Harold Larwood was born on this day, 1904.
Eye-witnesses have often called him the fastest they have seen.
But very few have seen *both* Larwood and Shoaib bowl, so that is hardly conclusive.
There was no sophisticated way to measure Larwood's pace, so we can only speculate.
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Eye-witnesses have often called him the fastest they have seen.
But very few have seen *both* Larwood and Shoaib bowl, so that is hardly conclusive.
There was no sophisticated way to measure Larwood's pace, so we can only speculate.
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But I can share some anecdotes on the same topic.
They do not tell a lot, but nice stories are always worth sharing.
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A Larwood yorker once hit Wilfred Rhodes on the boot.
Off came the pad, the boot, and the sock, as the great man limped around in agony.
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They do not tell a lot, but nice stories are always worth sharing.
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A Larwood yorker once hit Wilfred Rhodes on the boot.
Off came the pad, the boot, and the sock, as the great man limped around in agony.
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The umpire asked Rhodes politely whether he could walk.
Rhodes said yes, he could.
"Walk right back to the pavilion, you re out LBW."
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The touring Indians of 1932 were playing Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Among the tourists was Joginder Singh, who batted in a turban.
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Rhodes said yes, he could.
"Walk right back to the pavilion, you re out LBW."
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The touring Indians of 1932 were playing Nottinghamshire at Trent Bridge.
Among the tourists was Joginder Singh, who batted in a turban.
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Sam Staples challenged Larwood to knock the turban off. He even wagered a pack of cigarettes.
Sure enough, a ball carried the turban towards the slips.
That should have been enough, but another bouncer smashed Joginder's face.
He did not take any further part in the match.
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Sure enough, a ball carried the turban towards the slips.
That should have been enough, but another bouncer smashed Joginder's face.
He did not take any further part in the match.
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For some bizarre reason, George Brown of Hampshire thought it was an excellent idea to rile up Larwood.
Brown took two consecutive balls deliberately on his chest.
He then mocked Larwood (why?): "When are you going to bowl really fast, Harold?"
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Brown took two consecutive balls deliberately on his chest.
He then mocked Larwood (why?): "When are you going to bowl really fast, Harold?"
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The next ball was never bowled, for Brown knelt on the ground a couple of seconds later.
The blows had taken their time.
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Haydon Smith of Leicestershire could be genuinely quick.
And on that day, his eyes lit up when he saw the Grace Road pitch.
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The blows had taken their time.
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Haydon Smith of Leicestershire could be genuinely quick.
And on that day, his eyes lit up when he saw the Grace Road pitch.
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He announced that he would bounce at the Notts batsmen.
His captain tried to discourage him, but to no avail.
He bounced, so Larwood and Voce naturally gave it back.
When Smith finally walked out to face Larwood, the Notts fielders chanted "let him have it".
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His captain tried to discourage him, but to no avail.
He bounced, so Larwood and Voce naturally gave it back.
When Smith finally walked out to face Larwood, the Notts fielders chanted "let him have it".
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The first ball went past Smith's nose.
He backed out towards square-leg the moment the next ball was bowled.
But the ball touched the bat and bounced just short of Staples at gully.
And yet Smith walked off.
Staples stopped him: "It was a bump ball. I didn't catch it."
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He backed out towards square-leg the moment the next ball was bowled.
But the ball touched the bat and bounced just short of Staples at gully.
And yet Smith walked off.
Staples stopped him: "It was a bump ball. I didn't catch it."
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But Smith had made up his mind: "You f**king well did."
As mentioned, this is probably untrue.
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But Larwood could also be kind.
Alf Gover was once pulled out of his bath and sent as night-watchman.
He was immediately hit on the box by Larwood.
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As mentioned, this is probably untrue.
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But Larwood could also be kind.
Alf Gover was once pulled out of his bath and sent as night-watchman.
He was immediately hit on the box by Larwood.
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Gover pleaded: "Easy, Harold, they ve dragged me out of the bath."
Larwood bowled outside the stumps for the rest of the over.
You just had to ask him nicely.
Larwood bowled outside the stumps for the rest of the over.
You just had to ask him nicely.
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