also played cricket. He was a right-handed batsman and leg-break bowler, just like his dad! Miles played 18 first-class matches for Somerset between 1959 and 1961. A younger son, Stephen, played Minor Counties cricket for Cheshire.

A Cheerful Personality

Even the famous cricket book, Wisden, mentioned that John Lawrence was a "cheerful" cricketer. People who knew him said he had a very happy personality, which was great for the team's dressing room. He was known for his laughter and friendship, especially during tough times when the team wasn't doing well.