Ray Lindwall facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Ray Lindwall
MBE

Lindwall in the late 1940s
Personal information
Full name	Raymond Russell Lindwall
Born	(1921-10-03)3 October 1921 Mascot, New South Wales, Australia
Died	23 June 1996(1996-06-23) (aged 74) Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm fast
Role	All rounder
International information
National side	Australia
Test debut (cap 165)	29 March 1946 v New Zealand
Last Test	28 January 1960 v India
Domestic team information
Years	Team
1941–1954	New South Wales
1954–1960	Queensland
Career statistics
Competition Tests First-class Matches 61 228 Runs scored 1,502 5,042 Batting average 21.15 21.82 100s/50s 2/5 5/19 Top score 118 134* Balls bowled 13,650 42,970 Wickets 228 794 Bowling average 23.03 21.35 5 wickets in innings 12 34 10 wickets in match 0 2 Best bowling 7/38 7/20 Catches/stumpings 26/– 123/–
Source: CricketArchive, 27 December 2007
Rugby league career
Playing information
Position	Fullback
Club Years Team Pld T G FG P 1940–46 St. George Dragons 31 7 123 0 267
Source: Whiticker/Hudson

Raymond Russell Lindwall (3 October 1921 – 23 June 1996) was an Australian cricketer. He played for Australia in 61 Tests from 1946 to 1960. Many people think he was one of the best fast bowlers ever. He was also a top rugby league player for St. George. He played in two grand finals before focusing only on cricket.

Lindwall was a right-arm fast bowler who bowled very quickly. He was known for his smooth and powerful bowling style. He could make the ball swing away from the batsman at high speed. He also used a fast, low ball called a yorker and a scary bouncer. Later, he learned to make the ball swing inwards too. This made him a very difficult bowler to face.

Ray Lindwall was also a good all-round cricketer. He was a strong batsman who scored two centuries in Test matches. He often helped Australia score more runs when they needed them. He was a key player for the Australian team that toured England in 1948. This team, led by Don Bradman, was called The Invincibles because they didn't lose any games. They are seen as one of the best cricket teams ever. Lindwall is in the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame and was named in the Australian Cricket Board Team of the Century.

Early Life and Cricket Beginnings

Raymond Lindwall was born in Mascot, a suburb of Sydney. He was the fourth of five children. His mother died when he was seven years old. His father worked for the Water and Sewerage Board. The children knew they would need to support themselves after school.

When he was 11, Lindwall watched the famous Bodyline cricket series in 1932–33. He saw England's fast bowler Harold Larwood bowl very quickly and aggressively. Larwood's smooth bowling style inspired young Lindwall. He wanted to bowl just like him.

Lindwall started formal cricket training at Marist Brothers Kogarah. His headmaster, Brother Aidan O'Keefe, helped him improve his batting and bowling. By age 13, Lindwall led his school's under-15 team. He played in two different Saturday competitions when he was 14. In one day, he scored 219 runs and 110 runs in two separate matches.

Playing for St. George

In 1938, Lindwall was invited to practice with the state team. He bowled very well against Jack Fingleton, a top Australian batsman. Lindwall joined the First XI team at St. George by December. The team was led by Bill O'Reilly, a famous bowler. O'Reilly became like a father figure to Lindwall. He told Lindwall to bowl as fast as he could. O'Reilly also helped Arthur Morris become a great batsman. Both Lindwall and Morris became world-class players. In July 1939, Lindwall's father passed away.

Cricket, Rugby, and War Service

In 1940, Lindwall started playing rugby league for the St. George Dragons with his older brother, Jack. He played as a fullback and kicked goals. His cricket skills also improved a lot. In October 1941, Lindwall played his first first-class cricket match for New South Wales.

The Sheffield Shield cricket season was cancelled in December 1941 because of the war. Lindwall continued to play for St. George in local cricket. He helped them win three championships in a row. In 1942, he helped the St. George rugby league team reach the grand final. He was also the league's top point-scorer that season.

In 1943, Lindwall joined the army. He served in New Guinea until 1945. He returned to Australia in 1945. He was still recovering from tropical illnesses.

Test Cricket Debut

Lindwall quickly showed his talent when cricket started again. He bowled very fast and scored a century (134 not out) against Queensland. He also took 9 wickets for 77 runs against South Australia. These strong performances led to his selection for the Australian team touring New Zealand in 1946.

He made his Test debut against New Zealand. Australia won easily. Lindwall then returned to play rugby league for St. George. They reached the grand final in 1946, but lost. After this, Lindwall decided to focus only on cricket.

The St. George rugby league team of 1946. Lindwall is seated front right. His brother Jack is back right.

The Invincibles Tour of England (1948)

Lindwall was chosen for Sir Donald Bradman's famous Invincibles team that toured England in 1948. This team did not lose a single match. Before the tour, Bradman helped Lindwall fix a leg injury. He also made sure Lindwall's bowling action was legal.

Lindwall's classic bowling style impressed everyone in England. He took 6 wickets for 14 runs against Nottinghamshire. He also took 11 wickets for 59 runs against Sussex.

In the First Test, Lindwall took a wicket before getting injured. He still batted and helped Australia score many runs. In the Second Test at Lord's, Lindwall played even though he was in pain. He took 5 wickets for 70 runs in the first innings. He then took 3 more wickets in the second innings. Australia won easily.

In the Third Test, Lindwall took 4 wickets. He was hit by a bouncer while batting, but kept playing. The match ended in a draw due to rain. In the Fourth Test, Lindwall took 2 wickets and scored 77 runs. Australia chased a world record 404 runs to win.

The final Test at The Oval was Lindwall's best. England batted first on a wet pitch. Lindwall bowled amazingly, taking 6 wickets for only 20 runs. England was bowled out for just 52 runs. Australia won the match by an innings. Lindwall took 9 wickets for 70 runs in the game. He finished the series with 27 wickets. Wisden magazine named him one of their five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1949.

Later Career and Achievements

After the Invincibles tour, Lindwall played against South Africa in 1949–50. He took 5 wickets in the Second Test. He was dropped for the final Test due to health problems. He returned for the 1950–51 Ashes series against England. He helped Australia win the series.

In the 1951–52 season, the West Indies toured Australia. Lindwall bowled very fast and unsettled their batsmen. He took 4 wickets in the first Test and helped Australia win. In the Fifth Test, he took 5 wickets for 52 runs. He was criticized for bowling too many short balls.

In 1952, Lindwall played in the Lancashire League in England. He learned to bowl an inswinger there. When he returned to Australia, he was bowling better than ever. In the 1952–53 series against South Africa, Lindwall took 5 wickets in the First Test. He took 19 wickets in total for the series.

Peak Performance and Move to Queensland

In 1953, Lindwall returned to England. Many people thought he bowled even better than he did in 1948. He used his new inswinger to trouble England's batsmen. In the First Test, he took 5 wickets for 57 runs. In the Second Test, he scored the fastest half-century in Ashes history. He reached 50 runs in just 48 minutes.

Australia lost the series 1–0, their first loss since the Bodyline series. Despite the team's struggles, Lindwall took 26 wickets at a low average of 18.84. He also scored 159 runs.

In 1953, Lindwall moved to Queensland for work. He continued to play cricket there. In the 1954–55 Ashes series, he scored 64 not out in the First Test. He also took 3 wickets. He gave advice to England's fast bowler Frank Tyson. Lindwall took 14 wickets in the series, but Australia lost.

Lindwall toured the West Indies in 1955. He took 6 wickets in the First Test. In the Fourth Test, he scored his second Test century, making 118 runs. Australia won the series 3–0.

In 1956, Lindwall toured England again. He struggled with injuries and the pitches. He only took 7 wickets in the series as Australia lost the Ashes. On the way back to Australia, Lindwall captained Australia for the only time in a Test match against India in Mumbai. He took 7 wickets in the First Test against India.

Comeback and Retirement

After losing to England, Australia's selectors chose many young players. Lindwall, at 36, was left out of the team for the 1957–58 tour of South Africa. He decided to train very hard to get back into the team. He wanted to break Clarrie Grimmett's Australian record of 216 Test wickets.

In 1958, Lindwall bowled very well in a match against England. He took 7 wickets for 73 runs. He was recalled for the Fourth Test against England in 1959. He took 3 wickets in the match. In the Fifth Test, he bowled Trevor Bailey to break Grimmett's record, reaching 217 wickets. He finished the series with 40 wickets.

Lindwall played his last matches for Australia in 1959–60 in the Indian subcontinent. He took 9 wickets in total. He finished his career with 228 Test wickets. He was the first player to score 1500 runs and take 200 wickets in Test cricket.

Bowling Style and Legacy

Ray Lindwall at full stretch

Ray Lindwall is known as one of the greatest fast bowlers ever. His bowling action was smooth and powerful. Richie Benaud said Lindwall was "technically the best fast bowler" he ever saw. Many young bowlers copied his style.

Lindwall was famous for his outswinger, which moved away from the batsman very late and fast. He also had a dangerous yorker and bouncer. He could change his pace to trick batsmen. Later, he added an inswinger to his skills. This made him even more difficult to face.

Lindwall and Keith Miller formed a famous fast-bowling team after World War II. They were considered the best fast bowlers of their time. They often bowled aggressively to top batsmen like Len Hutton. Hutton said Lindwall's bouncers were the best he ever faced. Lindwall refused to bowl bouncers to less skilled batsmen.

After he retired, Lindwall helped train Dennis Lillee, who later broke the world record for Test wickets.

Later Life

After retiring from cricket, Lindwall continued to play for local teams. He also made some appearances for private teams around the world. He became a selector for Queensland and then for Australia.

In 1965, he received an MBE for his services to cricket. He and his wife, Peggy, ran a florist's business. They had two children, a son and a daughter.

Ray Lindwall passed away at age 74 in Brisbane. He was inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 1996. In 2000, he was named in the Australian Cricket Board's Australian Cricket Board Team of the Century.

Test Match Performance

		Batting				Bowling
Opposition	Matches	Runs	Average	High Score	100 / 50	Runs	Wickets	Average	Best (Inns)
England	29	795	22.08	100	1/4	2559	114	22.44	7/63
India	10	173	19.22	48*	0/0	725	36	20.13	7/38
New Zealand	1	0	0.00	0	0/0	29	2	14.50	1/14
Pakistan	3	29	7.25	23	0/0	186	4	46.50	2/72
South Africa	8	107	13.37	38*	0/0	631	31	20.35	5/32
West Indies	10	398	30.61	118	1/1	1121	41	27.34	6/95
Overall	61	1502	21.15	118	2/5	5251	228	23.03	7/38

Images for kids

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  Bill O'Reilly, Lindwall's captain at St George

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  A signed sports card of Lindwall.

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  A signed picture of Lindwall at practice

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  Lindwall traps Peter May LBW in the First Test against England, 1954–55.

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  Ray Lindwall's Test batting performances. The red bars indicate the runs that he scored in an innings, with the blue line indicating the batting average in his last ten innings. The blue dots indicate an innings where he remained not out.

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  Lindwall (l) with (l to r) Australian prime minister Sir Robert Menzies, his former Test captain Lindsay Hassett and then West Indies' captain Frank Worrell at Manuka Oval in 1961.