Laker’s Match

Martin Chandler | 8:49am BST 15 October 2023

Published: 2023
Pages: 138
Author: Rigby, Vic
Publisher: JW McKenzie Ltd
Rating: 4 stars

It doesn’t seem all that long ago that I rolled up for one of my then regular visits to John McKenzie’s captivating emporium in Ewell and picked up a copy of the first edition of this one, one of 75* copies individually numbered and signed by author Vic Rigby, as well as by England’s Peter Richardson and Australia’s Ian Craig, but in fact it was 17 years ago. I didn’t start writing book reviews for two or three years after that, so the world of cricket literature has not previously had the ‘benefit’ of my thoughts on Laker’s Match.

When the book first appeared, back in 2006, eight of those involved in the historic Old Trafford Test of 1956, when Jim Laker took his 19-90, were still with us. In the course of his research Vic Rigby had the benefit of input from six of them, and also spoke to David Sheppard, who sadly died a year before publication. As well as talking to Rigby and signing the limited editions Craig and Richardson also wrote forewords, the latter’s beginning with a classic line; it cannot be often that you are happy to see your maiden Test century – against Australia as well – go unnoticed afterwards.

The two who didn’t speak to Rigby first time round were Aussies Neil Harvey and Len Maddocks, Of the eight Harvey is still with us, and when I realised that what had dropped through my letterbox was a new edition of Laker’s Match I hoped against hope that perhaps Harvey had been spoken to for this one. Sadly not it turns out, and perhaps it was unreasonable to expect otherwise given that as I type this review ‘Ninna’ is celebrating his 95th birthday. In any event having quickly reread the relevant chapter of Ashley Mallett’s 2021 biography** I cannot imagine Harvey would have had any fresh insights to add.

As a quick reminder England had won back the Ashes in Coronation year in 1953, and Len Hutton’s side, with Frank Tyson starring, had held on to them comfortably in 1954/55. In 1956 the first Test was marred by rain, and then Keith Miller’s only ten wicket match haul in Tests helped Australia to victory at Lord’s. The north of England turned out to be Australia’s graveyard however, as Laker and Tony Lock shared their wickets 11/7 at Headingley, and then 19/1 at Old Trafford to enable England to, with the better of a draw at the Oval, take a third successive Ashes series.

The centrepiece of Laker’s Match is, as you would expect, a detailed description of the match, each of the wickets, and a photograph of each of those 19 dismissals. Some of the images are well known, such as that of Harvey, dismissed for his second duck of the match after hitting a full toss to where Colin Cowdrey shouldn’t have been, throwing his bat in the air in frustration. That said much of the detail in the narrative and many of the photographs are rather less familiar.

The scene is set, naturally, and after the match is concluded Rigby also takes the time to reflect. His first subject there is to review the absence of more than one success from Tony Lock’s wickets column. That one remains an interesting issue almost seventy years on.

The game’s major controversy was the way in which the wicket was prepared, the Australians always having complained about the way that was done, and more particularly the fact that, in effect, both England’s captain (Peter May) and Chairman of Selectors (Gubby Allen) undermined groundsman Bert Flack by their interference. It is an interesting debate, although as time passes there must be very few who do not now believe the Australian complaints were justified.

But however history might judge the actions of those who were not amongst the 22 men who took part in Laker’s Match the Surrey off spinner’s remarkable performance is as close as you can to get a record with a copper bottomed guarantee that it will never be broken. A book devoted to the match is fully justified, and Vic Rigby has done an excellent job.

* There was also a paperback edition.

** Mallett’s book, completed when the author was far from well, is not his best work, but it does have one wonderful tale from this series. It sounds like it must be apocryphal, but those who recall the always laconic and sometimes lugubrious Laker from his days in the commentary box will all be inclined to accept its veracity. When in the fifth and final Test at the Oval Frank Tyson took the first Australian wicket Laker is supposed to have offered the priceless observation, from his usual spot in the gully, there’s nowt for me to play for now